The Generation of Chronic Fatigue, Brain Fog, and Gut Problems

In 2024, the pervasive use of technology, social media, constant notifications, and the demands of hustle culture are significantly impacting our health and well-being. The modern lifestyle has led to a generation increasingly plagued by chronic fatigue, brain fog, and gut problems. This article explores how these elements of contemporary life contribute to these issues, how people typically feel, and provides insights and practical suggestions to mitigate their effects and build healthier habits.

Chronic Fatigue: The Unseen Epidemic

Symptoms

• Exhaustion: People often feel a deep sense of tiredness that isn’t relieved by sleep. Waking up feeling unrested and struggling to get through the day without feeling overwhelmingly fatigued is common.

• Low Energy: There is a persistent lack of energy, making even simple tasks feel daunting and physically draining.

Potential Causes

• Continuous Sympathetic Nervous System Activation: The constant influx of information and notifications keeps our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in a state of heightened alertness, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response. This chronic activation can lead to persistent fatigue (McEwen, 2008).

• Sleep Disruption: The blue light emitted from screens inhibits melatonin production, a hormone essential for sleep. This disruption leads to difficulty falling asleep and poor sleep quality, contributing to chronic fatigue (Chang et al., 2015). Irregular sleep schedules, driven by the demands of hustle culture and the need to stay constantly connected, exacerbate fatigue.

Suggestions to Overcome Chronic Fatigue

• Scheduled Breaks: Take regular breaks from screens throughout the day to reduce eye strain and mental fatigue.

• Bedtime Routine: Establish a consistent sleep schedule and create a bedtime routine that promotes relaxation, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing gentle yoga.

• Blue Light Filters: Use blue light filters on devices and avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime to improve sleep quality.

Brain Fog: The Modern Mental Haze

Symptoms

• Difficulty Concentrating: People often struggle to focus on tasks, with their mind feeling cloudy and unclear.

• Forgetfulness: There is an increased tendency to forget things, ranging from daily tasks to important information.

• Mental Fatigue: Even after a full night's sleep, individuals may feel mentally exhausted and unable to think clearly.

Potential Causes

• Cognitive Overload: The relentless stream of information from social media, news, and emails overwhelms our cognitive resources, leading to mental exhaustion and impaired cognitive function (Hembrooke & Gay, 2003).

• Attention Fragmentation: Frequent interruptions from notifications and the pressure to multitask prevent deep, focused work, resulting in brain fog and reduced productivity.

Holistic Suggestions to Overcome Brain Fog at home

• Mindfulness Practices: Engage in mindfulness practices like meditation, deep breathing, or mindful walking to clear mental clutter and improve focus.

• Digital Detox: Allocate specific times during the day to disconnect from digital devices, allowing your brain to rest and recharge.

  ( set timers or schedule it in like a meeting)

• Single-Tasking: Focus on one task at a time to enhance concentration and reduce the mental strain associated with multitasking.

  ( Set timers! pick a specific amount of time you will spend on a task before you are allowed to do anything else, all thoughts or ideas that flow through during that period get written on a notepad for later)

Gut Problems: The Silent Sufferer

Symptoms

• Digestive Issues: Individuals often experience bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea.

• Abdominal Discomfort: Persistent pain or discomfort in the stomach area can be a common complaint.

• Food Sensitivities: There may be an increased sensitivity to certain foods, leading to digestive distress.

Causes

• Stress and the Gut-Brain Axis: Chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which can disrupt the gut-brain axis. This disruption affects digestion and can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (McEwen, 2008).

• Sedentary Lifestyle: Prolonged screen time promotes a sedentary lifestyle, contributing to poor gut health and digestive problems (Owen et al., 2010).

• Dietary Habits: The hustle culture often leads to reliance on convenience foods that are high in sugar and low in nutrients, negatively impacting gut health and contributing to problems like bloating, constipation, and dysbiosis.

Holistic Suggestions to Overcome Gut Problems at home

• Healthy Diet: Focus on a balanced diet rich in fiber, probiotics, and nutrients to support gut health. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fermented foods.

• Regular Exercise: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine to promote gut motility and overall digestive health.

• Stress Management: Practice stress-reducing activities such as yoga, meditation, or tai chi to maintain a healthy gut-brain connection.

Building Habits for a Longer and Healthier Life

Creating sustainable habits to combat chronic fatigue, brain fog, and gut problems involves making gradual, consistent changes. Here are some practical steps:

1. Establish a Daily Routine

• Morning Ritual: Start your day with a consistent morning routine that includes hydration, a healthy breakfast, and a few minutes of mindfulness or exercise.

>>Try some of these everyday breathwork techniques <<

• Evening Wind-Down: Develop a calming evening routine that helps signal your body it's time to wind down. This can include activities like reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques.

2. Set Boundaries with Technology

• Designate Tech-Free Zones: Create areas in your home where technology is not allowed, such as the bedroom or dining area, to encourage tech-free time and improve sleep quality.

• Schedule Digital Downtime: Plan specific times during the day to be free from digital devices. Use this time to engage in offline activities like walking, reading, or spending time with loved ones.

Download One Sec, it’s an app you can download onto your phone or laptop to build healthy habits and boundaries that you cannot skip! Every time you try to open your favorite apps, wait. Take a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. one sec gives you the chance to pause and think twice – before you get sucked into an endless loophole designed to draw you in for hours again.

I have created hard blocks on all social media apps between the hours of 4pm - 8am to avoid doom scrolling in bed or avoiding daily tedious tasks.

3. Prioritize Physical and Mental Health

• Regular Exercise: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine, aiming for at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

Use Strava or Apple “my fitness” app to track your daily movement, if you are triggered by “excercise” change the language. Movement comes in all shapes and sizes and it can be fun! Try surfing, playing sports, walking you dog, dancing or doing yoga. For many of us, we are taught ‘excercise’ is not enjoyable and only something to be done as punishment for “eating bad” foods, or to loose weight.

Once you work on your relationship with the language and conditioning around excercise, you can learn to LOVE it!

• Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness or meditation regularly to reduce stress and improve mental clarity.

• Hydration and Nutrition: Drink plenty of water throughout the day and focus on a nutrient-rich diet to support overall health and well-being.

The modern lifestyle characterised by constant technological engagement, social media, and hustle culture has given rise to a generation suffering from chronic fatigue, brain fog, and gut problems. Together we can choose to study, and educate ourselves on strategies to mitigate the effects. Prioritising sleep, managing stress, setting boundaries with technology, and fostering healthy habits are essential for combating these modern ailments and leading a more balanced, fulfilling life.

Embrace the opportunity to reclaim your health from the grips of modern overstimulation and experience the benefits of a more mindful and intentional approach to daily living. By making these changes, you can cultivate a lifestyle that promotes longevity, vitality, and overall happiness.

Seeking a mentor to help you with all of these changes? Do you want to build sustainable habits and reach your goals?

>>Join Alycia’s online 1:1 coaching program <<

REFERENCES

1. Chronic Stress Activation

• Sympathetic Nervous System Overdrive: Chronic stress and the resulting sympathetic nervous system activation can lead to various health issues.

  • Reference: McEwen, B. S. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: Understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European Journal of Pharmacology, 583(2-3), 174-185. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.11.071

2. Mental Overload and Fatigue

• Cognitive Overload: The impact of information overload on cognitive performance.

  • Reference: Hembrooke, H., & Gay, G. (2003). The laptop and the lecture: The effects of multitasking in learning environments. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 15(1), 46-64. doi:10.1007/BF02940852

3. Emotional Dysregulation

• Increased Anxiety and Depression: The role of social media in exacerbating anxiety and depression.

  • Reference: Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., Lin, L. Y., Rosen, D., Colditz, J. B., Radovic, A., & Miller, E. (2017). Social media use and perceived social isolation among young adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), 1-8. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010

4. Disrupted Sleep Patterns

• Blue Light Exposure: The effect of blue light on sleep quality.

  • Reference: Chang, A. M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(4), 1232-1237. doi:10.1073/pnas.1418490112

5. Social and Relational Impact

• Reduced Face-to-Face Interactions: The impact of digital media on social interaction and loneliness.

  • Reference: Nowland, R., Necka, E. A., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2018). Loneliness and social internet use: Pathways to reconnection in a digital world? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(1), 70-87. doi:10.1177/1745691617713052

6. Physical Health Consequences

• Sedentary Lifestyle: The health risks associated with prolonged sitting and screen time.

  • Reference: Owen, N., Healy, G. N., Matthews, C. E., & Dunstan, D. W. (2010). Too much sitting: The population-health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 38(3), 105-113. doi:10.1097/JES.0b013e3181e373a2

7. Dopamine Dysregulation

• Reward System Overload: The effects of social media on the brain's reward system.

  • Reference: Montag, C., & Diefenbach, S. (2018). Towards homo digitalis: Important research issues for psychology and the neurosciences at the dawn of the internet of things and the digital society. Sustainability, 10(2), 415. doi:10.3390/su10020415