If you feel sleepy, tired, and simply out of energy much of the time, you may suffer from what is called chronic fatigue syndrome. However, this diagnosis isn’t always easy one for a doctor to make. We know very little about chronic fatigue syndrome, and there is no definitive treatment for it. However, many people have been diagnosed with this issue—in fact around 20 percent of all patients who go to their doctor with reports of feeling unenergetic have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. By what is this issue, and how can be deal with it?

If you’ve suffered from constant signs of fatigue for more than six months and don’t seem to gain energy from sleeping, you may have chronic fatigue syndrome. However, it isn’t something that occurs suddenly. In fact, those who suffer from this syndrome say they gradually became more and more fatigued over a period of time. Often, the fatigue is part of another illness, infection, or disorder. Those with chronic fatigue syndrome also often feel worse after any sort of mental or physical activity.

For many, chronic fatigue syndrome manifests itself in a way similar to the flu. The person finds him or herself completely drained for energy for weeks. The weeks turn into months, and during this time, they may find themselves suffering from other illnesses. Oddly, women are more often diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (two to four times as many women have been diagnosed as men). However, it is uncertain as to whether this means more women are chronically fatigues or if more women seek help from their doctor for the syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms start with, of course, extreme fatigue that does not go away after resting and only gets worse when being active. Further signs can include having difficulty concentrating, being confused, and becoming forgetful. Weakness, headaches, and even join and muscle pain can occur in extreme cases. For some people, they find themselves so weak that they actually cannot perform some daily tasks. While these symptoms are similar to those caused by the flu, they last much longer—sometimes even years.

The problem with dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome is that there’s no real test for it, nor is there any real treatment plan. The best health care professionals can do is treat as many symptoms as possible. However, it can be difficult to know what will work for one person and what won’t. Sleep aids, for example, may result in more sleep for a person but not actual rest, leaving them just as fatigued as before.

If you believe you’re suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, you should visit your doctor immediately. While it may not seem like much at first, chronic fatigue syndrome can become a very serious disorder.