CEOs are prone to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) not because they don’t get enough sleep, but because they spend most of their time at their desks.  According to The Mayo Clinic, “Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can’t be explained by any underlying medical condition. ” And, CFS doesn’t improve with sleep! What causes it? Well, there are still studies being conducted but the preliminary results are linked to mental stress and strain- probably why so many CEOs have this!

The reason why CFS is serious is that is mirrors what could be other, more serious conditions.  You can spend days, weeks and months at doctor appointments and being subjected to various medical tests to rule out other disorders. There is no single test to prove CFS- only a battery of tests to rule out the other disorders with similar symptoms.

So, what are the symptoms?

Fatigue
Loss of memory or concentration
Sore throat
Enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits
Unexplained muscle pain
Pain that moves from one joint to another without swelling or redness
Headache of a new type, pattern or severity
Unrefreshing sleep
Extreme exhaustion lasting more than 24 hours after physical or mental exercise

What’s even more troubling is the CFS can cause absences from work- never a good thing.  If you feel that you’re overly tired when you shouldn’t be, have at least two (or more) of the symptoms listed and/or you’re missing a lot of work- talk to your doctor. It is not uncommon for people in positions of authority to develop CFS.

For more information on this disorder, please click here.