Times (Peta Bee) Exhausted? You may have hyper-fatigue

[Shadrach Loom]

[URL]https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/exhausted-you-may-have-hyper-fatigue-jc9dmvmbg
[/URL]
https://archive.ph/jhAOF (unpaywalled)

In its annual forecast of global consumer trends for 2023, Mintel, the market research agency, predicted a wave of what it called “hyper-fatigue”, a crushing weariness with everyday life that would leave many of us flat out exhausted. If my own experience is anything to go by, its forecast doesn’t seem far wrong.

I’m the least likely person to slump with an energy crash, but in recent weeks I’ve been hit by unexpected bouts of the heavy-limbed, low-mood lethargy that is hard to overcome. It’s taken more than the usual effort to haul myself through the day. I am not alone. When I ask other people how they are, an increasing number respond with “shattered”. I don’t think sleep is the issue for me — I get plenty — but there is nothing I can put my finger on, no identifiable trigger, that is causing the waves of lethargy.

Experts say that hyper-fatigue is neither the extreme debilitating chronic fatigue associated with fluctuating hormones or underlying illness nor the everyday tiredness that passes with a few good nights’ sleep, but a mid-point of exhaustion, the consequence of unprecedented drains on our energy levels.

There’s a Dec 22 podcast from Mintel on how to engage hyper fatigued consumers here.

It’s unhelpful enough for ditzy health journalists to spend so much time on TATT and its remedies. Worse, somehow, for market segmentation nerds to get enthused about this cohort.

Still, at least Bee makes some effort to distinguish hyper fatigue from “debilitating chronic fatigue”, which is associated, apparently, with “fluctuating hormones”.

 

[bobbler]

Says a lot about what’s behind all this that we’ve got Mintel studying it ‘as a market’

 

[hinterland]

It's a bit perturbing to have fatigue ('hyper-fatigue'? More catchy?...) identified as a consumer trend but some of the general advice on TATT seems reasonable enough just so long as they don't start amalgamating it with ME/CFS.

 

[Trish]

Looks like they are talking about a mix of chronic stress and lack of sleep, poor diet and Vitamin D and iron deficiencies. And probably in some cases burn out. I guess they are using the term 'hyper-fatigue' to give a fancy name to when ordinary everyday fatigue gets to the stage that it interrupts life and people seek medical advice, or more likely turn to the internet for advice. Fortunately they don't make any suggestion it's anything to do with ME/CFS.