You sleep, you rest, yet you still feel tired. Why? Constant tiredness can have many causes, and some may surprise you.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

Everyone feels tired sometimes.

A busy day, a late night or hard physical work can leave you exhausted.

But what if you feel tired almost every day?

You may sleep and still wake up tired. You may struggle to concentrate at work. Even simple tasks may feel like hard work.

Constant tiredness can have many causes. Sometimes the reason is simple. Sometimes it can be a sign of a health problem.

Here are 10 common reasons why you may always feel tired.

1. You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep

This is one of the most obvious causes of tiredness.

Most adults need about 6 to 9 hours of sleep each night. But the amount of sleep you need can vary.

Going to bed late, waking up often during the night or sleeping for too few hours can leave you tired the next day.

Your sleep may also be disturbed by noise, stress, work schedules or using your phone late at night.

If you regularly wake up tired, the problem may not simply be the number of hours you sleep. The quality of your sleep also matters.

2. Stress Is Draining Your Energy

Stress can make you feel exhausted.

When you are worried about money, work, school, relationships or family problems, your mind may remain active even when you are resting.

Long periods of stress can leave you feeling tired, unfocused and unable to relax.

If your tiredness began during a stressful period, stress may be part of the reason.

3. Your Diet May Not Be Giving You Enough Energy

What you eat can affect how you feel.

Skipping meals or regularly eating foods with little nutritional value may leave you feeling weak and tired.

A healthy diet should include a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, eggs, fish, meat or other sources of protein.

Drinking enough water also matters.

You do not need an expensive diet to eat well. Simple, balanced meals can provide the nutrients your body needs.

4. You May Have Iron-Deficiency Anaemia

Anaemia happens when your blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells.

One common cause is not having enough iron.

It can make you feel tired and weak. You may also experience shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness or a fast heartbeat.

Heavy menstrual bleeding can increase the risk in women. Not getting enough iron from food can also contribute.

A blood test can help find out if anaemia is causing your tiredness.

5. You May Have Diabetes

Constant tiredness can sometimes be a sign of diabetes.

Other possible signs include:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Urinating more often
• Losing weight without trying
• Blurred vision
• Feeling unusually hungry

Diabetes can develop slowly. Some people may have few symptoms.

If you have tiredness together with several of these signs, consider getting your blood sugar checked.

6. Your Thyroid May Be Causing the Problem

The thyroid is a small gland in your neck that helps control how your body uses energy.

If it becomes underactive, you may feel unusually tired.

Other signs can include weight gain, feeling unusually cold, dry skin and constipation.

If you have several of these symptoms, a health professional can check whether your thyroid is working properly.

7. You May Have a Sleep Problem

You can sleep for several hours and still wake up exhausted.

One possible reason is a sleep problem.

For example, some people stop breathing briefly many times during sleep. They may snore loudly, gasp or choke during the night and wake up feeling tired.

You may not even know that this is happening.

If someone tells you that you snore loudly or stop breathing while sleeping, it is worth discussing with a health professional.

8. You May Not Be Getting Enough Exercise

It may sound strange, but too little physical activity can contribute to tiredness.

Regular movement can improve your energy and help you sleep better.

You do not have to start with hard exercise.

A brisk walk, cycling, swimming or another activity you enjoy can be a good starting point.

Start slowly and increase your activity over time.

9. Your Medicines May Be Making You Tired

Some medicines can cause tiredness or sleepiness.

These may include some medicines used for allergies, pain, depression and other conditions.

If your tiredness started after you began taking a medicine, talk to your health professional.

Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

A health professional can tell you whether the medicine could be responsible and whether anything should be changed.

10. An Illness May Be Behind Your Tiredness

Sometimes constant tiredness is a sign that something else is wrong.

Several health problems can cause tiredness, including infections, kidney disease, liver disease, heart problems and some long-term illnesses.

This does not mean that tiredness automatically means you have a serious disease.

In fact, common causes such as poor sleep, stress and lifestyle habits are often responsible.

But unexplained tiredness that continues for weeks should not simply be ignored.

Why Am I Still Tired After Sleeping?

Sleeping for several hours does not always mean that you have had good-quality sleep.

You may wake up repeatedly without remembering it.

Stress, alcohol, an uncomfortable sleeping environment and some sleep problems can also affect how well you rest.

If you regularly wake up tired despite getting enough sleep, talk to a health professional.

When Should You See a Doctor?

See a health professional if:

• You have been tired for several weeks without knowing why.
• Your tiredness is affecting your work or normal activities.
• You are losing weight without trying.
• You have frequent headaches or dizziness.
• You are unusually thirsty or urinate more often.
• You feel short of breath.
• You have a fast or unusual heartbeat.
• You regularly wake up gasping, choking or struggling to breathe.

A health professional may ask about your sleep, diet, medicines, lifestyle and other symptoms.

You may also need tests to find the cause.

How Can You Reduce Tiredness?

If your tiredness is caused by lifestyle habits, a few changes may help.

Get enough sleep

Try to go to bed and wake up at similar times each day.

Eat regular, balanced meals

Do not regularly skip meals. Include vegetables, fruits, whole grains and sources of protein.

Drink enough water

Dehydration can make you feel tired.

Get moving

Regular physical activity can improve your energy over time.

Reduce stress

Make time to relax. Walking, reading, talking to someone you trust or simply taking a break can help.

Limit alcohol

Too much alcohol can interfere with good sleep and leave you tired the next day.

Is Being Tired Always a Sign of Illness?

No.

Tiredness is a normal response to hard work, lack of sleep, stress and many everyday situations.

The concern is persistent tiredness without an obvious reason.

If you have been tired for weeks and rest does not seem to help, find out why instead of simply trying to push through it.

Sources

• NHS — Tiredness and fatigue
• Mayo Clinic — Fatigue: Causes and definition
• MedlinePlus — Fatigue
• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Fatigue

You May Also Like…