Phases of fatigue and their role in sports activity. Abstract: Objective and subjective signs of fatigue, fatigue and overwork, their causes, methods of elimination and prevention

Fatigue, drowsiness, apathy and weakness - many attribute these sensations to overwork and think that normal sleep You can solve the problem and restore strength. But in fact, in medicine, overwork is considered quite complex problem– after all, it can even lead to development! It is important not only to have some general idea about the condition in question, but also to know its first signs - this will help you respond to the body’s “signals” in a timely manner and quickly restore strength.

Doctors consider two main types of fatigue - physical and mental, and both of them can occur in both children and adults.

Physical fatigue

This type of fatigue develops gradually - the person first feels slightly tired and pain syndrome low intensity in muscle tissue, but usually few people pay attention to these signs. While continuing to be active or engaged in sports training, without reducing the load, full-fledged physical fatigue. In this case, the following symptoms will be present:

Note:if the condition in question develops in women, then a disorder may begin menstrual cycle.

If the above symptoms occur, you should immediately stop strenuous training or avoid physical labor - it will take time to select a recovery program. Doctors do not recommend completely giving up your usual physical activities, you just need to reduce their intensity. As therapeutic measures can be used:

Bath. This is an effective remedy for recovery after hard physical labor, increasing performance and strengthening the immune system. A combination of a bath and massage would be optimal, but even without the latter, visiting a bath 1-2 times a week will help restore the body even after severe physical fatigue.

Baths. They can be different - each of them has an impact of a certain nature. The most popular for physical fatigue are:

Shower. Taking a daily shower is not enough hygiene procedure– with properly selected shower influences you can help the body cope with physical fatigue. Remember:

hot shower with water temperature +45 – has a tonic effect;
rain shower – refreshes and soothes, reduces intensity pain in muscle tissue;
cascade shower (falls from a height of 2.5 m per person a large number of cold water) – increases muscle tone;
contrast shower – helps maintain the body’s performance during recovery.

Massage. This procedure has a positive effect on the central and peripheral nervous system, the functioning of the digestive/cardiovascular systems, and improves metabolic processes in the body. When experiencing physical fatigue, it is very important to get a qualified massage, so it is advisable to seek help from specialists.

Duration of massage:

legs – 10 minutes for each lower limb;
back and neck – 10 minutes in total;
upper limbs – 10 minutes for each arm;
chest and abdomen area – 10 minutes in total.

If you are physically overtired, you can and should take a short vacation, but this does not mean that you need to lie down and lie without activity - this will not allow the body to fully rest. The best options to quickly get rid of physical fatigue without specific procedures:

Take walks in the fresh air every day. Moreover, it is better to do this in parks/squares and during such walks you should not burden your brain with everyday problems - make every effort to ensure that your thoughts are only positive.
Review your diet. Of course, you can’t go on a diet, but add fruits, vegetables and low-fat varieties meat would be quite logical.
Be sure to take a course of vitamin therapy. You can consult your doctor about the choice of specific medications, but you can purchase multivitamin complexes on your own.
Don't reduce your physical activity. You just need to change the type of activity - do a general cleaning of the house, work in the garden or vegetable garden.

Mental fatigue

This type of overwork is often perceived as ordinary fatigue and people try to regain their strength. a simple dream or relaxing in nature. But doctors argue that in some cases such a change in activity will not be enough, it is necessary to undergo full-fledged treatment.

Symptoms of mental fatigue

Early signs of mental fatigue include:

As the problem worsens, the person begins to experience nausea and vomiting, irritability and nervousness, loss of concentration, and memory impairment.

Important:In no case should you independently diagnose “mental fatigue” based on the symptoms described above! For example, an increase blood pressure against the background of a headache may mean problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Stages of development of mental fatigue

The condition in question cannot appear suddenly and suddenly with everyone associated symptoms– mental fatigue develops in a progressive rhythm.

Stage 1

The most easy stage mental fatigue, which is characterized exclusively by subjective signs - a person cannot fall asleep even with severe fatigue, after a night's sleep, a feeling of fatigue persists, and there is a reluctance to do any work.

Stage 2

During this period, the condition in question negatively affects the general rhythm of life. At stage 2 of the disease, the above symptoms are added:

heaviness in the heart area;
sense of anxiety;
fast fatiguability;
slight physical activity provokes trembling of the upper limbs (tremor);
heavy sleep, with frequent awakenings and nightmares.

At the second stage of development of mental fatigue, work disorders appear digestive system, a person’s appetite decreases significantly, the skin of the face becomes pale, and the eyes are constantly red.

During the period under review, pathological changes in the functioning of the whole organism. Men may experience a decrease in potency and libido, and in women the menstrual cycle is disrupted.

Stage 3

This is the most severe stage of the condition in question, which manifests itself as neurasthenia. A person is too excitable, irritated, there is practically no sleep at night, and during the day, on the contrary, productivity disappears due to the desire to sleep, the work of all organs and systems of the body is disrupted.

Stages 2 and 3 of mental fatigue necessarily require the help of professionals - this condition must be treated.

Treatment of mental fatigue

The basic principle of treating mental fatigue is to reduce stress of all types that led to the development of the condition in question.

At the first stage disease required good rest for 1-2 weeks - a person should rest in a sanatorium, take quiet walks in the fresh air, and eat right. If necessary, you can take advantage of relaxing baths and aromatherapy sessions. After this, it will be possible to gradually introduce intellectual and physical activity into a person’s life, and in general, recovery will take at least 2 weeks.

Second stage mental fatigue requires a complete “disconnection” from intellectual activity - it is, of course, impossible to “turn off” the brain, but it is quite possible to stop working on documents, reports, and projects. At this stage, you can engage in auto-training, undergo a relaxing massage course, or relax in a sanatorium or hospital. Term full recovery will be at least 4 weeks.

Third stage of the disease in question is the hospitalization of a person in specialized clinic. We are not talking about psychiatric centers - it is advisable to send a person with a severe stage of mental fatigue to a dispensary. For 2 weeks he will only rest and relax, then for 2 weeks the person engages in active recreation and only after that intellectual stress can be introduced into his life. Full course treatment and recovery at the third stage of the condition in question will be 4 months.

If you feel that the first signs of mental fatigue are appearing, then do not wait for “events to develop.” Take a rest for at least 2-5 days, try to change the type of activity and engage in active recreation, attend auto-training courses, and conduct aromatherapy sessions with rosemary and mint oils every other day.

Important:Under no circumstances should you take any medications if you are mentally fatigued! This can only lead to a worsening of the condition, for the condition in question drug treatment not provided at all.

Overwork in children

It would seem - how overworked can children be? If they run, jump, scream almost around the clock and refuse to sleep even late at night? But it is precisely childhood overfatigue, according to doctors, that leads to serious problems with health. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor the behavior of their children - the first signs of overwork in children may not be expressed.

Symptoms of overfatigue in children

Overwork in children is preceded by severe fatigue. It is customary to highlight the following external signs fatigue (classification according to S.L. Kosilov)

Fatigue
	minor	expressed	sharp
Attention	Rare distractions	Absent-minded, frequent distractions	Weakened, no reaction to new stimuli
Interest in new material	Lively interest	Weak interest, child does not ask questions
Pose	Unsteady, stretching legs and straightening torso	Frequently changing positions, turning the head to the sides, supporting the head with hands	The desire to put your head on the table, stretch out, lean back in your chair
Movements	Accurate	Uncertain, slow	Fidgety movements of the hands and fingers (deterioration of handwriting)
Interest in new material	Lively interest, asking questions	Low interest, no questions	Complete lack of interest, apathy

Even at the very beginning of the development of the condition in question, parents can pay attention to:

capriciousness/tearfulness of a usually cheerful child;
restless sleep - the baby may cry out in his sleep, make erratic waves of his arms and legs;
impaired concentration on some activity or subject.

In addition, the child may develop symptoms for no apparent reason (signs of a cold or inflammatory processes are absent), the child experiences insomnia at night and suffers from drowsiness during the day.

Children of school age, when overworked, lose interest in school, they lag behind in their studies, and begin to complain of headaches and weakness. Very often, overwork in children manifests itself in psycho-emotional disorders:

unpleasant facial expressions;
antics in front of adults and the mirror;
mimicking others.

Children adolescence in this condition, they begin to be rude, snap, and ignore the comments and requests of adults.

Causes of childhood fatigue

Factors that provoke the development of overwork are considered to be:

in infancy - violation of the daily routine (waking time exceeds sleep time), problems with breastfeeding;
Jr school age– physical and mental stress, constant homework, short sleep at night;
senior school age - hormonal changes body, high academic load.

It is worth considering that overwork in children can be caused at school and kindergarten, dysfunctional family environment, tense relationships with peers.

Treatment of overfatigue in children

Many parents consider the child’s behavior described above to be a kind of pampering - “he’ll sleep and everything will pass.” But doctors claim that such ignoring of children's overwork leads to neuroses, persistent insomnia, and fluctuating blood pressure readings.

Treatment for childhood fatigue is A complex approach to solving the problem. It is necessary to seek help from psychotherapists and pediatricians - they will prescribe auto-training sessions; often children only need to undergo a few massage sessions to fully restore their psycho-emotional background. The following measures also have a lasting effect::

nutrition correction – we're talking about on replacing fast foods with full-fledged meals consumed at clearly defined hours;
physical exercise- it could be physiotherapy or just playing sports;
being outdoors– active walks every day for 1-2 hours, regardless of climatic conditions.

The doctor may prescribe an appointment for a child who is overtired vitamin preparations or special biological additives.

Prevention of fatigue in adults and children

To prevent the development of overwork in adults, you just need to know a few rules for conducting normal life activities. This does not mean that you need to transfer to an easier job (this simply does not happen) or radically change your lifestyle - everything is much simpler. Follow these guidelines:

Topic 6. Fatigue and performance

Fatigue and tiredness. Signs, causes and process of development of fatigue.

Types of fatigue

Performance phases

Overwork

Fatigue and tiredness. Signs and causes of driver fatigue.

The reliability of drivers largely depends on their performance. High efficiency ensures that work is performed with high productivity and high quality indicators. When driving in a state of reduced performance, drivers make mistakes, which sometimes lead to accidents.

One of the reasons for decreased performance of drivers is fatigue.

There are such concepts as tiredness, weariness And overwork.

Fatigue- This is a natural process of temporary decrease in performance that occurs as a result of activity. This is an objective process characterized by changes in the human body that can be established by objective methods.

Fatigue is a person’s subjective experience of fatigue. The physiological essence of fatigue is the body signaling the need to stop or reduce the intensity of work in order to avoid disruption of the functions of nerve cells.

At the same time, the feeling of fatigue does not always correspond to the degree of fatigue. A person in a state of fatigue may not feel tired under the influence of emotional excitement, danger, interest in the work being performed, a sense of duty, responsibility for the assigned task. It is for this reason that a driver on a long trip experiences a feeling of fatigue to a lesser extent than a passenger sitting next to him, although prolonged driving naturally leads to greater fatigue for the driver than for an inactive passenger.

For optimal flow mental processes an optimal level of information load is required. Excess and lack of information contribute to the development of fatigue. In addition, the nature of the incoming information also matters.

When driving a car in conditions where there are no other road users on the road, in a monotonous landscape, the driver will feel tired faster than when driving a car in heavy city traffic. In a monotonous environment, with a lack of information or in a state of forced inactivity, a feeling of fatigue may arise faster than during active hard work, although there may still be no objective signs of fatigue.

Domestic physiologists have found that brain cells tire much faster than working muscles. The nerves through which nerve impulses are transmitted have the least fatigue.

This was first proven by physiologist I.M. Sechenov in an original experiment. The subject bends the index finger in given rhythm raised the load to a certain height. As a result of developing fatigue, the height of lifting the load decreased after some time, and then a moment came when the subject could not lift the load at all. At the same time, he felt severe fatigue in the muscles of the working finger and, naturally, believed that fatigue had developed in them. Further, at the moment when he could not lift the load, an electric current was passed through the muscles of the working finger, which caused muscle contraction in the same rhythm, which led to the lifting of the load. Naturally, one could assume that after turning off the current, the additionally worked muscles would not contract as a result of even greater fatigue. However, when the current was turned off, the subject again began to easily lift the load at the same pace. This is explained by the fact that during work, fatigue developed more quickly not in the muscles themselves, but in the nerve centers that sent impulses to these muscles. During muscle contraction electric shock the nerve cells of these centers rested, their performance was restored and they again began to send impulses to the muscles. Thus, the nerve cells of the cerebral cortex tire most quickly, then the muscles tire, and the nerves through which nerve impulses are transmitted have the least fatigue.

As a result of faster fatigue of the nerve cells of the brain, first of all, disturbances occur in the course of mental processes - perception, thinking, memory and attention. In addition, visual acuity decreases, the field of view narrows, depth vision deteriorates, accuracy and coordination of movements are impaired, reaction time increases, the degree of automation of skills decreases, heart rate increases, blood pressure, the sense of speed is lost, apathy and lethargy arise, and the readiness to act is impaired in the event of an unexpected change in the road situation.

Fatigue manifests itself in the form of a gradual decrease in the body's performance. At the same time, auditory, visual and tactile sensitivity decreases, reaction time increases, the number of errors increases, and productivity decreases.

Signs of advancing fatigue:

· feeling tired;

· occurrence of minor erroneous actions;

· desire to straighten up, change posture;

· a noticeable decrease in the intensity and stability of attention;

· involuntary distraction to thoughts not related to driving;

· increasing volitional effort required to overcome the listed negative phenomena.

The first signs of fatigue that appear after several hours of driving are not dangerous for the driver and can be easily eliminated with a short rest.

The degree of fatigue depends on the duration of work. The longer the driver's working day, the more pronounced the fatigue, and the more likely errors are. Statistics have established a direct relationship between driving time and the number of accidents.

Drivers, when driving a car for 7-12 hours, commit accidents 2 times, and when driving for more than 12 hours, 9 times more often than when driving for up to 7 hours. According to other data, drivers working more than 7 hours commit 1/3 of all road accidents. Road accidents that occur due to driver errors as a result of prolonged driving lead to more severe consequences. Thus, drivers who work more than 12 hours have accidents with fatal occur 1.5 times more often.

When fatigued, simple, well-automated skills can be retained that allow one to act correctly in familiar, standard situations. However, they are violated complex species mental activity, which reduces readiness to act in the event of unexpected and unusual changes in the road situation. All this reduces the reliability of drivers, leads to mistakes and accidents.

Visual fatigue is of particular importance for the driver. After 8 hours of continuous operation, he sees a road sign no longer 100 m away, but only 80 m away. Insufficient contrast between the background and the object contributes to visual fatigue, which occurs when driving a car in conditions of limited visibility, as well as when drivers are blinded by the headlights of oncoming cars at night and sun during the day. Visual fatigue negatively affects the driver's performance. Tired eye muscles do not provide clear vision spatial perception. Even experienced drivers, when tired, often shift their gaze to the side of the road and from a distant perspective to a near one, which makes it difficult to perceive and predict the development of the road situation.

Possible reasons, contributing to the development of driver fatigue:

uncomfortable seat

· low temperature air,

· frequent changes temperature in the car cabin,

· bad visibility,

· frequent changes illumination and insufficient illumination of the road in the dark Times of Day,

· vibration,

· Gasoline vapors or exhaust gases entering the cabin.

The process of fatigue development goes through the following stages:

1) Stage of absence of fatigue. The work is not yet tiring, the person can continue to work or do something else;

2) The first stage of fatigue. There is a feeling of fatigue caused by work. But after an hour of active or passive rest, freshness of thoughts and feelings is regained, and the person becomes energetic again.

3) Second stage of fatigue. The willpower decreases, forcing you to strain your brain to solve complex issues.

4) Third stage of fatigue. A person no longer wants to pay attention to anything, even in the lightest work, but still retains the desire to eat and sleep;

5) The fourth stage of fatigue. Characterized by insomnia. At the same time, signs of neurasthenia appear, headaches, a feeling of fatigue after being half asleep and half awake at night, irritability, excessive sensitivity in communicating with other people, short temper, and sometimes depression.

Fatigue of the body – this is a peculiar physiological condition that occurs as a result of too active activity. Overfatigue of the body is expressed in decreased performance and decreased vitality. A complete recovery of the body is required to return to a normal lifestyle.

How does fatigue manifest itself?

Sometimes the word “fatigue” is used as a synonym for the term “fatigue.” However, these definitions are not equivalent, since fatigue is only a subjective sensation that manifests fatigue.

Determined physical And mental (mental ) fatigue . Mental fatigue is expressed, first of all, by a decrease in the productivity of intellectual efforts and dissipation of attention. With physical fatigue, muscle function is impaired.

Doctors determine subjective And objective signs of fatigue. The earliest sign is a feeling of fatigue and a desire to sleep. Physical fatigue of varying degrees is expressed in adults and children by a decrease in muscle endurance and strength, impaired coordination of movements. To perform certain actions, a person who has symptoms of body overwork needs to expend much more energy.

The initial signs of overwork in the body during mental work are expressed by problems with memory, the inability to quickly process information, concentrate on solving the main issues, etc. The causes of overwork in this case are associated with prolonged and active mental work, as, for example, this happens to students before an exam. Basic physiological reasons overwork of a physical nature - overstrain of the body. For example, such a condition can occur in an athlete, in a driver after a long flight, etc. In some cases, after very heavy exertion, both physical and psychic form fatigue.

Fatigue can also be associated with the specifics of work: it occurs more quickly if a person works monotonously, in the same position, and at the same time the same muscles tense. Due to a false sense of comfort, external signs of fatigue may appear later after working in a static position.

If a state of overfatigue is regularly observed in a person and prevents him from leading full life and work actively, you should definitely go to see a doctor and ask him to explain what the causes of fatigue are in your case, and what needs to be done to get rid of this condition.

With inadequate rest or constant very heavy loads, chronic physical and nervous fatigue. Experts also tend to distinguish between mental and mental fatigue of a person. In young people, constant mental reboots and a state of fatigue provoke the development. Very often this is how schoolchildren’s fatigue is expressed. Those who are prone to constant emotional unrest and anxiety experience mental fatigue.

Given the fact that performance and fatigue are closely related, you should definitely pay attention to the signs of such a condition and take necessary measures. If you often experience rapid fatigue, and recovery does not occur even after rest, you should consult a specialist.

Parents must have a clear understanding of fatigue and overwork in children, so as not to miss the first degree of overfatigue and try to help the child. In preschoolers and elementary school students, severe fatigue develops faster than in an adult. This condition sometimes occurs simply as a result of sitting at a desk for many hours, too much daily stress, etc. Chronic fatigue in children is expressed by a number of signs. The child becomes distracted, inattentive, loses perseverance, and breaks discipline during lessons. In some cases, the child may even develop a fever from overwork, weakness, headaches, and weakness. Often additional treatment overfatigue is required for children who have recently contracted any illness. But it should be taken into account that such a condition can also be a harbinger of illness.

Why does fatigue occur?

Thus, the main causes of overwork are serious physical, mental and emotional stress, poor nutrition, lack of sleep and proper rest, difficulty adapting to certain conditions, and etc.

Fatigue occurs in a person due to prolonged or too strenuous activity. Fatigue during work manifests itself as a result of different types of activity: the body becomes overtired both during static work and during dynamic work. Physical fatigue develops with muscle work, mental – with active intellectual activity. Monotonous activity and monotony of actions lead to overwork. A person has a desire to leave work or reduce the degree of workload. During muscular loads, a person becomes overtired, since the supply of energy substances in his muscles decreases and at the same time, decay products accumulate. Accordingly, rest allows you to get rid of lactic acid (a breakdown product) and restore normal work skeletal muscle and other muscles. Normal condition and muscle work occurs faster with active rest.

If a state of fatigue constantly haunts a person, with the question “explain what are the causes of muscle fatigue,” you should definitely consult a doctor. The specialist will conduct Exploratory survey, which will allow you to determine that constant fatigue is associated with a specific reason. In addition, the doctor will tell you how to prevent overwork in the future.

The causes of fatigue of a neuropsychic nature can be prolonged mental work, poor working conditions, emotional overload, noise, physical illness. If a person continues to work in a state of overwork, then gradually he develops exhaustion , which can be either acute or chronic. Often, exhaustion of both forms is observed in athletes who are actively preparing for competitions.

It is important to understand that fatigue can be a symptom serious illnesses – , hepatitis C , oncological diseases , multiple sclerosis , etc. Therefore, it is extremely important to undergo a full examination and determine whether the person’s health is normal. During the consultation, the doctor must pay attention to both some subjective indicators (fatigue, general discomfort) and objective signs (weight loss, increased heart rate, fluctuations in blood pressure)

How to get rid of overwork?

To avoid overwork, a person, first of all, must be very attentive to his own health and “listen” to the body’s signals about fatigue and malaise. Any type of physical fatigue cannot be ignored. If a person regularly experiences fatigue during physical activity, it is necessary to reduce its intensity and the pace of life in general, since physical fatigue may subsequently develop, leading to exhaustion.

To prevent fatigue, it is important to rationally organize work, alternate active work with rest, and arrange workplace so that working on it is as comfortable as possible.

Experts say that it is more effective to prevent overwork leisure. A person needs to constantly alternate mental work with physical work or exercise. During the day, it is important to take a full lunch break and not do work during this time.

It should be remembered that the body is more likely to become overtired during static muscle activity, that is, when they are constantly in a state of tension. To prevent this, it is important to alternate static and dynamic muscle work and periodically find time to rest.

If a person feels the first signs of fatigue during physical or mental work, he must definitely pay attention to this, get a full rest, and switch his attention to other types of activities. Chronic overwork should not be allowed.

If a person is often tired and feels overwhelmed, he can try using some traditional medicine recipes , allowing you to bring the body back to normal and increase overall tone. Beneficial Impact Tea with honey and milk, decoctions of mint, and lingonberry leaves have an effect on the body. It is also recommended to prepare teas and infusions from licorice root and echinacea. It is recommended to drink pomegranate and grape juice, as well as freshly prepared juices from beets and carrots. It is important to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air, pay attention to nutrition, and introduce vegetables, fruits, and berries into your diet.

Have a beneficial effect on the body during overwork water procedures . In the evening, you can take a relaxing bath or make a contrasting foot bath (alternately lower your feet in cold, then in hot water). It is advisable to do rubdowns in the morning cold water, and seasoned people can practice dousing. A bath with pine needle extract and essential oil from pine needles effectively restores strength.

Preventing fatigue in children preschool age consists, first of all, in establishing an optimal daily routine for the child. Both young children and schoolchildren should have adequate sleep, normal nutrition, including dishes that are healthy for the body. Parents need to carefully monitor how adequate the child’s load is. To avoid visual and muscle fatigue, it is important for a student to alternate types of activities and periodically take a break from classes. Measures to prevent overfatigue in children provide that a preschool child’s classes should not last more than 15-20 minutes, and junior schoolboy must take a break from active mental stress every half hour. The child should not be allowed to spend a lot of time in front of the monitor, as there is a risk of developing the so-called computer vision syndrome . Fatigue, its types and prevention in a child is an important topic that you should talk about with your pediatrician and listen to his advice.

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE SIGNS OF FATIGUE, FATIGUE AND OVERFATIGUE, THEIR CAUSES, METHODS OF ELIMINATION AND PREVENTION.

Sochi

1999

OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE SIGNS OF FATIGUE, FATIGUE AND OVERFATIGUE, THEIR CAUSES AND PREVENTION.

Overfatigue is a pathological condition that develops in a person as a result of chronic physical or psychological overstrain, the clinical picture of which is determined by functional disorders in the central nervous system.

The disease is based on overstrain of excitatory or inhibitory processes, a violation of their relationship in the cerebral cortex . This allows us to consider the pathogenesis of overwork to be similar to the pathogenesis of neuroses. The endocrine system, and primarily the pituitary gland and adrenal cortex, is essential in the pathogenesis of the disease. . Thus, according to G. Selye (1960), under the influence of a strong irritant (stressor), an adaptation syndrome, or stress, develops in the body, during which the activity of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and the adrenal cortex increases. These changes in endocrine system largely determine the development of adaptive reactions in the body to intense physical or psychological activity. However, chronic overexertion can lead to depletion of the adrenal cortex and thereby to disruption of previously developed adaptive reactions in the body . It should be emphasized that during the development of fatigue, the central nervous system includes and regulates stress reactions. The pathogenesis of fatigue is based on a disruption of the processes of cortical neurodynamics, similar to what occurs with neuroses.

With neurosis, the functional state of the underlying parts of the central nervous system also changes. At the same time, visceral disorders often observed during fatigue can be considered as a consequence of changes functional state brain, which regulate neurohumoral processes in the body and control autonomic, hormonal and visceral functions . Typically, in the clinic, the disease is divided into three stages that are not clearly demarcated from each other.

Stage I. It is characterized by the absence of complaints or occasionally the person complains of sleep disturbances, expressed in poor falling asleep and frequent awakenings. Quite often there is a lack of feeling of rest after sleep, a decrease in appetite, concentration and, less often, a decrease in performance. Objective signs of the disease are a deterioration in the body’s adaptability to psychological stress and a violation of the finest motor coordination. by force). There is no objective data.

Stage II. It is characterized by numerous complaints, functional disorders in many organs and systems of the body and decreased physical performance. Thus, people complain of apathy, lethargy, drowsiness, increased irritability, and decreased appetite. Many people complain of easy fatigue, discomfort and pain in the heart area, causing delayed involvement in any work. In a number of cases, such a person complains of a loss of acute muscle sense and the appearance of inadequate reactions to physical activity [Letunov S.P., Motylyanskaya R.E., 1975; Venerando A., 1975]. The sleep disorder progresses, the time to fall asleep lengthens, sleep becomes superficial, restless with frequent dreams, often of a nightmarish nature. Sleep, as a rule, does not provide the necessary rest and recuperation.

Often these people have a characteristic appearance, expressed in a pale complexion, sunken eyes, bluish lips and blue under the eyes.

Disturbances in the activity of the nervous system are manifested in changes in the daily periodicity of functions and the daily dynamic stereotype. As a result of this, the maximum increase in all functional indicators It is observed in a person not at those hours when he usually exercises as much as possible, for example, in the afternoon, but early in the morning or late in the evening, when he does not exercise. The nature of the bioelectrical activity of the brain also changes: the amplitude of the background alpha rhythm decreases, and after prolonged mental work, irregularity and instability of electrical potentials are revealed [Vasilieva V.V., 1970].

In the cardiovascular system, functional disorders manifest themselves in an inadequately large reaction to psychological stress, in a slowdown recovery period after them, there are disturbances in the rhythm of cardiac activity, and a deterioration in the adaptability of cardiac activity to stress. Cardiac rhythm disturbances most often manifest themselves in the form of sinus arrhythmia, extrasystole and first degree atrioventricular block.

At rest, a person may have tachycardia and high blood pressure or severe bradycardia and hypotension instead of the usual moderate bradycardia and normal blood pressure . In some cases it develops autonomic dysfunction. It is characterized by inadequate vascular reactions to a temperature stimulus, unstable blood pressure and the predominance of sympathotonia or vagotonia. Often a person experiences a dysregulation of venous vascular tone. manifested as an enhanced pattern of the venous network on pale skin (marbled skin).

In a state of overwork, a person’s basal metabolism increases and carbohydrate metabolism is often disrupted. Violation carbohydrate metabolism manifests itself in deterioration of glucose absorption and utilization. The amount of sugar in the blood at rest decreases. The course of oxidative processes in the body is also disrupted. This may indicate sharp decline in tissues containing ascorbic acid[Yakovlev N. N., 1977].

A person's body weight drops when overworked. This is due to the increased breakdown of body proteins.

In a state of overwork, a person may show signs of inhibition of the adrenocorticotropic function of the anterior pituitary gland and insufficiency of the adrenal cortex [Letunov S.P., Motylyanskaya R.E., 1975]. Thus, in a state of overwork, a decrease in adrenal hormones and eosinophilia is determined in a person’s blood.

In a person in a state of overfatigue, it often occurs increased sweating. Women experience menstrual irregularities, and in some cases men may experience a decrease or increase in sexual potency. These changes are based on nervous and hormonal disorders.

All changes noted during stage II of overfatigue are the result of a violation of the regulation of activity and a decrease in the functional state of organs, organ systems and the entire human body. They also explain the decrease in the body’s resistance to the harmful effects of factors observed during overwork. external environment and, in particular, to infectious diseases. The latter is largely determined by a decrease in the basic immunobiological defense reactions of the body, namely a decrease in the phagocytic ability of blood neutrophils, bactericidal properties skin and a decrease in complement in the blood [Nemiroich-Danchenko O. R., 1975; Ilyasov Yu. M., Levin M. Ya., 1977; Vyaz-mensky V. Yu. et al., 1977; Shubik V. M., 1978; Ivanov N.I., Talko V.V., 1981].

Stage III. It is characterized by the development of hypersthenic or hyposthenic neurasthenia and sharp deterioration general condition. The first form is a consequence of a weakening of the inhibitory process, and the second is an overstrain of the excitatory process in the cerebral cortex. The clinic of the hypersthenic form of neurasthenia is characterized by increased nervous excitability, a feeling of fatigue, fatigue, general weakness and insomnia. The clinic of the hyposthenic form of neurasthenia is characterized by general weakness, exhaustion, fatigue, apathy and drowsiness during the day.

In case of stage I overfatigue, the psychological load should be reduced and the daily routine changed for 2-4 weeks, namely, reduce the total volume of the load, eliminate long and intense exercise. In your daily routine, focus on general physical training, which is carried out with a small load. As the general condition improves, the regimen gradually expands and after 2-4 weeks. it returns to its previous volume.

In case of stage II overwork, classes are replaced with active rest for 1-2 weeks. Then, over the course of 1-2 months, a gradual introduction to the usual regimen is carried out, as described in the treatment of stage I of overfatigue. During this time, violation of the work and rest schedule is prohibited.

In stage III of overfatigue, the first 15 days are allotted for complete rest and treatment, which should be carried out in clinical settings. After this, the person is prescribed active rest. Gradual inclusion in the normal daily routine continues for another 2-3 months. All this time, great psychological or physical stress is prohibited.

Treatment of overfatigue will be successful only in cases where all the causes that caused it are eliminated and the load is brought in accordance with general regime life. It is necessary to fortify the body, especially with vitamin C, B complex vitamins and vitamin E. Good result gives the prescription of sedatives and nootropic drugs (tincture of valerian, novopassit, piracetam, nootropil), drugs that improve microcirculation of cerebral vessels (trental, cinnarizine, etc.) [Sokolov I.K. et al., 1977; Butchenko L.A., 1980]. In the treatment of stage III overfatigue, hormones of the adrenal cortex and hormones of the gonads can be used.

Fatigue and overwork are physiological conditions that occur during prolonged mental or physical stress. Signs of these conditions are manifested by decreased performance. At mental fatigue it is difficult for a person to think and concentrate.

Unlike fatigue, overwork is pathological process resulting from prolonged fatigue.

Fatigue and overwork - causes and mechanism of development

Overfatigue develops with excessive activity, which is not compensated by proper rest.

In addition, the following circumstances can lead to overwork:

constant mental stress at work;
poor living conditions;
insufficient sleep;
low physical activity;
stressful situations;
performing physical work disproportionate to capabilities;

Often the cause of overwork is the combined action of several factors that reinforce each other. For example, performing complex physical work that the body is able to withstand, in combination with wrong diet nutrition leads to fatigue.

Overfatigue can develop both after a strong single load and after prolonged loads of low strength.

The body reacts to the action of the stimulus by developing an adaptation syndrome, in which the work of the anterior part of the pituitary gland and the adrenal cortex is activated. A certain amount of so-called stress hormones is released into the blood, which help the body adapt to a certain type of stress.

If such stress is repeated many times, the organs that produce these hormones are depleted, which leads to disruption of the body's adaptation. In a person with overwork, the basal metabolism accelerates and often there is impaired carbohydrate metabolism.

This manifests itself in poor absorption and excretion of glucose. Blood sugar levels drop. The course of oxidative processes in the tissues of the body also changes, which can manifest itself as a sharp decrease in the amount of ascorbic acid.

Types of disorder in women and men

Highlight the following types fatigue:

mental;
physical.

Physical fatigue does not develop immediately. At first, the person feels a little tired and minor muscle pain. Most people do not pay attention to this and continue to lead a normal life.

After some time, the body becomes exhausted and characteristic symptoms appear:

constant fatigue that does not go away even after a long sleep;
painful feelings in the muscles intensify, bringing the patient significant discomfort;
sleep is disturbed - it is difficult for a person to fall asleep, while he wakes up several times during the night;
feeling tired in the morning;
disturbance of emotions - a person becomes either too lethargic or too aggressive;
unpleasant feelings on the left side, in the region of the heart;
increased blood pressure, increased heart rate;
poor or no appetite; a white coating forms on the tongue;
weight gradually decreases;
Women may experience menstrual irregularities.

Mental fatigue is often mistaken for ordinary fatigue. People try to rest and get enough sleep, believing that it will pass this way. Doctors say that in many cases, such measures will not be enough. To recover, a person must undergo a course of treatment.

Symptoms of mental fatigue include:

frequent causeless headaches;
feeling of fatigue that does not go away after sleep and rest;
instability of blood pressure;
pallor skin, bags appear under the eyes;
eyes become red;
it is extremely difficult to fall asleep.

What diseases lead to overwork

Eat individual diseases and conditions that have a long course and worsen the quality of life, thereby causing fatigue and overwork.

Such pathologies include:

diseases respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia;
heart failure;
diseases of viral origin;
anxiety and depression;
malnutrition;
bad dream.

There are also diseases that begin with overwork.

These include:

inflammatory liver diseases;
tumors;
hormonal diseases, especially diabetes;
anemia;
decreased thyroid function;
obesity;
mononucleosis;
asthenia.

If you have one or more symptoms of fatigue, you should consult a general practitioner.

After a survey and examination, he will be able to say for sure whether the patient has a disease associated with fatigue, and, if necessary, refer him for a consultation to a more highly specialized specialist.

Doctors talk about chronic fatigue syndrome on video

Independent treatment methods

The first thing you need to do is take at least a short vacation.

The best options for recovery during this period will be:

Daily walks in the fresh air, especially before bed. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about various everyday problems. Thoughts should only be good, then the brain will fully rest.
A balanced diet will promote recovery.
Moderate physical activity should be present. For example, you can clean the house or work in the garden.
You can go for a massage or other relaxing treatments.

Drug treatment and prevention

Drug treatment is started only after consulting a doctor.

For this purpose the following is prescribed:

vitamin preparations such as Vitrum, Duovit, Supradin;
stimulants immune system: echinacea solution, interferon;
anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve headaches and muscle pain: paracetamol, diclofenac;
adaptogens: adaptol;
nootropics: phenibut, phenotropil;
antidepressants.

Preventing overwork is not complicated and consists of following just a few rules. The first of these is mandatory proper rest. It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of home and work. If the work involves physical activity, it is better to change it at home to mental activity, and vice versa.

Playing sports - great way prevention of overwork. It is necessary to take walks every evening. You can sign up for a swimming pool or at least do exercises in the morning. To relax after a hard day at work, you can go to the bathhouse, sauna or massage.

If overwork does occur, under no circumstances should you drink alcohol. This will only make the situation worse.

Balanced diet – best medicine from overwork.
Numerous studies have shown that people who eat small, frequent meals are less tired than people who eat small, infrequent meals.

At the same time, their heads are always “fresh”. Experts recommend eating fruits or drinking juices between meals. If you have a job that involves mental stress, you can eat a couple of pieces of fish during the day. It contains a lot of phosphorus, which stimulates brain function.

You can also eat for this purpose walnuts, peanuts, almonds. Green onions will help relieve fatigue and drowsiness. When you get tired, you can throw it in hot milk egg yolk, add a little sugar and drink.

External signs of fatigue and overwork

Throughout his life, a person works, then rests. Any physical and psychological stress leads to fatigue of the human body.

Fatigue is a natural physiological state of the body that occurs as a defensive reaction to physical and psychological exhaustion.

Overwork can be both physical and psychological. In the first case, as a result of a decrease functional activity muscle loss of strength occurs, coordination of movement is impaired.

Psychological fatigue is caused in most cases by prolonged mental stress and is manifested by a qualitative decrease in intellectual activity, as well as loss of concentration.

Normally, the body always has a certain “reserve fund”, the so-called emergency reserve of energy, which is released under certain circumstances. Sudden emotional stress, a feeling of fear or an uncontrollable attack of aggression can prompt the body to use its untouchable resources.

Can serve as an additional source of strength a wide range of caffeine-based energy drinks. Any form of rest significantly contributes to the restoration of energy balance.

A decrease in efficiency, a deterioration in the quality level of work capacity, or a weakening of intellectual activity occurs mainly against the background of prolonged physical activity, psychological exhaustion and numerous stresses, lack of balanced nutrition or chronic lack of sleep.

The basis for overwork can be a disproportionate ratio of the duration of work activity and rest. Accompanying all this are poor working conditions, unfavorable living conditions and an unsatisfactory emotional background among the work team.

The main signs of body fatigue are:

loss of physical strength due to disruption of the muscular system in the form of an imbalance of movements, their rhythm and coordination;
memory deterioration and decreased attention as a result of prolonged intellectual stress (which often indicates problems at the level of the psycho-emotional sphere);
sleep disturbance or insomnia, which may be accompanied by frequent headaches;
excessive irritability for no reason;
reduction or complete absence appetite;
trembling in the limbs.

Chronic fatigue in some cases can be the main cause of a weakened immune system. As a result, the risk of a viral or infectious disease increases sharply.

An insufficiently strong or not yet fully formed nervous system, with excessive mental stress, combined with various experiences and physical exhaustion, can lead to different forms neuroses and hysterical states.

Preventative measures for fatigue

As measures aimed at preventing fatigue, it is necessary:

Prolonged stay in the fresh air, especially walks before bedtime, will significantly improve the condition after have a hard day. At the same time, it is important to create the right psychological background and internal emotional state. It is advisable to protect yourself as much as possible (in your thoughts) from the everyday life of wretched monotony and causeless vanity. It is better to direct your thoughts towards something positive and good, something that will bring peace and inner harmony. All hardships and adversities must be cast aside. Following these simple rules in combination with fresh air will significantly improve your condition.
Balanced diet. Food should include plenty of fruits and vegetables. Try to exclude fatty, salty and spicy foods from your daily consumption. Since it greatly burdens and tires the body. Milk and light porridges will be an adequate replacement. It is advisable to take a course of vitamins that will help strengthen your immune and nervous system.
Change your attitude towards the world. Take everything more simply, avoid unnecessary emotional experiences and stressful situations.

It would be appropriate to start the day with morning exercises, which gradually turns into restorative water treatments, followed by a light breakfast. Such actions will give you vital energy and positivity for the whole day.

Recovering strength after a hard day

In order to relieve fatigue and restore the body’s energy potential, it is advisable to follow a number of very simple rules:

healthy sleep in a well-ventilated area;
massage, which helps relieve both physical fatigue and relax on a mental level;
evening exercise with the right, positive attitude - The best way get rid of fatigue after a busy, emotional work day;
healthy, easily digestible food;
for psychological relaxation, it is recommended to use various meditation techniques;
sports games (team or individual) or going to the gym;
calm, relaxing music.

It is very useful to take a refreshing, contrast shower in the evening. Water will help get rid of all the negative emotions accumulated during the day and relieve tension from the muscles of the body. Many doctors recommend visiting a bathhouse or sauna as a restorative therapy.

Due to the fact that the modern information space is oversaturated with negative, destructive information, many psychotherapists strongly recommend abstracting yourself as much as possible and minimizing TV watching

Treating fatigue with folk remedies

Modern medicine offers a wide range medicines, allowing you to cope with fatigue and its consequences as quickly and effectively as possible. However, there are often circumstances in which the use of these drugs is contraindicated.

In such cases, you can use the time-tested and experience of many generations of traditional medicine:

Bee Honey. Mix 2 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar with 150 grams of May honey. Take the resulting elixir 3 times a day.
Dissolve a teaspoon of honey in a mug warm water. Mix thoroughly and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. This drink, drunk in the morning, will fill you with energy for the whole day.
Ginger tincture. Take ginger and chop it finely. Then carefully pour it into a bottle of vodka. Place in a dark place for 2 weeks. It is advisable to take the resulting energy tincture in 50 g doses. before dinner. In cases where you are intolerant to alcohol, it will be important to drink tea with ginger before bed.
An effective remedy for relieving fatigue is the well-known herb St. John's wort. In order to prepare a decoction of this herb (which can be bought at any pharmacy in the city), you need to pour a tablespoon of St. John's wort boiled water– 300 ml. Let it brew for 1.5 hours. The resulting decoction is taken orally, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Of course, life does not stand still, and modern food industry provides the opportunity to purchase a variety of energetic drinks or regular coffee. However, their frequent use may lead to disruption of the cardiovascular system.