These 7 Things Could Be Why You’re Always Tired

I don’t know about you, but few things disrupt my days more than fatigue. It negatively impacts my energy levels (and therefore I probably won't exercise), my hunger cues (and therefore I may eat more than I need), my motivation (and therefore I won’t get my work done), my mood (and therefore I’ll probably be a dick to my husband), or any other number of factors.

Typically, when someone complains of being tired all the time, we automatically look at their sleep patterns. And, for sure, a poor night’s sleep will cause fatigue. But, if that fatigue is chronic, or seems to be present no matter how much sleep we get, it could be your body signaling that something else is going on.

If you’re experiencing fatigue on a regular basis, schedule an appointment with your doctor. It could be one of these seven underlying factors:

Dehydration

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of dehydration. (Another is weight gain. I talk more about that here.) Your body needs water, and so much of it. Experts disagree on how much water you should be drinking, because it’s different for everyone. A good rule of thumb is to try and drink 64 ounces of water a day, plus 8 ounces for every 8 ounces of caffeinated drinks you consume. If you think dehydration may be contributing to your fatigue, check for other symptoms, like extreme thirst, dark urine, dry skin, dizziness, decreased urination, decreased levels of sweating, headaches, constipation or frequent illness.

Stress

Our bodies are not built for chronic stress. Stress is an adaptive response we developed to help us respond to acute stressful situations, like being attacked by an animal or the jealous caveman next door. Our cortisol levels shoot up to help us fight or get TF out of that stressful scene; they’re not meant to stay elevated on a regular basis. So, if your body is constantly thinking it needs to react for survival, of course it’s going to get exhausted. Chronic stress also causes inflammation, which your body spends energy trying to calm down; shortness of breath, which prevents you from getting adequate oxygen; or a decreased appetite, which inhibits your ability to get adequate nutrients or absorb them properly. (Conversely, it can also cause an increased appetite; which I talk more about here.)

Mental Illness

Look, mental illnesses can seriously fuck with not only our minds, but our bodies as well. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and more can all cause fatigue, either by impacting our ability to sleep or by making us tired all the time. If you think your fatigue may be caused by mental illness, I fully encourage you to talk to a doctor you trust. Sometimes, people can treat their anxiety or depression naturally through diet, exercise, sunshine, etc. But, other times, it takes medication to make us well. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I’ve personally been on a combination of anti-depressant, mood stabilizer and anti-anxiety meds for years so that I can function on the daily.

Emotional Irregularity

Without fail, every time I’m going through a big emotional deal where I either need to process my feels or am just in the feels all the time, I get tired all the damn time. I sleep a lot more and kind of trudge through my days. Look, the brain and the body are deeply co-dependent. What goes on in your body affects your brain, and vice versa. So when your brain is processing big emotions or going through a hard time, your body feels that and will likely need to slow down and rest.

Physical or Medical Ailment

There are so many things that could be going on with your body that cause fatigue, from simple things like allergies to scary things like heart disease. There are so many, in fact, that I can’t possibly compile a comprehensive list, but some common factors that cause fatigue are anemia, nutrient deficiencies, mineral imbalances, inflammation, toxins, leaky gut, dysbiosis, dysregulated blood sugar, hidden infections, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, sleep disorders, illnesses and viruses, fibromyalgia, or thyroid conditions. Again, talk to your doctor if you think you may have any of these.

Chronic Dieting or Calorie Restriction

If you read my last blog post, you’re familiar with my not-so-calm feelings about calorie restriction and chronic dieting for weight loss. Beyond just simply not working to help you lose weight, they can actively harm your body by keeping you from getting or absorbing the nutrients you need to survive. Not thrive. Survive. If your body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs, its processes start breaking down partially because it just can’t, and partially to conserve energy. And it needing to conserve energy means you’re tired. And also not getting the nutrients that bolster energy (like B12) means you’re tired, but that felt like it went without saying.

Disrupted Sleep Patterns

Thankfully, a lot of fatigue doesn’t have an underlying scary cause, and may just be because your body isn’t getting the rest it needs. If you think this is what’s causing your fatigue, or even if you just want a better night’s sleep, you can try these seven tips for improving sleep quality, or these five tips to help you fall asleep easier.

If you’re having trouble figuring out what’s causing your fatigue, or any other imbalances you may be feeling, hit me up. I can help you create a tailored plan for reaching your health goals.