Asthenia is a concept used in the field of medicine to name the situation that a person goes through when, due to fatigue, apathy or other cause, they lack energy .
Asthenia can be considered a symptom of different health problems. It is a feeling of weakness , which can be physical and/or psychological and that mainly affects individuals who are over twenty years old and under fifty years old.
Its etymology
To know the meaning of the term asthenia, it is important to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can establish that it is a word that derives from the Greek language, being the result of the sum of two elements of said language:
- The prefix a- , which can be translated as “without” .
- The noun sthenos , which is equivalent to “strength.”
Starting from that we can establish that asthenia means “without strength” or “weakness” .
Causes of asthenia
Asthenia can have multiple causes. The development of a very intense daily activity, depression or a sleep disorder are functional reasons that can cause the appearance of asthenia.
Organic causes that lead to asthenia may also occur, such as hypothyroidism, glycolysis , celiac disease and anemia . Even poisoning, an infection and even the hormonal changes caused by pregnancy can cause asthenia.
The symptoms
Among the symptoms of asthenia are fatigue , a feeling of exhaustion , lack of motivation , and memory and concentration problems . On the other hand, the affected person may lose their appetite and suffer problems in their sexual life due to the absence of desire.
Unlike common fatigue, asthenia is not reversed with rest alone. As it often appears associated with a disease (such as cancer, tuberculosis or mononucleosis, among others), to reverse it it is necessary to treat the main disease since that is its origin.
Spring asthenia
Based on all of the above, we have to highlight the existence of what is known as spring asthenia . As its name indicates, it refers to tiredness , fatigue, lack of energy and even sleep problems that many people experience when the winter season changes to spring.
The rise in temperatures, the change of time, the greater number of hours of daylight and the increase in atmospheric pressure are some of the situations that lead to spring asthenia.
To be able to deal with it, it is recommended to carry out the following tips:
- Practice exercise frequently.
- Maintain regular sleeping and eating schedules.
- Carry out good hydration daily, drinking between 1.5 and 2 liters of water.
- Follow a healthy, complete and balanced diet where fruits and vegetables are very present.
- Get as much rest as possible, especially at night.