Are you tired even after all night sleep? Why did not coffee jumpstart do not like that day like that day? Are you taking uncontrolled yawning in the middle of the day? Do you think you are less than energy? For many people, this is a frequent problem, making everyday tasks unbearable, and there is very little relief in sight.

This permanent feeling of fatigue can be a sign of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myelgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), a complex, under-affinity disease that unevenly affects women, yet often undeveloped or incorrect diagnosis.

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome is marked by frequent, unexplained tiredness or fatigue which does not improve with comfort. Unlike the specific fatigue that improves with sleep or relaxation, CFS releases drought even after hours of comfort.

“CFS is beyond general fatigue or burnout,” said Bhargavi Ramanujam, senior neurology advisor at PSRI Hospital. “Fatigue persists or deteriorates after rest, and even minimal physical or mental efforts can increase symptoms, a condition called post-ethical malaise.”

Other general symptoms include lack of sleep, brain fog, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, headache and low concentration.

I misunderstood and wrongly diagnosed

Because chronic fatigue more commonly share symptoms with diagnosis conditions such as depression, anxiety, thyroid disorder, post-viral syndrome, it is often wrong for one of them.

“There are no definite laboratory tests to diagnose CFS.” It is usually a diagnosis of exclusion, which means that doctors first get out of other conditions. This process may take months, during which patients may feel invalid or inability, deteriorating their quality of life, “Dr. Ramanujam explained.

Gender difference

Globally, more women are affected by chronic fatigue than men. In India, while there is no official data or massive study, symptoms of chronic fatigue are often reported, especially by women.

A population-based survey published in the British Medical Journal, which included 3,000 women in the age group of 18–50, found that more than 12% of old fatigue reported. The most important risk factors were older age, socio -economic difficulty, gender loss and mental health symptoms.

In particular, about 20% of the women who denied participation said this was because it was not allowed by a male family member, highlighting how much gender criteria affect the health autonomy of women.

Fatigue in Indian women is often attributed to nutritional deficiencies or anemia, inspired doctors to determine the dose of iron and vitamin as the first response. Although these can help in some cases, they can delay accurate diagnosis of CFS when the underlying causes are more complex.

“CFS is not limited to women, but can affect hormonal fluctuations symptoms during perimenopause or even trigger the onset. During this phase, fatigue, sleep issues and mood changes may deteriorate or mimic CFS,” Dr. Ramanujam said.

Short recognition in India

While countries like the United States and UK have recognized and studied large -scale chronic fatigue, India still lags behind in awareness and research.

The Disease Control and Prevention Center (CDC) estimates that 8,36,000 to 2.5 million Americans have CFS, many of them are unmarried. In contrast, India has an official estimation, research funding and clinical norms to suit its population.

In the US, patients with CFS are eligible for disability benefits, and in terms of economic costs, lost productivity and healthcare, are between $ 9 billion to $ 25 billion annually. In India, many patients face symptoms, limited clinical understanding and dismissal of any disability support.

Virus, stress and other trigger

Although the exact cause of CFS is unknown, it is believed that it is triggered by combining factors such as viral infection, immune relaxation, hormonal imbalance and excessive stress.

“Many people say that their symptoms started after a flu -like disease,” Dr. Ramanujam said. The link between Long Kovid and CFS has further strengthened the case for viral trigger. Similar symptoms, especially with brain fog, exhaustion and body pain, long covids affected the virus immunity and nervous system after prolonged recovery.

Management, not treatment

There is no known cure for chronic fatigue. Treatment mostly focuses on symptoms management and quality of life. Relaxation, nutrition, reduction in stress, and activity pacing – a technique to avoid overtractation – are key strategies.

Dr. Ramanujam said that care should be made individual. He said, “Gentle physical activity has some benefits, others require cognitive behavior support. Sleep and pain management can help, but most importantly that patients should be heard. Verification and understanding are important to compete long -term,” he said.

To improve care, experts emphasized the need for more awareness, in society and in healthcare providers. “We need more research to understand the causes and develop treatments. Doctors must be trained to identify and take the situation seriously. And as a society, we have to remove the stigma around chronic fatigue and provide workplace and school accommodation,” he concluded.

In a country where fatigue is often normalized, especially in women with physical, emotional and social responsibilities, it is an important step to identify CFS as a real and inefficient position.