How the Body Warns Us with “Something’s Amiss”

Your body has a simple but effective communication system: whenever it is not receiving what it requires, it sends out warning signals.

• Lassitude is telling you that your energy is in balance.
• Hair loss is a warning of a nutritional or hormonal imbalance.

Difficulty with memory is a warning that your brain is under stress — physical, emotional, or chemical.

When the three occur simultaneously, it is probable that something is deeply wrong with the system overall, and not with one singular issue.

1. Nutritional Deficiencies — The Silent Energy Thieves

Your body and mind require certain nutrients in order to heal, repair, and function. Losing just a few can make drastic transformations.

Usual Suspects:

Iron deficiency (anemia): One of the primary reasons for fatigue and hair loss, particularly in women. If your body does not have sufficient iron, it will not be able to make enough oxygen-carrying red blood cells, leading to weakness and fatigue.

• Vitamin D deficiency: Energy, mood, and hair growth are impacted by low levels of vitamin D.
• B-vitamin deficiency (B12, B6, folate): These vitamins fuel your nerves and brain — low = fog and fatigue.
• Protein deficiency: Hair consists of keratin, a protein — a lack of protein in your diet can lead to thinning, brittle hair.
• Zinc and selenium: Both are required for hair growth and thyroid function.

If you’ve been tired for weeks, it’s worth getting your doctor to take a blood test to test your vitamin and mineral levels.

2. Chronic Stress — The Hidden Saboteur

Your body and brain are very connected.

When you’re stressed for a long time, your adrenal glands release cortisol and adrenaline — stress hormones that keep you going in bursts but that hurt you if maintained at high levels over the long haul.

Long-term stress over the years can:

• Siphon the energy from you (burnout).
• Force hair follicles into a “rest” stage, resulting in hair loss (telogen effluvium).

Interfere with sleep and memory — high cortisol closes the hippocampus, which is the part of your brain responsible for recalling and learning.

Get outside and meditate, breathe, walk, practice yoga, or just write to rebalance your cortisol.

 3. Hormone Imbalances — When the System Changes

Your hormones are an orchestra — if one instrument becomes out of tune, the entire song is changed.

Possible Causes

Thyroid illnesses:

• Hypothyroidism reduces the metabolism rate, leading to tiredness, dry hair and skin, weight gain, and hair loss.
• Hyperthyroidism (excess thyroid hormone) can lead to hair loss, anxiety, and insomnia.
• Perimenopause or menopause: Changes in hormones may lead to thinning of hair, mood swings, and forgetfulness.
• PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome): Leads to hormonal imbalances of energy and hair.
• Low testosterone (in both men and women): Can cause fatigue, lack of focus, and hair changes.

A simple hormone check can reveal if something’s out of balance — thyroid, estrogen, and cortisol are at the top of the list.

4. Not Enough Sleep and Working Too Much — The New Pandemic

We are in a hustle culture worshiping work, but your brain and body require good sleep.

• Complete sleep deprivation deters concentration, memory, and mood.
• It also interferes with growth hormone cycles that restore hair and tissue at night.

Shallow deep sleep raises cortisol levels — a stress-exhaustion-poor thinking cycle.

Prioritize 7–8 hours of good, regular sleep — and hold yourself to it like an ironclad personal appointment.

 5. Lifestyle and Diet — Fuel Matters

• Sugar highs, caffeine jolts, and ultra-processed foods can burn out and deplete hair.
• Low-fresh food, lean protein, and healthy fat diets starve your cells.
• Dehydration can cause dull hair and brittle hair.
• More sugar and booze feed inflammation and oxidative stress — both associated with anemia and alopecia.
• Mediterranean diet: whole grains, rainbow vegetables, good fats (olive oil, nuts, fish), and lots of water.

6. Medications and Medical Conditions

Infrequently, in rare instances, these symptoms are secondary to medication or occult disease.

Common Links

• Medications: All of the above medications can cause hair loss or fatigue: birth control pills, beta blockers, antidepressants, and cholesterol medications.
• Chronic diseases: Diabetics, autoimmune disorders (such as lupus), anemia, and liver or kidney disease frequently feature fatigue and hair changes.
• Post-viral fatigue: Following flu or COVID-19 illness, ongoing tiredness and brain fogginess are not uncommon.

Always consult a physician about your symptoms and meds — never quit meds yourself.

 7. Mental Health — Depression, Anxiety, and Brain Fog

Forgetfulness and exhaustion sometimes have nothing to do with the body but the mind.

• Anxiety and depression will sap you out physically so that you’ll struggle to concentrate, remember, or look after yourself — and hair loss will follow as a consequence.

If you’ve felt perpetually low or anxious, speak to a counselor or therapist — mental health matters, too.

8. The Role of Aging and Lifestyle Patterns

Metabolism slows down, hormones change, and our cells no longer divide as quickly as we get older.

• Cycles of hair growth shorten.
• Memories lose a little sharpness.
• Energy levels fall if we stay inactive.

But — and this is the catch — aging does not have to mean feeling ill. With a good diet, physical exercise, rest, and stress reduction, you can remain healthy and mentally active well past old age.

The Bottom Line

Baldness, fatigue, and forgetfulness are not accidents — they’re your body’s signals that you’re out of balance.

• They’re generally caused by stress, poor diets, hormonal changes, or lack of sleep. Sometimes they can indicate a deeper health problem.
• The secret is not to shoo them away or try to guess what’s wrong with you, but to listen closely and get yourself examined.
• When you fuel your body, soothe your mind, and build healthy habits that stick —
  your energy returns, your hair gets stronger, and your mind clears again.