Symptom 2: Fatigue – The Invisible Burden
An unseen symptom that stealthily creeps into the lives of men with AFIB is fatigue. It’s not your everyday tiredness after a long day of work or an intense workout session. It’s a profound and pervasive exhaustion, a sapping of energy that no amount of rest seems to quench.
You might notice that your usual morning jog now leaves you gasping for air, or perhaps your once invigorating yoga routine feels like a Herculean task. Maybe your concentration wavers during work, or you simply can’t seem to shake off that heavy cloak of exhaustion, regardless of how well you’ve slept the previous night.
Here’s why: AFIB reduces the efficiency of your heart’s blood-pumping action. With the atria and ventricles playing out of sync, the heart struggles to deliver the requisite amount of oxygen and nutrients to various body parts. It’s like a car trying to run on an almost empty gas tank.
Over time, this continuous strain on your heart can manifest as an all-encompassing tiredness. It’s a silent drain on your energy reserves, a constant battle between your body’s demands and your heart’s capabilities. The exhaustion can be both physical and mental, a spectral companion that casts a pall over your day-to-day life.
The deceptive simplicity of fatigue can often mask the serious issue underneath, leading many to dismiss it as a mere consequence of age or a hectic lifestyle. But remember, persistent, unexplained fatigue is your body’s silent SOS, a red flag that something within isn’t quite right. (2)
