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.
Many possible factors cause chronic fatigue, such as underlying medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disturbances, caffeine intake, and chronic stress. If you're experiencing unexplained fatigue, it's important to talk with your doctor to find the cause.
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.
There are no medical tests to measure fatigue. But a good way to describe fatigue is on a scale of 1 to 10. Where 1 means you don't feel tired at all and 10 means the worst tiredness you can imagine. Some may use a questionnaire to help them work out how it's affecting you.
Limit ultra-processed foods, reduce alcohol, and quit smoking. To boost your energy, prioritize your sleep, water intake, and physical activity, and identify the best methods for you to cope with stress. Eating the right foods to feed your body and your “good” bugs can also positively impact how much energy you have.
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.
Disease and infection: Cancer, kidney disease and multiple sclerosis are just a few diseases that cause fatigue. Fatigue can also be a sign of infections such as mononucleosis, HIV and flu. Mental health conditions: Fatigue from depression or anxiety may make it difficult or impossible to perform daily activities.
Call for an appointment with your doctor if your fatigue has persisted for two or more weeks despite making an effort to rest, reduce stress, choose a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids.
Vitamin B12
Along with the other B vitamins, vitamin B12 helps transform the food you eat into energy that your cells can use. It also keeps your body's nerves and blood cells healthy and helps prevent a type of anemia that can make you weak and tired ( 22 ).
What causes lack of energy? Lack of energy can be a normal response to inadequate sleep, overexertion, overworking, stress, lack of exercise, or boredom. When part of a normal response, lack of energy often resolves with rest, adequate sleep, stress management, and good nutrition.
So does vitamin B12 give you energy? While B12 doesn't directly provide energy, it does give the body the tools it needs to convert food molecules into energy. Getting the recommended daily amount of B12 can therefore help ensure that the body is able to make the energy it needs to do everything you need it to do.
Most likely, you're still tired after eight hours of sleep because of these three factors: (1) you don't know your sleep need, (2) you're not taking into account your sleep efficiency, and (3) you carry sleep debt.
Fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation. Drowsiness and apathy (a feeling of not caring about what happens) can be symptoms that go along with fatigue. Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical activity, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep.
Energy drinks that contain ingredients like green tea, coffee, and guarana can help provide a quick boost of energy when you're feeling fatigued. Sipping on an energy drink can help you feel more alert and may even improve your mood ( 4 ).
Magnesium plays many crucial roles in the body, such as supporting muscle and nerve function and energy production.
Therefore, magnesium supplements can be taken at any time of the day, as long as you're able to take them consistently. For some, taking supplements first thing in the morning may be easiest, while others may find that taking them with dinner or just before bed works well for them.