Why Am I Tired All The Time?

Are you still feeling tired despite getting a decent amount of sleep? It could mean that you have an underlying medical condition or something isn’t quite right in your daily routine.

Feeling sleepy, especially during the day, could indicate an underactive thyroid or an underlying sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. However, struggling to get through the day could also be due to common energy-sapping lifestyle habits. Let’s look at them together.

1. Skipping breakfast

When you skip breakfast, your body perceives the prolonged ‘fast’ as a stressful event and pumps out extra stress hormones. If you’re already pressured by a busy lifestyle, this is the last thing you need. Taking time to eat a solid, balanced breakfast will launch your day with more energy and stop you from feeling tired all the time.

Be sure to notice whenever you start to get hungry or feel tired and light-headed, which is associated with low blood sugar. Have snacks on hand and prepare healthy meals to sustain strong levels of energy and concentration throughout your day.

Take a moment to slow down and enjoy the first meal of your day with our favourite breakfast-in-bed ideas.

2. Failing to exercise

It’s a vicious cycle: the less you exercise, the more likely you’ll feel tired all the time and the less you’ll feel like exercising. To turn this pattern around, take a brisk walk even when you feel tired. You’ll most likely notice that you’ll feel much more alert, positive and energetic after the walk. Even just 20 minutes of walking a day will help you have more energy, manage stress better, and also sleep deeper at night.

3. A fast-paced lifestyle

Many people race through their days from morning to night. If you constantly feel like you’re rushing and never stop to take a break, you’ll likely have heightened stress hormones. This is a guaranteed recipe for exhaustion and burnout.

When you notice yourself rushing or feeling stressed, slow down and remember to breathe. Find time to take small breaks, even for just a couple of minutes. Give yourself an extra 5 minutes to get to wherever you’re going and try a relaxation technique.

4. Not taking time off

Research has shown that failing to take annual leave makes you more prone to fatigue and illness, less productive, less happy, and more likely to die at a younger age. If you can’t remember the last time you took a break from work, it’s time to book some annual leave. When you’re enjoying your time off, try to unplug completely, as this will boost the restorative impact.

5. Skipping the Sabbath

For many religions, Sundays are a sacred day when people don’t do any kind of work (not even household chores). Whether or not you have any religious affiliation, the human body ideally needs to rest one day every week, meaning we can benefit from following this example. The to-do list never ends anyway, so why not take a day off from it? You’ll discover that you enjoy a more productive, energetic and happy week if you allow yourself to stop for at least one day.
 

6. Not drinking enough water

Dehydration is a common cause of tiredness. Not drinking enough fluids can make you feel sluggish and give you headaches. Dr Roger Henderson told the Natural Dehydration Council, “Many of my patients do not drink enough fluid each day and only believe they are dehydrated when they start to feel thirsty. Yet other symptoms of dehydration appear before this, including fatigue and tiredness, headaches and poor concentration”. You should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day for proper bodily function and energy levels.

7. Sleep disruptions

Shift work and being woken up regularly can affect your mood. The NHS says, “If you have a disturbed sleep pattern – for instance, if you work night shifts, sleep in the day or look after young children – it can be difficult to get a good night’s sleep, and you’ll feel tired during the day”. Therefore, it’s important to try and stamp out whatever is keeping you awake. If background noises prevent you from getting to sleep, try some sleep sounds. Or, if your partner’s snoring is the culprit, it might be time for a sleep divorce.

8. Poor sleep quality

When it comes to sleep, both quality and quantity can greatly affect our energy levels the next day, among other things. Even if you’re sleeping for long enough, poor quality sleep can lead to many health issues and low mood along with tiredness. Plus, if you have bad slumber, you are more likely to have impaired brain function, weight gain, and an increased risk of diseases.

Related: How to Sleep Better at Night

9. Underlying medical conditions

There are lots of different illnesses that cause tiredness. They range in severity, but most can be treated easily. One of the most common illnesses that causes tiredness, especially in women, is anaemia. This occurs when the body doesn’t have enough iron to produce red blood cells, causing a lack of oxygen in your organs. Symptoms of anaemia include tiredness and lethargy, heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

Other conditions, like hypothyroidism, which slows your metabolism, can leave you feeling sluggish, along with diabetes and even heart disease. If you’re concerned, it’s always a good idea to chat with your GP for advice and more information.

10. Depression and anxiety

Depression is a psychological disorder. However, it has some physical side effects. One of the most prominent symptoms of depression is a lack of energy. People who suffer from depression often find it very hard to rest. A large contributing factor to depression is stress. Experts at ZME Science say, “Stress can exhaust the brain and lead to depression, which always seems to trigger more vicious cycle problems: you’re depressed, so you become more stressed; you have trouble sleeping, so you feel tired; you feel tired, so you don’t feel like doing anything meaningful anymore”.

Remember, if you’re worried about being tired all the time, speak to your doctor to identify the underlying cause.

In addition to the advice we’ve shared above, there are a few more things that you can start to incorporate into your day to help you get forty winks:

1. Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Find out your perfect bedtime with our Sleep Calculator.
2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, such as reading a book or taking a warm bath.
3. Make sure your sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool. Read more about the best temperatures for sleep here.
4. Avoid screens like TVs, phones, and computers before bedtime, as blue light can contribute to keeping you awake.
5. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine and eating heavy meals close to bedtime.
6. Try a relaxing activity such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing to help calm your mind before bed.

Start by adding one or two of these techniques to your routine and see how it goes. Remember, good sleep takes time, so don’t worry if you’re not a pro just yet—you’ll get there. Happy snoozing!