Feeling tired all the time, even with little activity, often stems from lifestyle issues like poor sleep, diet, or stress, but can also signal underlying medical conditions such as thyroid problems, anemia, diabetes, sleep apnea, nutrient deficiencies (Iron, B12, D), or mental health struggles like depression or anxiety, so seeing a doctor for persistent fatigue is important to find the root cause.
Feeling always tired with no energy can stem from lifestyle factors like poor sleep, diet, or stress, but also from underlying issues like anemia, thyroid problems, depression, diabetes, sleep disorders, or vitamin deficiencies (B12, D, iron), so it's crucial to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis if rest doesn't help. Improving sleep habits, nutrition, exercise, and stress management can help, but persistent fatigue needs medical evaluation to rule out serious conditions.
Fatigue red flags signal potentially serious issues beyond normal tiredness, including unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, night sweats, shortness of breath, chest pain, severe headaches, confusion, or new neurological/joint problems alongside exhaustion. Other signs include fatigue worsening with activity, significant cognitive/mood changes, or lack of energy despite rest, suggesting conditions like infection, autoimmune disease, heart problems, cancer, or mental health issues, warranting prompt medical evaluation.
Deficiencies. Anemia and other vitamin deficiencies (such as vitamin D or vitamin B12) are often responsible for fatigue. Dehydration can cause fatigue because the body needs plenty of fluids to function.
Turns out there is a scientific explanation, besides stress and changes in my personal life. When you're lacking any sort of physical activity and your body stays in the same position for long periods of time, its ability to take in oxygen decreases and you will notice a huge drop in energy levels and motivation.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, D, iron, and magnesium, are among the most common causes of unexplained fatigue. Vitamin D deficiencies affect over 50% of the global population, and approximately 12.5% have iron deficiency anemia.
This level of fatigue goes beyond just feeling “tired” after a busy day. You may feel physically worn down, like your body is heavy and sluggish, while your mind continues to race. Even when you try to rest, the restlessness often associated with ADHD can make it hard to relax fully.
Issues with specific organs could lead to severe fatigue. The thyroid, liver and brain are possible contributors, but heart and lung conditions are the most common cause. If this condition becomes serious, your doctor may recommend cardiac care or cardiopulmonary.
The four Ps are problem solving, planning, prioritising and pacing. The aim is to think of the four Ps at the beginning of each day or week to help you manage your energy levels.
Vitamin B12 is the best vitamin supplement for treating tiredness and fatigue. This essential nutrient helps your body produce energy and keeps you feeling less fatigued both physically and mentally.
Exhaustion that doesn't let up might be a sign of:
Pace, plan and prioritise (the 'three Ps')
Think about the 'three Ps' to help you learn to manage your fatigue. Fatigue can follow a pattern. Learning to understand this can help you make the most of your energy.
Complex carbohydrates
Evaluation of ME/CFS
Serotonin Boosters: Certain medications that raise serotonin are highly alerting and can reduce fatigue. Examples include fluoxetine, escitalopram, and sertraline. Alerting Agents: Other medication options include modafinil and armodafinil.
See a GP if:
you feel tired and have other symptoms, such as weight loss or mood changes, or you've been told you're making gasping, snorting or choking noises when you're asleep.
Most people with a terminal illness feel extreme or constant tiredness (fatigue). Try to pace yourself and save your energy for the activities that are most important to you. An occupational therapist may be able to help with equipment at home to reduce the energy needed for daily activities such as showering.
She spoke about different types of fatigue and how our symptoms might vary after we've experienced each kind. She listed six types of fatigue: social, emotional, physical, pain, mental, and chronic illness.
Consult a GP for advice.
Fatigue is the most common symptom reported by patients with liver disease. Although the underlying pathogenesis of fatigue in liver disease is still poorly defined, it appears to involve changes in central neurotransmission, which result from signalling between the diseased liver and the brain.
Fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), are chronic conditions that have similar symptoms. Both cause extreme tiredness, which could cause ME/CSF to be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia.
Symptoms said to be due to adrenal fatigue include tiredness, trouble falling asleep at night or waking up in the morning, salt and sugar craving, and needing stimulants like caffeine to get through the day. These symptoms are common and non-specific, meaning they can be found in many diseases.
The 20-minute rule for ADHD is a productivity strategy to overcome task paralysis by committing to work on a task for just 20 minutes, leveraging the brain's need for dopamine and short bursts of focus, making it easier to start and build momentum, with the option to stop or continue after the timer goes off, and it's a variation of the Pomodoro Technique, adapted for ADHD's unique challenges like time blindness. It helps by reducing overwhelm, providing a clear starting point, and creating a dopamine-boosting win, even if you only work for that short period.
The ADHD "30% Rule" is a guideline suggesting that executive functions (like self-regulation, planning, and emotional control) in people with ADHD develop about 30% slower than in neurotypical individuals, meaning a 10-year-old might function more like a 7-year-old in these areas, requiring adjusted expectations for maturity, task management, and behavior. It's a tool for caregivers and adults with ADHD to set realistic goals, not a strict scientific law, helping to reduce frustration by matching demands to the person's actual developmental level (executive age) rather than just their chronological age.