Why Am I So Tired All the Time?

Are you always feeling tired and having trouble remaining focused on your job?

Many of us understand how exhausting it feels, especially when you’re sick.

However, sometimes you’re totally fine and healthy one day, then can’t seem to get out of bed the next.

It’s common to feel tired, it’s an everyday occurrence. However, fatigue should be a concern. What’s the difference between tiredness and fatigue?

In medical terms, tiredness is what you feel after a busy day. Tiredness is expected as it’s part of life. Fatigue, on the other hand, is when you lack energy over a long period. Chronic fatigue is excessive tiredness, where not even sleep relieves it.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is extreme fatigue that lasts for up to six months and is mostly caused by an underlying medical condition.

The cause of your fatigue is mostly a result of medical conditions or serious illness, such as kidney, liver, or thyroid disease, or a bacterial or viral infection.

Low red blood cells count or anemia is also a common cause of fatigue.

Sometimes it’s simply a result of neglecting a healthy lifestyle.

What if you can't say what is causing your fatigue? What could be making you extremely tired all day?

Lack of Quality Sleep

Poor sleep is one of the leading causes of unexplained fatigue. It may seem rather obvious, yet it’s estimated that 1 in 3 adults in the US are tired all the time because they don’t get enough sleep.

Many things happen to your body when you sleep well. One of the most important functions is that hormones that control your energy levels and metabolism are released.

It’s why you wake up reenergized and full of enthusiasm after a night of uninterrupted and high-quality sleep.

Professionals recommend that adults should sleep for 7 hours every night.

If you don’t enjoy at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night, you’re more likely to get fatigued, hindered performance, and other health conditions. You’re also more likely to cause accidents.

Here are some tips to ensure you enjoy seven hours of good night’s sleep every night:

• Have a continuous sleep routine.
• Organize your bedroom, so it’s quiet and dark. Remove any digital devices that emit light. Ensure it’s at the right temperature to make it more comfortable.
• Limit your caffeinated drinks consumption.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking.

If you find yourself twisting and turning in bed for more than 10 minutes, get out, do something else and come back once you’re sleepy. It helps you get rid of any thoughts that might be preventing you from sleeping.

If you follow every tip we’ve listed above and still have difficulty falling asleep, it’s advisable to talk to your doctor.

Poor Diet and Eating Habits

Checking your diet and eating habits is one of the fastest ways to solve your fatigue problem. Iron or other vitamin and mineral deficiencies are huge contributors to fatigue.

A healthy and balanced diet will make drastic changes to the way you feel.

If you’re used to skipping meals, your body may not be getting the recommended calorie intake required to get energized. Taking too much time in between meals may lower your blood sugar and reduce your energy levels.

Don’t skip meals. If possible, eat healthy snacks in between meals so that you have enough energy to get you to the next meal. Healthy snacks include fruits, nuts, and protein shakes.

When we talk of never skipping meals, we don’t mean eating whatever comes your way. Instead, watch your diet so you may not only reduce fatigue but also boost your immune system.

To ensure you get all the necessary nutrients, consume enough vegetables, protein, grain, fruits, and dairy products.

Most importantly, avoid dehydration. Drink enough water throughout the day to stay hydrated and energized. Adults are recommended to consume about eight glasses or 2 liters (half a gallon) of water per day.

You’re Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle

Your fatigue could be a result of living an inactive life. Yet, many people will say that they’re too tired to exercise.

It may sound paradoxical to get moving and engage in physical activity when feeling tired, but sitting on your couch doesn’t help either.

Research has proven that people who lead sedentary lifestyles have higher chances of suffering from fatigue. Their bodies have low strength and endurance levels.

Adults need to make sure that they do at least two and a half hours of physical activity every week. You also need to engage yourself in muscle-strengthening exercises for two or more days every week.

It might seem like a lot of time when you look at it initially, but you can spread out the activities. For example, you can perform 30-minutes of exercise one time a day for 5 days. Cumulatively, it’s better than sitting on your couch or watching a movie.

If you’re just starting, you can start slowly with simpler exercises. For example, you can take up slow evening walks then increase your pace and exercise time as you get used to it. 

To help you train longer and faster, have one serving of Shrooms at least 10 minutes before your workout.

To boost muscle growth and relax muscle soreness after workouts, it’s important that you consume enough Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). These vital amino acids also prevent muscle wastage and exercise fatigue.

Supplementing with our plant-based BCAAs will help you decrease recovery time and improve in high-intensity workouts.

BCCA: Pro Series

Once you’re done, don’t forget your post-workout stretches, they’re essential in preventing fatigue.

Sleep Apnea

Sometimes when you can’t seem to get rid of your fatigue for days or even weeks, it could be because you have a chronic condition called obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes shallow breathing when you're sleeping. These pauses can last from a few seconds up to a minute. 

Each time normal breathing resumes, it’s often accompanied by a snort or a choking sound, disrupting your sleep.

It’s common when a person is experiencing heavy bouts of daytime fatigue and sleepiness. 

Other symptoms that could indicate sleep apnea include:

• Depression
• Morning headaches
• Irritability
• Poor focus
• Memory loss
• Sore throat while waking up

Once you visit your doctor, they’re most likely to ask if others have noticed some irregularities in your sleep, such as abnormal breathing and snoring. 

They will also be concerned if you have excessive daytime sleepiness or you show other symptoms.

Sleep apnea patients are treated through Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.

Note that if left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to other serious conditions, such as stroke, heart disease, and in extreme cases, death.

Depression and Excessive Stress

Many situations in our lives can cause stress.

Whether it’s caused by relationships, occupations, new environments, the list of stressors never ends and will always be around.

Stress is a part of life, and a little stress can make us more alert and even beneficial to performing certain tasks, such as interviews. 

However, excessive, chronic, and toxic stress can cause exhaustion and even illness. 

Depression, on the other hand, is a condition that affects brain neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters are responsible for regulating our moods.

People who suffer from depression are tired all the time, have poor quality sleep, and low energy levels. These people may wake up a lot during the night, have trouble waking up in the morning, or sleep too long.

Depression is attributed to making people inactive and lacking enthusiasm.

You may have depression if you:

• Constantly feel sad, worthless, and empty 
• Have lost interest in hobbies you previously enjoyed 
• Experience sudden weight gain or loss 
• Lose your appetite
• Entertain thoughts of death or suicide

Stress and depression make your body produce “fight or flight” chemicals. These chemicals are originally designed to be generated during an emergency.

When these chemicals are released when they can’t be used, such as in the office, they affect your health. It’s the reason why you get migraines, headaches, and tense muscles.

Here are a few ways to keep your depressions and stress levels in check:

Bottom Line

Constant tiredness and exhaustion can be a snowball effect of different factors of your lifestyle coming together. 

A lack of quality sleep, poor diet, sedentary habits, and excessive stress can lead you down a tired and unproductive path of life. 

Take a proactive stance by:

• Getting quality sleep. 
• Incorporating nutritious, whole foods into your diet and eating habits. 
• Exercising more and living an active lifestyle. 
• Reducing toxic and excessive stress.