12 Reasons You're Always Tired (and What to Do About It)

Why Do You Feel Exhausted? 12 Reasons (Plus Solutions) · 1. Not getting enough high quality sleep. Getting enough sleep is essential for overall health. · 2. HealthConditionsFeaturedBreastCancerIBDMigraineMultipleSclerosis(MS)RheumatoidArthritisType2DiabetesSponsoredTopicsArticlesAcidRefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's&DementiaBipolarDisorderCancerCrohn'sDiseaseChronicPainCold&FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeartDiseaseHighCholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkinDisordersandCareSTDsDiscoverWellnessTopicsNutritionFitnessSkinCareSexualHealthWomen'sHealthMentalHealthSleepOriginalSeriesFreshFoodFastDiagnosisDiariesYou’reNotAlonePresentTenseVideoSeriesYouthinFocusHealthyHarvestNoMoreSilenceFutureofHealthPlanHealthChallengesMindfulEatingSugarSavvyMoveYourBodyGutHealthMoodFoodsAlignYourSpineFindCarePrimaryCareMentalHealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyleQuizzesWeightManagementAmIDepressed?AQuizforTeensAreYouaWorkaholic?HowWellDoYouSleep?Tools&ResourcesHealthNewsFindaDietFindHealthySnacksDrugsA-ZHealthA-ZConnectFindYourBezzyCommunityBreastCancerInflammatoryBowelDiseasePsoriaticArthritisMigraineMultipleSclerosisPsoriasisFollowusonsocialmediaShopProductsbyConditionInsomniaStressReliefBackPainNeckPainSleepApneaHotSleepersAllergiesPainReliefProductReviewsVitamins&SupplementsSleepMentalHealthNutritionAt-HomeTestingCBDMen’sHealthWomen’sHealthHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeSleepSleepScienceRoutinesMind&BodyDisordersChallengeNapsDreamsProductsNutritionEvidenceBasedWhyDoYouFeelExhausted?12Reasons(PlusSolutions)ByJillianKubala,MS,RDandFranziskaSpritzler—MedicallyreviewedbyMayaFeller,MS,RD,CDN,Nutrition—UpdatedonDecember9,2021Ifyou’refeelingoverlytiredorhavelittleenergy,you’renotalone.Fatiguemaybecausedbysimplefactorslikealackofsleeporcomingdownwithacoldortheflu.However,itcanalsobecausedbyunderlyinghealthconditions.Eventhougheveryonefeelstiredfromtimetotime,chronicfatiguecanharmyourqualityoflifeandpreventyoufromdoingthingsyouenjoy.Inmostcases,fatiguecanberemediedbylifestyleordietarymodifications,correctinganutrientdeficiency,ortreatinganunderlyingmedicalcondition.Still,toimprovefatigue,youneedtogettothebottomofwhat’scausingit.Hereare12potentialreasonswhyyou’realwaystired.ShareonPinterestMichelaRavasio/StocksyUnited1.NotgettingenoughhighqualitysleepGettingenoughsleepisessentialforoverallhealth.Unfortunately,manyofusdon’tgetenough,whichmayleadtofatigue.Duringsleep,yourbodyperformsanumberofcriticalprocesses,includingreleasingimportantgrowthhormonesandrepairingandregeneratingcells.Thisiswhymostpeoplewakeupfeelingrefreshed,alert,andenergizedafteranightofhighqualitysleep(1,2,3).Importantly,sleepshouldberestfulanduninterruptedtoallowyourbraintogothroughthreestagesofnon-rapideyemovement(NREM)sleepandonestageofrapideyemovement(REM)sleep—thestageinwhichyoudream(1).Eventhoughsleeptimeshouldbeindividualized,theAmericanAcademyofSleepMedicineandSleepResearchSocietyrecommendsthatadultsgetatleast7hoursofsleeppernightforoptimalhealth(2,3).Eventhoughyoumayknowtheimportanceofgettingenoughsleep,fallingandstayingasleepcanbeastruggle.Insomniaisatermforanyconditionthatcausesdifficultyfallingorstayingasleep.Itcanbecausedbyseveralfactors,includingmenopause,medicalconditions,psychologicalstress,poorsleepingenvironments,andexcessivementalstimulation(1,4).Insomniaisverycommon.Infact,onereviewnotedthatupto40%ofadultsintheUnitedStatesexperienceinsomniaatsomepointinagivenyear(5).Short-terminsomnia,whichlastslessthan3months,ismorecommonandaffects9.5%oftheU.S.population.Yet,1in5casesofshort-terminsomniaturnsintochronicinsomnia,whichoccurs3ormoretimesperweekandlastslongerthan3months(5).Ifyou’reexperiencinginsomnia,treatmentslikenaturalsupplements,medications,andthemanagementofunderlyingmedicalconditionsmayhelp.Visityourdoctortogettheappropriatecareandtreatment.SummaryInadequateorpoorqualitysleepisacommoncauseoffatigue.Stress,medicalconditions,andpoorsleepingenvironmentsmaynegativelyaffectsleepandtriggerinsomnia.Ifyou’reexperiencinginsomnia,consultyourdoctorforadvice.2.NutrientdeficienciesNutrientdeficienciesmayleadyoutofeelexhaustedonadailybasis,evenifyou’regettingmorethan7hoursofsleep.Deficienciesinthefollowingnutrientshavebeenlinkedtofatigue(6,7):ironriboflavin(vitaminB2)niacin(vitaminB3)pantothenicacid(vitaminB5)pyridoxine(vitaminB6)folate(vitaminB9)vitaminB12vitaminDvitaminCmagnesiumDeficienciesinmanyofthesenutrientsarequitecommon.Anemiaaffects25%oftheworld’spopulation.Irondeficiencyanemiaisthemostcommontype,responsiblefor50%ofallanemia.Fatigueisoneofthemostcommonsymptomsofthiscondition,butittypicallyimprovesonceironstoresarerestored(8).Furthermore,studiessuggestthatupto20%ofpeopleintheUnitedStatesandUnitedKingdomages60andoveraredeficientinvitaminB12.Thisdeficiencyisespeciallycommoninolderadultsbecausethebody’sabilitytoabsorbB12declineswithage(9).B12iscriticalforoxygendeliveryandenergyproduction,solowlevelscancauseextremefatigue.Additionally,avitaminDdeficiencymaycausefatigue.Overhalfoftheworld’spopulationhasinadequatevitaminDlevels(10).Becausethesedeficienciesarequitecommon,it’simportanttohaveyourlevelstestedifyou’reexperiencingunexplainedfatigue.Typically,fatiguerelatedtoadeficiencyinoneormorenutrientsimprovesonceyournutrientlevelsnormalize.SummaryDeficienciesincertainnutrients—suchasironandvitaminsB12andD—maycausefatigue.Yourdoctorcantestfornutrientdeficienciesandsuggestappropriatetreatment.3.Stress Althoughsomestressisnormal,chronicstressislinkedtofatigue(11,12,13).Infact,chronicstressmayleadtostress-relatedexhaustiondisorder(ED),amedicalconditioncharacterizedbypsychologicalandphysicalsymptomsofexhaustion(14).Furthermore,chronicstressmaycausestructuralandfunctionalchangesinyourbrainandleadtochronicinflammation,whichmaycontributetosymptomslikefatigue(14,15).Whileyoumaybeunabletoavoidstressfulsituations,especiallythoserelatedtoworkorfamilyobligations,managingyourstressmayhelppreventcompleteexhaustion.Forexample,youcansetasidetimetodecompressbytakingabath,meditating,orgoingforawalk(16).Atherapistmayalsohelpyoudevelopstrategiestoreducestress.Manyhealthinsuranceplanscovermentalhealthcounseling,andvirtualtherapyisalsoanoption.SummaryExcessivestressmaycausefatigueandreduceyourqualityoflife.Prioritizingtimeforyourselfandgoingtotherapymayhelpyoumanagestress.4.Certainmedicalconditions Ifyou’reexperiencingunexplained,chronicfatigue,youshouldvisityourdoctoranddiscussyoursymptoms.Theymayrecommendtestingtoruleoutcertainhealthconditionsthatcausefatigue,suchassleepapnea,hypothyroidism,cancer,chronicfatiguesyndrome,multiplesclerosis,anxietydisorders,kidneydisease,depression,diabetes,andfibromyalgia(17,18,19).It’simportanttoknowthatit’sabnormaltofeelexhaustedallthetime.Ifyouexperiencefrequentfatigue,there’slikelyoneormorecauses.Gettingpropertreatmentforanunderlyingmedicalconditioncanhelpyoufeelbetterandimproveotherareasofhealthaswell.SummaryNumerousmedicalconditionsarelinkedtofatigue.Ifyou’rechronicallytired,it’simportanttovisityourhealthcareprofessionaltoundergoappropriatetesting.5.Dietaryimbalances Yourdietsignificantlyaffectsthewayyoufeel.Tomaintainenergyandgetthenutrientsyourbodyneedstoperformcriticalprocesses,it’simportanttoconsumeabalanceddiethighinnutrient-densefoods.Undereating—oreatingultra-processedfoodslowinessentialnutrients—mayleadtocalorieandnutrientdeficiencies,whichcancauseexhaustion.Whenyoudon’tobtainenoughcaloriesandnutrientslikeprotein,yourbodystartsbreakingdownfatandmuscletomeetenergydemands.Thisleadstoalossofbodyfatandmusclemass,whichmaytriggerfatigue(20).Olderadultsareespeciallyatriskofmalnutritionandnutrientdeficienciesduetofactorslikeage-relatedchangesinappetiteandreductionsinphysicalactivity(20).Additionally,dietshighinultra-processedfoodsimpairenergylevels.Forexample,adiethighinaddedsugarmayharmsleepandleadtochronicallyhighbloodsugarandinsulinlevels,whichcanresultinfatigue(20).Ina28-daystudyin82people,adiethighinrefinedsugarsandhighlyprocessedgrainsresultedin38%and26%higherscoresfordepressivesymptomsandfatigue,respectively,thanalowglycemicloaddiethighinwholegrainsandlegumesbutlowinaddedsugar(21).What’smore,areviewincludingover53,000postmenopausalwomenassociateddietshighinaddedsugarsandrefinedgrainswithagreaterriskofinsomnia—anddietshighinfruits,vegetables,andwholegrainswithalowerriskofinsomnia(22).Followingadietlowinultra-processedfoodandaddedsugarbutrichinnutrient-densefoodslikefruits,veggies,legumes,andproteinsourceslikefishandeggsmayhelpreducefatigueandsupporthealthysleepwhileprovidingyourbodywithoptimalnutrition.SummaryAdiethighinultra-processedfoodsmayhamperyourenergylevels,sotransitioningtoanutrient-densedietloadedwithwhole,nourishingfoodslikefruits,vegetables,andlegumesmayreducefatigue.6.ConsumingtoomuchcaffeineAlthoughcaffeinatedbeverageslikecoffeeandenergydrinksgiveyouatemporaryboostofenergy,over-relianceonthemmaymakeyoumoretiredthenextday.That’sbecausetoomuchcaffeinecanharmsleep,whichmaycausefatigue.Researchshowsthatfeelingtiredinthemorningleadspeopletoconsumelargeamountsofcaffeine,whichimpairsyoursleepcycle.Inturn,youmayoverusecoffeeorothercaffeinateddrinksforenergy,whichcontinuesthecycleofpoorsleepfollowedbytoomuchcaffeine(23).Drinkingtoomuchcaffeineislinkedtoincreasednighttimeworrying,sleeplessness,increasednighttimeawakenings,decreasedtotalsleeptime,anddaytimesleepiness(24).Astudyin462womenlinkedhighcaloriecoffeeandenergydrinkintaketopoorsleepqualityandsleepdisturbance.Thosewhodidn’tdrinkthesebeveragesreportedbettersleepquality(25).Still,caffeinetolerancevaries,andsomepeoplearemoresensitivetocaffeine’seffectsonsleepthanothers(26).Whilecoffeeandcaffeinatedbeverageslikegreenteamaybenefithealthwhenconsumedinmoderation,energydrinksareextremelyhighinstimulantsandaddedsugar.Thus,youshouldavoidthemwheneverpossible(27).Ifyou’recurrentlyexperiencingsleepissuesandfrequentlydrinkcaffeinatedbeverages,trycuttingbacktoseewhetherithelpsimproveyoursleepandenergylevels.SummaryRelyingtooheavilyoncaffeinatedbeveragesmayharmyoursleepcycleandleadtofatigue.Therefore,cuttingbackoncaffeinemayhelprestoreyoursleepandenergylevels.7.InadequatehydrationStayingwellhydratedisimportantformaintainingenergylevels.Themanybiochemicalreactionsthattakeplaceinyourbodyeverydayresultinalossofwaterthatneedstobereplaced.Dehydrationoccurswhenyoudon’tdrinkenoughliquidtoreplacethewaterlostinyoururine,stools,sweat,andbreath.Severalstudiesshowthatbeingdehydratedleadstolowerenergylevelsandadecreasedabilitytoconcentrate(28,29).Infact,dehydrationaffectsyourentirebody,includingyoursleepcycles.Astudyinover26,000ChineseandAmericanadultsassociatedinadequatehydrationwithshortersleeptimes(30).Beingdehydratedmayalsomakeyoufeelmorefatiguedduringexerciseandnegativelyaffectexerciseendurance(31).Althoughyoumayhaveheardthatyoushoulddrinkeight,8-ounce(240-mL)glassesofwaterdaily,hydrationneedsdependonseveralfactors,includingyourweight,age,sex,andactivitylevels.Thekeyisdrinkingenoughtomaintaingoodhydration.Commonsymptomsofdehydrationincludethirst,fatigue,dizziness,andheadaches(28).SummaryEvenmilddehydrationmayreduceenergylevelsandalertness.Makesuretodrinkenoughtoreplacefluidslostduringtheday.8.Overweightorobesity Maintainingahealthybodyweightisessentialtooverallhealth.Notonlyisobesitysignificantlylinkedtoagreaterriskofmanychronicillnessesliketype2diabetes,heartdisease,andcertaincancers,butitmayalsoincreaseyourriskofchronicfatigue(32).Obesitygreatlyincreasesyourriskofobstructivesleepapnea,whichisacommoncauseofdaytimefatigue.It’salsolinkedtoincreaseddaytimesleepinessregardlessofsleepapnea,suggestingthatobesitydirectlyaffectsthesleepcycle(33,34,35,36).What’smore,peoplewithobesityhaveahigherriskofconditionsassociatedwithfatigue,includingdepressionandtype2diabetes(37,38,39).Plus,poorsleepqualityandsleeprestrictionmaycauseweightgainorobesity(40).Maintainingahealthybodyweightmaysupportgoodsleepandenergylevels,whilegettinghighqualitysleepmayhelppreventweightgainandreducefatigue.SummaryObesityhasbeenlinkedtopoorsleepqualityandconditionsassociatedwithfatiguelikeobstructivesleepapnea.9–12.OthercausesoffatigueManyotherconditionsmayleadtotiredness.It’simportanttounderstandthatseveralfactorsmaybecontributingtoyourexhaustion.Hereareafewothercommonreasonswhyyoumayfeeltired:Drugandalcoholdependence.Researchshowsthatpeoplewhoaredependentondrugsoralcoholaremorelikelytoexperiencefatigue(41).Shiftwork.Shiftworkcausessleepdisruptionandmayresultinfatigue.Sleepexpertsestimatethat2–5%ofallshiftworkershaveasleepdisordercharacterizedbyexcessivesleepinessordisruptedsleepoveraperiodof1ormoremonths(42,43).Asedentarylifestyle.Leadingasedentarylifestylemayleadtotirednessduringtheday.Studiesshowthatexercisingmoremayimprovesymptomsoffatigueinsomepeople,includingthosewithmedicalconditionslikemultiplesclerosis(MS)(44,45,46).Certainmedications.Somedrugs,includingsteroids,bloodpressuremedications,andantidepressants,arelinkedtosideeffectslikeinsomniaandincreasedtiredness(47,48).HelpfordrugoralcoholdependenceIfyouneedhelpovercomingyouraddictioncontacttheSubstanceAbuseandMentalHealthServicesAdministration(SAMHSA)NationalHelplineat1-800-662-HELP(4357).Itmaybedifficultorimpossibletoidentifythefactor(s)behindyourfatigueonyourown,whichiswhyit’simportanttoworkwithadoctoryoutrust.Theycanhelpyoufindthecauseandsuggestpossibletreatments.SummaryMedications,drugoralcoholdependence,asedentarylifestyle,andshiftworkmayallcontributetofatigue.ThebottomlineEventhougheveryonehasdayswhentheyfeelexhausted,constantlyfeelingrundownandtiredisn’tnormal.Manypossiblefactorscausechronicfatigue,suchasunderlyingmedicalconditions,nutrientdeficiencies,sleepdisturbances,caffeineintake,andchronicstress.Ifyou’reexperiencingunexplainedfatigue,it’simportanttotalkwithyourdoctortofindthecause.Inmanycases,yourfatigueshouldimproveonceyouidentifytheunderlyingcause(s)andmakeappropriatelifestyleanddietaryadjustments—orgettherighttreatmentformedicalconditions.Formoresleepsupport,checkoutoursleepshop.JustonethingTrythistoday:WhenIstartedtofeelextremelytiredduringtheday,Iknewthatsomethingwasoff.IendedupbeingdiagnosedwithHashimoto’sdiseaseaftermanymonthsofvisitingdifferentdoctors.Youknowyourbodybestandknowwhensomethingisn’tright.Ifyou’refeelingchronicallyexhaustedevenwhenyougetadequaterest,theremaybeamedicalconditioncontributingtoyourfatigue.Workwithadoctoryoutrusttogettherighttestingtoruleoutcommonhealthconditionsthatmaybecontributingtoyourfatigue.ReadthisarticleinSpanishLastmedicallyreviewedonDecember3,2021Howwevettedthisarticle:HistoryOurexpertscontinuallymonitorthehealthandwellnessspace,andweupdateourarticleswhennewinformationbecomesavailable.CurrentVersionDec9,2021ByJillianKubalaMS,RD,FranziskaSpritzlerEditedByGabrielDunsmithCopyEditedByChristinaGuzik,BA,MBADec3,2021MedicallyReviewedByMayaFeller,MS,RD,CDNVIEWALLHISTORYSharethisarticleByJillianKubala,MS,RDandFranziskaSpritzler—MedicallyreviewedbyMayaFeller,MS,RD,CDN,Nutrition—UpdatedonDecember9,2021ReadthisnextTheBestMattressesforPeoplewithShoulderPainin2022MedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPTIfyou’redealingwithshoulderpainatnight,findingthebestmattressforyoumaybeonewaytowakeuppain-free.Tryoneofourtopninepicks.READMORESleepRestrictionTherapyforInsomniaandOtherConditionsSleeprestrictiontherapyisaproventreatmentforinsomniathatdoe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