Fatigue is usually caused by stress, anxiety, depression, viruses — such as the flu or COVID-19 — or sleep problems. Some medications may also cause you to feel fatigued. Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of a physical condition such as: anaemia — not having enough iron in your blood.
You may be too exhausted even to manage your daily affairs. In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.
Medical causes – unrelenting exhaustion may be a sign of an underlying illness, such as a thyroid disorder, heart disease or diabetes. Lifestyle-related causes – alcohol or drugs or lack of regular exercise can lead to feelings of fatigue. Workplace-related causes – workplace stress can lead to feelings of fatigue.
Becoming tired is sometimes a coping mechanism that your body uses to prevent you from experiencing severe stress. Tiredness motivates you to take a break and rest rather than exposing yourself to more anxiety, which could become even more overwhelming.
There are three types of fatigue: transient, cumulative, and circadian: Transient fatigue is acute fatigue brought on by extreme sleep restriction or extended hours awake within 1 or 2 days.
Fatigue can be a sign of a serious health condition. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have fatigue along with other symptoms, such as: Shortness of breath or pain in your chest, arm or upper back. Heartbeat that's unusually fast (tachycardia) or slow (bradycardia).
Extreme fatigue in women can be caused by high sleep debt, being out of sync with your circadian rhythm, your menstrual cycle and period, pregnancy, menopause, hormonal contraceptives, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and anxiety, medication side effects, and medical conditions like thyroid issues or anemia.
Fatigue can be one of the first symptoms of depression, and one of the most noticeable. Those with depression might find themselves thinking things like “I'm tired of being tired,” or “I just want to sleep the day away.” Are you wondering why depression makes you tired?
Mental exhaustion is a feeling of extreme tiredness, characterized by other feelings including apathy, cynicism, and irritability. You may be mentally exhausted if you've recently undergone long-term stress, find it hard to focus on tasks, or lack interest in activities you usually enjoy.
Why am I waking up tired? You're most likely waking up tired because of sleep inertia, the natural grogginess you get when you transition from being asleep to awake. It can take 15 minutes to two hours for sleep inertia to dissipate. Coffee, exercise, and morning light exposure can help wake you up faster.
Mental laziness and lack of motivation can also be caused by one simple problem: not having enough exercise and nutrients in the body. One should consider eating healthy food high in protein, such as green, leafy vegetables, and fatty fish. Research also suggests eating berries and walnuts and drinking coffee or tea.
Hypersomnia means excessive sleepiness. There are many different causes, the most common in our society being inadequate sleep. This may be due to shiftwork, family demands (such as a new baby), study or social life. Other causes include sleep disorders, medication, and medical and psychiatric illnesses.
If you aren't feeling rested when you wake up, despite getting to sleep at least 8 hours prior, then it might not be the quantity of your sleep that's the problem. It could be your sleep quality that needs some attention. The amount of sleep you get is important, but equally important is the quality of that sleep.
Be sure to exercise at least four hours before going to bed, as exercise can also act as a stimulant and create restless sleep. Incorporate deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, meditation, yoga and muscle relaxation techniques into your daily routine as they can help manage symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.
You're feeling anxious or depressed
Both anxiety and depression are emotional responses to prolonged stress. If you're headed towards a mental breakdown, you may experience episodes of feeling helpless or uncontrollable crying. You may also have emotional outbursts or feelings of uncontrollable anger.
Depression. Depression, which research suggests is associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, is commonly linked with fatigue. 1 The condition is also associated with disturbed sleep, which can also significantly contribute to tiredness.
What is emotional exhaustion? When stress begins to accumulate from negative or challenging events in life that just keep coming, you can find yourself in a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained. This is called emotional exhaustion. For most people, emotional exhaustion tends to slowly build up over time.
Some conditions that cause fatigue include thyroid disorders, iron deficiency anemia, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, and COVID-19. Some other causes of fatigue may involve your diet, sleep, and levels of stress. Lifestyle changes can often improve feelings of fatigue in these situations.
Progesterone and your monthly cycle
This can make you feel more tired. But you might notice that you're sleeping better, which can boost your energy levels. In week four of your cycle, your progesterone levels fall. So you might have trouble sleeping, leading to tiredness and low energy.
The main symptoms include: Feeling extremely exhausted for more than 24 hours after physical or mental exercise. Not feeling refreshed after sleeping, or having trouble sleeping. Having a hard time concentrating, or problems with attention and memory.