Why You’re Always Tired – The REAL Reasons – Dr. Berg
“In today’s day and age, we use those terms interchangeably, which isn’t correct,” he says. “Tiredness is something that is natural. You might be tired after a busy day at work or exercising. That’s normal and most people experience that.”
On the other hand, fatigue is more intense than just being tired.
“No matter how much you rest, or how little you do, you still have this feeling of not having a ton of energy or ability to do much,” says Dr. Ankerman. “It can sometimes be a sign of something more serious going on.”If you have an iron deficiency, known as anemia, you don’t produce enough red blood cells. Those cells are needed to supply your body with the right amount of oxygen for organs to function correctly. It can lead you to feel run down and exhausted.“Inadequate sleep or broken irregular sleep can contribute to fatigue or tiredness,” says Dr. Ankerman. “A lot of people are chronically sleep deficient. I recommend that adults try to get at least eight hours of sleep.”
Anemia is the most common blood condition in the U.S., affecting an estimated 3 million Americans.“It’s a strain on your body,” says Dr. Ankerman. “You’re growing another human inside your body. Your body’s working to support you and the fetus with blood flow and energy.”
Especially in your first trimester, you produce more progesterone, a hormone that can cause you to feel tired.For people who have diabetes, feeling tired is one of the main symptoms.
“If people are poorly controlling their diabetes, they will see a spike in their blood sugar levels,” says Dr. Ankerman. “Having those spikes can actually dehydrate you slightly and that can cause fatigue.”alking to your doctor about how you’re tired is a good starting point on determining if there are any underlying causes, says Dr. Ankerman. Your doctor will start with your medical history, do a physical exam and possibly request bloodwork.
“If that’s all normal and we can’t find any cause of fatigue or tiredness, we’ll start to look at mood disorders,” says Dr. Ankerman.
Depression can cause you to have little interest in daily activities, which can lead to fatigue, as well as affect your eating and sleeping habits.Hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid gland (a small, butterfly-shaped organ located near the front of your neck) doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone. Your metabolism starts to slow down and that can lead to fatigue.
9 Reasons You’re Always Feeling Tired