Do you catch yourself yawning in the early afternoon or even all day? It’s normal to feel tired every so often, but if you feel sleepy nearly all the time, then it’s time to look at what’s causing your fatigue.
Let’s take a look at the most common causes of excessive tiredness:
Poor Sleep
It may sound obvious, but not getting enough good quality sleep is the most common cause of excessive sleepiness. So if you’re feeling exhausted throughout the day, try going to bed a little earlier, avoid your phone/laptop/tv before you go to sleep, and try to keep your bedtimes consistent throughout the week (including the weekends).
Sedentary Lifestyle
Moving around is the last thing you want to do when you’re tired; however, living a sedentary lifestyle can make you feel more sleepy. Moving around and keeping active releases feel-good chemicals, helping you feel more alert while getting outside in the daylight, can affect melatonin levels and ensure you sleep at night. In addition, getting adequate exercise helps the body recover at night by assuring good deep restorative sleep.
Diet
When we don’t eat or drink enough, we get tired quicker. If you’ve made changes to your diet or found yourself skipping meals, you’ll likely feel sleepier. Ensure you’re eating enough calories and drinking enough water. Also, examine your diet and check that you’re consuming enough protein as it’s essential for keeping your metabolism up and preventing fatigue.
Stress
Chronic stress may have a profound effect on your energy levels and quality of life. Not only can stress leave you feeling fatigued, but your stress response can also influence how tired you feel. While avoiding stress isn’t always possible, examining our reactions to stress can help us develop strategies to prevent feeling completely exhausted. So if you’re going through a stressful time, look at what you can do to release that tension at the end of the day and get an early night.
Vitamin Deficiency
If there are no apparent lifestyle causes, but you’re still feeling overly tired, It’s worth looking into your vitamin levels to see if you are deficient in:
Iron – Low iron levels can cause anemia, which affects the red blood cells from carrying oxygen around the body.
Vitamin B12 – Like Iron, your body also needs B12 to produce red blood cells, and a lack of this vitamin can cause Anemia.
Vitamin D – A deficiency in Vitamin D can impact bone and muscle strength, meaning you’ll likely feel tired more quickly.
Medical Conditions
If you’ve checked all the boxes and are still unsure why you’re feeling tired, try speaking with a doctor to check if an underlying medical condition may be the cause. Several states can present as tiredness, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Hypothyroidism
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Sleep Apnea
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Be sure to note down your fatigue symptoms, when they happen and how often, alongside any other concerning signs of illness. This will help you when speaking with your doctor.
Be well, stay safe, and Dream BIG!