Fighting Fatigue: Why Am I Always Tired?

Feeling tired all the time can be a symptom of many different things. It's important to get to the bottom of what's causing your fatigue, as it could be a sign of an underlying health condition. Some common causes of fatigue include lifestyle factors such as diet, dehydration, poor sleep habits, lack of exercise, and stress. Medical conditions like hypothyroidism, sleep disorders, depression, diabetes, and heart disease can also lead to persistent fatigue. In some cases, fatigue may be caused by a combination of factors. If you're experiencing unexplained chronic fatigue, it's important to consult a doctor to rule out any serious health issues and develop a treatment plan.

Not enough sleep

Not getting enough sleep is one of the most common reasons for feeling tired all the time. While individual sleep needs vary, most adults need around 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. If you're getting less than this, you're likely to feel fatigued the next day.

Poor sleep quality can also lead to tiredness during the day. Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome can disrupt your sleep and leave you feeling tired even if you're getting enough hours. Additionally, lifestyle factors such as excessive caffeine consumption, alcohol intake, and poor sleep habits can also contribute to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.

To improve your sleep quality, it's important to create a bedtime routine, limit caffeine and alcohol intake, and ensure you're getting enough physical activity during the day. Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and creating a comfortable and quiet sleeping environment can also help improve your sleep quality.

If you continue to experience fatigue despite improving your sleep habits, it's important to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying medical conditions that may be causing your tiredness.

Poor sleep quality

Lifestyle Factors

• Diet: An unbalanced diet or skipping meals can lead to tiredness. This includes deficiencies in specific nutrients like zinc, vitamin B12, or vitamin D.
• Dehydration: Dehydration occurs when fluid loss exceeds intake, and it can quickly deplete your body's hydration levels, leading to fatigue.
• Poor sleep habits: Sleeping in a noisy or uncomfortable environment, skipping a bedtime routine, exercising too close to bedtime, or napping late in the day can all disrupt your rest.
• Inactive lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to restless, poor-quality sleep. Regular physical activity has been shown to improve sleep quality.
• Overexertion: Excessive exercise or other strenuous activities can deplete your body's energy reserves, leading to fatigue, poor sleep, and low motivation.
• Caffeine and alcohol consumption: Overdoing it with caffeine and alcoholic drinks can negatively impact your sleep quality and contribute to daytime fatigue.

Medical Conditions

• Sleep disorders: Conditions such as insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome can disrupt your sleep and lead to daytime tiredness.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome: This syndrome causes extreme fatigue that worsens with minimal exertion and doesn't improve with rest.
• Mental health issues: Depression and anxiety can contribute to persistent fatigue. Emotional exhaustion from these conditions can be just as taxing as physical exhaustion.

Lack of exercise

Feeling tired all the time can be a symptom of a range of medical conditions, but it can also be caused by a lack of exercise.

Exercise is one of the three pillars of health, alongside sleep and diet, and it can have a significant impact on energy levels and overall well-being. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to tiredness during the day, and regular physical activity can help decrease fatigue.

Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity. It is recommended to gradually build up your exercise routine over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week.

To break this cycle, it is essential to introduce exercise gradually and consistently. Yoga, swimming, and moderate exercises like cycling or fast walking are excellent ways to get started.

In addition to improving energy levels, regular exercise provides numerous health benefits. It can help with weight management, improve mood and mental health, reduce stress, and lower the risk of various chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

If you are experiencing persistent fatigue, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying medical conditions and receive personalized advice on managing your energy levels.

Excessive exercise

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. If you are feeling tired all the time, it could be that you are exercising too much.

Physiological Impact

During exercise, your muscles generate force and heat, which is a form of mechanical energy. This energy comes from within your body, and the more you exercise, the more you deplete your body's energy stocks. As you exercise, your body produces metabolites and heat, which affect the steady state of your internal environment. This can lead to sensations of fatigue and exhaustion.

The intensity, endurance, and type of exercise will all have different effects on your body systems, which in turn create different types of sensations in your mind during and after exercise. For example, inorganic phosphate, protons, lactate, and free Mg2+ accumulate within your muscle cells, affecting the mechanical machinery of the muscle and the transmission of neuronal signals.

The muscle metabolites produced and the heat generated by muscle contractions are released into your internal environment, putting stress on its steady state. The increase in muscle metabolism compared to rest conditions induces a huge increase in muscle blood supply, causing an increase in the blood circulatory system and gas exchange.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Research has shown that the neural pathways that transmit feelings of fatigue to the brain are to blame for the exhaustion felt by people with chronic fatigue syndrome. In these individuals, the pathways are overly sensitive, and even the most common daily activities can leave them feeling completely exhausted.

Pushing Too Hard

If you are experiencing extreme fatigue after a workout, it could be a sign that you are pushing yourself too hard. This can lead to a rare but dangerous condition called rhabdomyolysis, where intense exercise causes muscle tissue breakdown beyond what the body can handle. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include weakness, joint pain, muscle fatigue, dark-coloured urine, nausea, and weakness.

Overtraining Syndrome

Overtraining syndrome is caused by too much exercise and not enough rest over a long period. You may experience constant fatigue and soreness, and your immune system may become suppressed, causing you to get sick more often. Your mental health may also be affected, with symptoms such as disrupted sleep and depression.

How to Manage

If you are experiencing fatigue due to excessive exercise, there are several things you can do to manage it:

• Increase the intensity and duration of your workouts slowly over time.
• Stick to low-impact workouts when you are sore.
• Aim for moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week.
• Ensure you are getting adequate rest between workouts, including at least one full rest day between vigorous workouts.
• Prioritize sleep, aiming for 7-9 hours per night.
• Stay hydrated before, during, and after your workouts.
• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and enough calories.

Alcohol consumption

While alcohol can make you drowsy and may help you fall asleep, it also interferes with the quality of your sleep. It disrupts the rapid eye movement (REM) phase, an important restorative stage of deep sleep during which dreaming occurs. Research has shown that alcohol reduces sleep quality and causes dysregulation of REM sleep. It can also lead to sleep disorders such as insomnia, hypersomnia, and sleep apnea.

Alcohol can also cause night awakenings by raising the body's level of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and stimulates the body. It may also increase the need to urinate during the night, further disrupting sleep.

In addition, regular alcohol consumption can lead to insomnia and alcohol dependence. As your body develops a tolerance to alcohol as a sleep aid, you may find yourself needing more and more alcohol to fall asleep, resulting in a vicious cycle.

If you are experiencing fatigue and tiredness, it is important to examine your alcohol consumption habits and consider reducing your intake or abstaining from alcohol to improve your sleep and overall well-being.

Frequently asked questions