Lupus fatigue: Causes, coping, and more

Lupus is a long-term autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue and cells. It can affect any part of the body, causing pain and inflammation in the muscles and joints, fever, and skin rashes.

This article discusses lupus fatigue, what can cause it, the connection between lupus and sleep disorders, how to manage lupus fatigue, and more.

A 2020 study suggests that fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of lupus, affecting approximately 67% to 90% of people with the condition.

Research from 2021 suggests it is typically a mixture of several factors that affect lupus fatigue. These can include the severity of lupus symptoms a person is currently experiencing, their mental health and emotional well-being, co-existing health conditions, and certain lifestyle choices.

The disease activity or severity of symptoms a person with lupus is experiencing can affect fatigue levels. For example, as the disease progresses or if a person is experiencing high levels of pain or inflammation, they may be more likely to experience higher levels of fatigue.

Depression, stress, and anxiety can be common when a person has lupus. This may be due to lupus symptoms affecting the health-related quality of life a person experiences.

A 2020 study suggests there is strong evidence that depression and anxiety can lead to lupus fatigue.

Other research from 2020 suggests that reducing stress levels can improve levels of fatigue in an individual with lupus.

There are several co-existing health conditions that someone with lupus may experience. Fibromyalgia is a common co-existing health condition with lupus. According to 2021 research, when a person has both lupus and fibromyalgia, they may be more likely to experience fatigue.

Other co-existing conditions that may lead to lupus fatigue can include:

A person with lupus may feel less able to be regularly physically active due to various symptoms. A lack of physical activity can greatly increase the risk of a person with lupus developing fatigue.

A person who smokes or has obesity may also be more likely to develop lupus fatigue.

The cycle of fatigue and cognitive dysfunction with lupus refers to how cognitive dysfunction affects fatigue and vice versa. This can lead to an ongoing cycle.

When a person with lupus has cognitive dysfunction, it can take extra energy to perform brain-related functions such as:

• problem-solving
• taking in new information
• thinking clearly
• remembering information

This can be exhausting and can lead to fatigue.

When a person has lupus fatigue, they may experience a reduction in cognitive function. This then leads to a cycle of lupus fatigue and cognitive dysfunction.

Lupus fatigue is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose as no physical tests can measure levels of fatigue.

Therefore, to diagnose lupus fatigue, a healthcare professional will typically ask a person questions about the severity and intensity of symptoms they are experiencing.

A healthcare professional may use a Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) scale such as the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). These scales can help measure levels of fatigue and how it is affecting a person’s physical health, mental health, and quality of life.

They may also perform several diagnostic tests to make sure that there are no co-existing health conditions that may be causing fatigue.

A sleep disorder is a condition that disrupts normal sleeping patterns. A person may find it more difficult to go to sleep, stay asleep, or have a good quality of sleep.

Research from 2023 suggests that it is common for a person with lupus to experience sleep disorders, including when a person has lupus fatigue.

The levels of disease activity and severity of symptoms a person is experiencing can also lead to sleep disorders. Feeling pain at night is another factor that can lead to sleep issues. A person’s cortisol levels drop, making them more aware of pain at bedtime. This can make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Another reason a person with lupus may develop a sleep disorder is the presence of a co-existing health condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Lupus fatigue is when a person with lupus experiences extreme tiredness and a lack of energy.

There are several causes of lupus fatigue, including the severity of lupus symptoms a person is experiencing, their emotional well-being, any co-existing medical conditions, and cognitive dysfunction.

The pain and overall reduction in health-related quality of life that having lupus can cause can be exhausting and can lead to lupus fatigue.

A person can manage lupus fatigue in several ways, including getting plenty of rest, getting low impact exercise every day, eating healthy foods, and asking for support from family and friends.