Tired All the Time? Common Causes of Chronic Fatigue

You are not alone if you are exhausted or have little energy. Fatigue can be caused by simple reasons such as a lack of sleep or catching a cold or the flu. It can, however, be caused by underlying medical issues. In most circumstances, weariness can be alleviated by making changes to one's lifestyle or food, correcting a nutrient deficiency, or treating an underlying medical problem. To improve fatigue, you must first determine what is generating it. Here are the possible explanations for your constant tiredness.

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Sleep Plays a Vital Role in Cell Renewal to Emotional Well-being

Getting adequate sleep is critical for good health. Unfortunately, many of us are deficient, which can cause weariness. During sleep, your body performs a variety of critical functions, including the release of important growth hormones and the repair and regeneration of cells (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Physiology of Sleep

Go to source). This is why, following a good night's sleep, most people feel refreshed, alert, and rejuvenated.

Even though sleep time should be tailored to the person, adults should receive at least 7 hours of sleep per night for optimal health (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Sleeping hours: what is the ideal number and how does age impact this?

Go to source). Insomnia refers to any condition that makes it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Menopause, medical disorders, psychological stress, bad sleeping settings, and excessive mental stimulation are all possible causes.

If you suffer from insomnia, treatments such as natural supplements, medicines, and the management of underlying medical issues may be beneficial. Visit your doctor to receive the proper attention and treatment.

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Nutrient Deficiencies Might Be Draining Your Energy

Even if you receive more than 7 hours of sleep every night, nutrient inadequacies might cause you to feel weary daily. Fatigue has been linked to nutritional deficiencies in the following nutrients (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence

Go to source):

• Iron
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
• Vitamin B9 (Folate)
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Magnesium

If you are feeling tired, talk to your doctor about whether testing for deficiencies is essential. Typically, weariness caused by a nutritional shortage improves as your vitamin levels return to normal.

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Persistent Stress and Its Profound Impact on Fatigue

Although some stress is normal, persistent stress can cause weariness (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Associations of fatigue to work-related stress, mental and physical health in an employed community sample

Go to source). Indeed, persistent stress can result in stress-related exhaustion disorder (ED), a medical condition defined by psychological and physical weariness symptoms. Furthermore, prolonged stress can produce structural and functional changes in the brain, as well as chronic inflammation, which can contribute to symptoms such as weariness.

A therapist can also assist you in developing stress-reduction measures. Many healthcare plans cover mental health treatment, and virtual therapy is another option.

Underlying Causes of Chronic Fatigue

If you have unexplained persistent fatigue, you should see your doctor to discuss your symptoms. They may advise testing to rule out specific health disorders that cause exhaustion, such as (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Fatigue, Sleep, and Autoimmune and Related Disorders

Go to source):

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Hypothyroidism
• Cancer
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Anxiety disorders
• Kidney disorder
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia

It's critical to understand that feeling weary all of the time is unusual. There are likely one or several causes of your regular weariness. Treatment for an underlying medical condition can help you feel better and enhance your overall health.

Optimal Nutrition is Key to Boost Energy and Ward Off Fatigue

A balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is essential for maintaining energy and getting the nutrients your body requires to complete crucial activities. When you don't get enough calories and nutrients, such as protein, your body will break down fat and muscle to meet your energy needs. This results in a loss of body fat and muscular mass, which may cause fatigue (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Nutritional Status as a Mediator of Fatigue and Its Underlying Mechanisms in Older People

Go to source).

Furthermore, diets consisting of ultra-processed meals deplete energy levels. A diet high in added sugar, for example, may disrupt sleep and result in chronically high blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to weariness. A diet low in ultra-processed foods and added sugar but high in nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and healthy protein sources may help reduce weariness and promote healthy sleep.

How Caffeine Consumption Affects Your Sleep and Energy Levels

Although caffeinated beverages like coffee and energy drinks feel like they give you extra energy, relying on them too much can make you sleepy the next day. This is because too much coffee can interfere with sleep, which can lead to weariness.

According to research, feeling weary in the morning causes people to consume significant amounts of caffeine, which disrupts their sleep patterns. As a result, you may misuse coffee or other caffeinated beverages for energy, perpetuating the cycle of bad sleep (7^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Effects of caffeine on sleep quality and daytime functioning

Go to source).

While coffee and caffeinated liquids such as green tea may be beneficial to health in moderation, energy drinks are excessively rich in stimulants and added sugar. As a result, you should avoid them as much as possible.

Staying Hydrated Boosts Energy and Focus

Maintaining energy levels requires staying hydrated. The numerous metabolic interactions that occur in your body daily result in a loss of water that must be restored. When you don't drink enough liquid to replenish the water lost in your urine, feces, sweat, and breath, you become dehydrated. Dehydration lowers energy levels and impairs focus abilities (8^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Adult Dehydration

Go to source).

Although you may have heard that you should drink eight 8-ounce (240-mL) glasses of water per day, your hydration needs are determined by a variety of factors, including your weight, age, gender, and amount of exercise. The key is to drink enough water to stay hydrated. Dehydration symptoms include thirst, weariness, dizziness, and headaches.

How Optimal Weight Influences Sleep and Vitality

A healthy body weight is vital for general wellness. Obesity is not only associated with an increased risk of several chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some malignancies, but it may also increase your risk of chronic fatigue.

Obesity raises your chances of developing obstructive sleep apnea, a frequent cause of daytime weariness. It has also been associated with increased daytime sleepiness regardless of sleep apnea, implying that fat has a direct impact on the sleep cycle.

Maintaining a healthy body weight can help with sleep and energy levels while getting enough sleep can help avoid weight gain and exhaustion.

Various Underlying Triggers for Day-to-Day Fatigue

Many additional conditions can cause fatigue. It's critical to understand that your weariness could be caused by a variety of things. Here are a few other prevalent causes of tiredness:

• Drug and alcohol addiction:

  People who are addicted to drugs or alcohol are more prone to feel tired.

• Shift employment:

  It causes sleep disruption and can lead to weariness.

• Sedentary lifestyle:

  Living a sedentary lifestyle may cause fatigue during the day. Exercising during the day can help to reduce general weariness.

• Certain medications:

  Taking medicines such as steroids, blood pressure meds, and antidepressants, has been related to adverse effects such as insomnia and increased weariness.

Even though everyone has days when they are exhausted, feeling run down and tired all the time is not normal. Chronic fatigue can be caused by a variety of circumstances, including underlying medical issues, dietary shortages, sleep difficulties, caffeine consumption, and chronic stress.

If you have unexplained fatigue, consult your doctor to determine the cause. In many circumstances, your weariness should improve after you discover the underlying cause(s) and make necessary lifestyle and dietary changes — or receive appropriate medical treatment for medical disorders.

References:

1. Physiology of Sleep - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482512/)
2. Sleeping hours: what is the ideal number and how does age impact this? - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267703/)
3. Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019700/)
4. Associations of fatigue to work-related stress, mental and physical health in an employed community sample - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28476149/)
5. Fatigue, Sleep, and Autoimmune and Related Disorders - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31447842/)
6. Nutritional Status as a Mediator of Fatigue and Its Underlying Mechanisms in Older People - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32050677/)
7. Effects of caffeine on sleep quality and daytime functioning - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6292246/)
8. Adult Dehydration - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/)

Source-Medindia