Physically, there are a lot of potential answers that can cause tiredness. Dr Shah explains, “there’s more chance of a medical reason for tiredness if there are other symptoms as well, such as heavy periods, weight loss, a change in bowel habits, hair loss, extreme thirst and so on.”
Medical reasons could include anaemia or an underactive thyroid gland, as well as more surprising ailments such as diabetes, food intolerance and sleep apnoea. Such causes can often be diagnosed with a blood test so you should always consult your GP.
Being overweight or underweight can also cause tiredness. This is because your body needs to work harder than normal to complete everyday activities. In particular, if you are underweight, you have less muscle strength and you may feel tired more quickly. Pregnancy, especially in its early stages, can also significantly diminish energy.
However, it is often unusual to find anything physically wrong. According to Dr. Shah, “Most of the time, fatigue is linked with mood and the accumulation of lots of little stresses in life.”
Research from the Mental Health Foundation surmised that almost a third of the population are sleep-deprived and this is frequently due to career and financial concerns.
Anxiety is a key culprit for tiredness. It can cause insomnia and as a result, prolonged fatigue. Daily life can be tiresome and offer opportunities for anxiety or depression, as well as larger moments. Even from positive events like buying a home to emotional shock such as bereavement, it can all have the potential to make you feel drained.
A further aspect for you to consider is your lifestyle. An unhealthy diet or excessive alcohol consumption can hold significant influence over your sleep.
Drinking in the evening, for example, tends to cause disruptions mid-sleep. Furthermore, if you drink a lot regularly, it can lead to depression which can further affect you. Other aspects such as night shifts at work, looking after children or sleeping during the day can also cause great disruption to your ability to have an effective nights sleep.
In trying to identify how you became tired, you can then try to remedy your fatigue. Consider parts of your life including work and family, any events that may have triggered this reaction psychologically and any impact that could be made from your lifestyle.
Although common, severe tiredness is not something to simply accept. Consult your doctor for advice if worried, simply knowing that all is well can have a power all its own.
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