Why do i feel tired

Read more about generalised anxiety disorder in adults. Page last reviewed: 15 March Next review due: 15 March How to get to sleep 10 tips to beat insomnia How to stop snoring. Healthy sleep tips for children How much sleep do children need?

Sleep tips for teenagers. What's the difference between tiredness and fatigue? Here are 10 health conditions known to cause tiredness or fatigue.

Anaemia One of the most common medical reasons for feeling constantly run down is iron deficiency anaemia. Read more about iron deficiency anaemia. Read more about haemochromatosis. Sleep apnoea Sleep apnoea is a condition where your throat narrows or closes during sleep and repeatedly interrupts your breathing.

Read more about sleep apnoea. Underactive thyroid An underactive thyroid gland means you have too little thyroid hormone thyroxine in your body. Coeliac disease This is a lifelong disease caused by the immune system reacting to gluten. Read more about coeliac disease. Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic fatigue syndrome also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME is a severe and disabling fatigue that goes on for at least 4 months.

Diabetes One of the main symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is feeling very tired. Glandular fever Glandular fever is a common viral infection that causes fatigue, along with fever, sore throat and swollen glands.

Read more about glandular fever. Depression As well as making you feel very sad, depression can also make you feel drained of energy. Restless legs syndrome This is when you get an overwhelming urge to move your legs, which can keep you awake at night. Read more about restless legs syndrome. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you if fatigue is a possible side effect of any medications that you are taking, both prescription and over-the-counter.

The causes of fatigue listed above are fairly common, but there is a multitude of medical conditions which can result in fatigue. If you feel your tiredness is out of the ordinary, and you aren't simply missing out on the sleep you need to feel rested, make an appointment to see your doctor. She can take a careful history including your family history of medical conditions, perform a physical exam, and order any blood work needed to begin looking for causes.

It can be frustrating, at times, as you wait for answers to your tiredness, but don't give up. Finding a reason for your fatigue can not only result in improvement with treatment but may detect conditions which should be diagnosed for other reasons as well. Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression.

Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. Nutt DJ. Relationship of neurotransmitters to the symptoms of major depressive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. Yokoi K, Konomi A. Iron deficiency without anaemia is a potential cause of fatigue: meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials and cross-sectional studies.

Br J Nutr. Chaker L. Predicting coronary heart disease events in women: a longitudinal cohort study. J Cardiovasc Nurs. J Clin Sleep Med. Clin Liver Dis. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Lack of Sleep. Heart Disease. Sleep Apnea. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.

Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Institute of Health. Yokoi, K. British Journal of Nutrition. Related Articles. Do You Have Respiratory Depression? The only treatments thought to be beneficial in Kleine-Levin syndrome are lithium and carbamazepine to help shorten episodes and stimulants to alleviate EDS. In narcolepsy , the body has a disordered regulation of sleep and wakefulness so that characteristics of sleep may suddenly occur when you're awake and elements of wakefulness may intrude upon sleep.

Narcolepsy is best known for attacks of EDS that may cause you to doze off for short periods at unexpected times. Another major symptom of narcolepsy is cataplexy, which is the sudden loss of voluntary muscle control often associated with an emotional response such as surprise or laughter.

In a mild instance, your knees may buckle or your jaw will hang open, while in a more severe episode you may collapse onto the floor and be unable to move for several minutes. Other symptoms of narcolepsy include:. The drug Xyrem sodium oxybate treats both EDS and cataplexy. Tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs may help with cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and overnight sleep disruptions.

Disorders that cause excessive movements during sleep can disrupt your sleep and leave you tired the next day. The most common of these conditions is restless legs syndrome RLS. This disorder is characterized by an uncomfortable sensation in the legs associated with an urge to move.

It often develops in the evening as you are lying down to rest and is relieved by movement. The commonly associated condition periodic limb movement syndrome PLMS involves sudden jerking movements that occur during sleep. These may be repetitive and disturb your sleep and potentially that of your bed partner. Drugs commonly prescribed for RLS include:. Other treatments are:. Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing pauses partially or completely while you sleep.

It can occur dozens of times an hour or even hundreds of times a night. It's common for witnessed pauses to be followed by a loud snort and brief awakening as you gasp for air. With each awakening, you shift briefly into lighter stages of sleep. You may wake completely and fall back asleep without even remembering it.

The frequently disrupted sleep leaves you with EDS and its associated symptoms. Other symptoms of sleep apnea include:. Treatment for sleep apnea includes:. Sleep apnea puts a strain on your heart and can lead to high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy enlarged muscle tissue in the heart , heart failure, heart attack, and stroke.

This makes proper diagnosis and treatment especially important. Drowsiness, EDS, and fatigue are common side effects of medications. Your healthcare provider will likely look into what medications you're taking if you frequently have fatigue.

Drugs that can make you tired include:. Excessive daytime sleepiness can be caused by lifestyle factors or health conditions. Poor sleep habits, nutritional deficiencies, excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine, and too much or too little exercise can all contribute to daytime fatigue.

Sleep disorders, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, other health conditions, and certain medications may also play a factor.

Fatigue and tiredness are common symptoms of many illnesses, including anemia, autoimmune disease, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, COPD, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart disease, and thyroid conditions. It can also be caused by depression, pregnancy, menopause, or an infection. Start by talking to your healthcare provider. A routine physical can identify many treatable causes of fatigue, such as iron or vitamin D deficiencies, thyroid disorders, and diabetes.

A sleep study can rule out a sleep disorder. Lifestyle changes such as eating more fruits and vegetables, getting moderate exercise, and practicing good sleep hygiene can ease daytime sleepiness. If you struggle with persistent sleepiness or fatigue, talk to your healthcare provider or ask for a referral to a specialist who can figure out the underlying cause and get you started on the right treatment.

You have a lot of treatment options, so you don't have to just live with the risks and lowered quality of life caused by EDS. Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life.

Our free guide can help you get the rest you need. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. American Cancer Society. What is fatigue or weakness?

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