Body Fatigue and Importance of Rest and Sleep
Body fatigue is the condition of the body when it is tired and weak. Body fatigue is simply the tiredness of the body after it might have been subjected to physical or mental work or stress. Fatigue can be recognized in a person through many signs.
Signs of Fatigue
1. A fatigued person is restless and uncomfortable.
2. A fatigued person does not sleep well or deep enough.
3. A fatigued person is tired and stressed.
4. A fatigued person looks worried during the period and yawns frequently.
5. The muscles of a fatigued person are stiff and inactive.
6. A fatigued person feels unable to do anything, including walking.
7. A fatigued person is impatient.
8. A fatigued person is uninterested in any activity because the muscles are too weak to respond.
9. A fatigued person feels like lying down.
10. A fatigued person moves sluggishly when walking.
Causes of Body Fatigue
Fatigue can be caused by any of the following:
1. Too much work without rest or sleep;
2. Ill-health without going to the hospital for treatment;
3. Too much of worry or anxiety;
4. Fears of failure in an activity;
5. Disappointment from a good friend or partner;
6. Death ofa relation or a beloved one;
7. Hunger;
8. Overeating and drinking.
Effects of Fatigue on the Body
1. It can lead to mental problem, that is, disturbance in the brain.
2. It can lead to rapid loss of appetite with a feeling of illness. This can also make a person lose weight.
3. It can lead to unhappiness and aggressive behaviour, that is, make a person become bad tempered.
4. It can lead to lack of interest in creative activities.
Prevention and Treatment of Fatigue
Fatigue can be prevented or treated through any of the following ways:
1. Do not over-exert yourself;
2. Try to worry less about everything no matter how pressing;
3. As a student, do not wait till examination week before you start reading. Do not stay for too long in the night to read;
4. Do not use stimulant to keep you awake;
5. Eat balanced diet always. Do not go hungry for too long;
6. Do not over-react to the disappointment from a friend or a beloved one;
7. Do not over-eat or drink. Take your normal quantity of food and drink;
8. See a medical doctor any time you are sick. Avoid self-medication.
Meaning of Rest and Sleep
Rest and sleep are very important to the body, especially after exerting or stressing oneself sufficiently. Rest is not the same as sleep.
Rest
Rest is a bodily state when little or no work is carried out. When at rest, the body is relaxed and the nerves and mind are calm. One can relax on a chair or on a bed without sleeping. Rest can take a few minutes.
How to Rest
There are some things to do in the form of little exercises in order to have a good rest. The following are some of them:
1. Lie on your back, raise your feet on a low stool or on a pillow so that your legs are higher than the rest of your body. This encourages the flow of blood to the brain;
2. Lie on the bed adopting a position most comfortable to you. Just lie there and think of happy things;
3. Lie on your stomach, raise yourself slightly, putting the weight of your body on your elbows. Clasp the back of your head with your hands;
4. Sit on a low stool with your knees together and your legs half-stretched out. Place your hands on your knees and rest your head on them for five minutes;
5. Lie on your back with your legs together and your arms stretched out on the floor as far as you can. Repeat this two or three times.
Sleep
Sleep is a state of rest where one relaxes the mind and muscles for a long time. During sleep, one does not know what is happening around him or her. Some people always dream when they sleep.
Differences between Rest and Sleep
The following are some of the differences between rest and sleep:
1. Sleep involves dreaming, one usually dreams when one is sleeping but does not dream when resting;
2. When one is sleeping, one does not know what is happening around but one is aware of his or her environment when resting;
3.When one is resting, one may be quiet and thinking deeply but not sleeping;
4. When one is sleeping, the body may be motionless except breathing but in rest one can still move the body or change positions.
Importance of Rest and Sleep
1. It is important to rest and sleep to avoid fatigue.
2. They enable the body systems work better with renewed vigour.
3. They reduce body tension.
4. They allow the worn-out cells to be replaced and the damaged ones repaired.
5. They allow the bones to regain their correct length after they have been shortened during the day-to-day activities. This is necessary. especially for small children who are involved in exercises or play most of the time.
Proper Rest and Sleep Conditions
There are certain conditions under which one can rest and sleep comfortably. Some of these conditions and guidelines are:
1. Use the proper correct chair or seat when resting. The correct seat should be one on which you are comfortably seated with your legs well-placed on the ground at 120° to your thighs or when your legs are comfortably relaxed. You can also sit on a cushioned chair with your legs stretched on a stool as a support while resting.
2. The correct bed for sleeping should be wide and long enough. The mattress should not be too hard or too soft. It should be firm and give good support to your body muscles. The pillow must not be too hard. A hard pillow can injure your neck.
3. It is good to have some rest or sleep when one is tired.
4. Do not go to bed immediately after a heavy meal.
5. At night, have a cool bath before going to sleep and remove all items of jewelry and other decorative materials like bangles chains, wristwatches and glasses that can disturb your sleep. Also, ladies should cover their hair with a net or scarf.
6. Always sleep in a room with moderate room temperature and good air circulation.
