With the news that Lady Gaga was, once again, suffering from "exhaustion", and "dehydration," this time on her 2010 world tour in Auckland NZ (see video below), I decided once and for all to find out what "exhaustion" really means and how, if you're suffering from "exhaustion," how you can reduce stress and avoid severe fatigue.
Is it just a euphemism for "drug problem" or "nervous breakdown?" Or is there really something to it? And if you feel "exhausted" or fatigue what can you do to feel better?
I asked New York City based physician and researcher Margaret Lewin, MD, FACP - Medical Director, Cinergy Health to tell us the real story behind what might be happening to Lady Gaga and what you can do to increase your wellness health if you too start feeling exhausted and how to reduce stress at work or home.
Roger: When celebrities and executives talk about "exhaustion" and "dehydration" what does this really mean? Is it stress or some other health problem?
Dr. Margaret: Canceling performances and interrupting careers due to "exhaustion" or "dehydration" is common - and suggests that the celebrity is simply too burned-out either physically or emotionally to continue without a break.
Performers with physically demanding routines during rehearsals and performances, stressful publicity tours , tight travel schedules, and the need to look thin frequently sleep little, eat poorly and don't replace their bodies' severe losses of salts, minerals and water. This can result in dehydration as well as exhaustion.
Q: Aren't these just euphemisms for a drug problem?
A: Sometimes these are in fact euphemisms used to cover up loss of capacity because of drugs, alcohol or a "nervous breakdown".
Q: What are the typical causes of exhaustion and if I feel like I'm heading this way, what can I do to avoid it?
A:
- "Burning the candle at both ends" - staying up too late, getting up early, using stimulants (caffeine, etc.) to stay awake during the day, then using alcohol or sleeping pills to overcome the stimulants in order to sleep, etc.
- Chronic sleep problems caused by alcohol or other drugs, sleep apnea, frequent awakening to empty your bladder
- "Burn-out" - working long hours on the same project, ignoring all other important aspects of your life, until you simply stop in your tracks and can't move forward.
- Anemia - of gradual onset (iron deficiency from a slow loss of blood, or deficiency of an important vitamin such as B12), making you slow down gradually; or dramatic - such as acute bleeding from an ulcer or colon polyp which might make you feel so weak and fatigued that you can barely stand
- "Reactive hypoglycemia" - a condition in which a very large meal or foods high in refined sugars brings on a "sugar high", stimulating your body to release too-large amounts of insulin which then makes you crash into a "sugar low" - leaving you exhausted and searching for more carbohydrates to give you another "sugar high".
- Under- or over-activity of your thyroid gland - which governs your entire metabolism.
- Drugs - whether prescribed (such as blood pressure medications), over-the-counter (such as anti-histamines) or illicit (such as ‘downers')
Q: What are some simple tips to avoid "exhaustion?"
A: Once treatable/curable medical problems are found not to be the cause of the problem, get out of the slump by:
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercising regularly
- Eating well-balanced, healthy meals
- Taking time out of every day to relax in the way you find most restful. For example, soaking in a warm tub, meditating, or visualizing yourself in your ideal environment, etc…
- Growing in a new direction: taking tango lessons, volunteering in a local community program, taking a course at the local school or university.
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