Exhaustion is a natural body response to times of increased stress or busy schedules. In these cases, exhaustion can be relieved with rest and an adequate amount of sleep. When exhaustion is persistent or cannot be relieved by sleep, it can indicate an underlying medical condition or a type of malnutrition.
Anemia
Red blood cells are responsible for binding oxygen and transporting it to all of the tissues in the body. Anemia is a condition in which the body does not contain enough healthy red blood cells to carry a sufficient amount of oxygen to the body tissues. When the body tissues become starved of oxygen, a number of symptoms develop, including exhaustion and fatigue, pale skin, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, cold extremities and headache. Although there are several different types of anemia, each with its own cause, the symptoms are generally the same. Many types of anemia are caused by nutritional deficiencies and treatment consists of replacing missing nutrients.
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in and, as a result, cannot effectively carry out normal body functions. Small changes in the water balance in the body do not usually cause symptoms. Larger changes can result in exhaustion, thirst, dizziness, lightheadedness, dry mouth, sticky mouth and decrease in urine output. Dehydration is usually caused by intestinal infections that cause severe vomiting and diarrhea, according to KidsHealth from Nemours. Inadequate water intake and excessive sweating may also result in dehydration. In most people, dehydration can be treated with an increase in fluid intake to replace lost water. In high risk groups, such as infants or elderly adults, intravenous fluids and electrolytes may be needed.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar, medically referred to as hypoglycemia, occurs when the glucose in the blood falls below 70 mg/dL. Low blood sugar is often associated with diabetes, but can also occur as a result of prolonged periods without food intake or tumors that cause too much insulin to be released into the body, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Glucose is the body's main source of energy. When it is too low, the body cannot function properly. Symptoms of low blood sugar include exhaustion, weakness, cold sweats, vision changes, increased heartbeat, headache, hunger, malaise, tingling and numbness in the skin and cognition problems. If blood sugar becomes dangerously low, fainting, seizures or coma are possible. Blood sugar can usually be brought back into a normal range by eating something that has 15 g of carbohydrates, according to MedlinePlus. People with extremely low blood sugar may need injections of glucose or glucagon.
