Why Am I So Tired?
You may find you often ask yourself why your so tired all the time? We have compiled a list of some of the most common reasons for tiredness and what you can do to bounce back.
Tiredness can cause an array of problems, for example 1 in 25 adult drivers report falling asleep at the wheel each month. Resulting in about 72,000 crashes and 44,000 injuries each year, not to mention the estimated 6,000 fatal crashes.
Everyone can feel tired at some point in their lives – whether it’s due to a late night out, staying up to watch your favourite TV shows, or putting in some extra hours at work. You can usually put your finger on the reason you’re not feeling your best, but what about those times when you can’t pinpoint the cause of your tiredness. Below are some explanations as to why you may be feeling so tired.
Lack of Sleep
A lack of sleep may seem an obvious reason for feeling tired, people aged between 18 and 60 years need 7 or more hours of sleep everyday to promote optimal health. Not getting the recommended hours of sleep each night is not only associated with fatigue, impaired performance, and a greater risk of accidents, but it also has adverse health outcomes. These include obesity, high blood pressure, depression and occupational health, heart disease, stroke, and an increased risk of death as well as hay fever.
If you struggle to fit in 7 hours of sleep, here are some tips to help you achieve a full dose of much-needed slumber:
- Maintain a Consistent Sleep Routine
- Avoid Naps
- Limit your time awake in bed to 5-10 minutes
- Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature
- Limit caffeinated drinks
- Avoid tobacco and alcohol before bed
Poor Diet
The easiest way to banish tiredness is to make small adjustments to your diet. Eating a healthful and balanced diet cab make the world of difference to how you feel. To improve your health and get all the nutrients you need, as well as eliminate fatigue; it is vital to choose a healthful mix of food from the five food groups.
You can switch up your eating habits by implementing some of these small changes:
- Eat the right amount of calories
- Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
- Ensure whole grains make up half of the grains you consume
- Shift to low fat and dairy fat free
- Vary your protein routine
- Cut down on sugar
- Never skip breakfast
- Eat at regular intervals
- Drink Enough Water
Excessive Stress
Many situations can cause stress. Work, financial problems, relationship issues, major life events, and upheavals such as moving house, unemployment, and bereavement — the list of potential stressors is never-ending.
A little stress can be healthy and may actually make us more alert and able to perform better in tasks such as interviews, but stress is only a positive thing if it is short-lived. Excessive, prolonged stress can cause physical and emotional exhaustion and lead to illness.
If the pressures that you face are making you feel overtired or giving you headaches, migraines, or tense muscles, don’t ignore these signals. Take some time out until you feel calmer, or try some of these tips.
- Identify the source of stress
- Keep a stress journal
- Learn to say no
- Avoid those who stress you out
- Communicate your concerns
- View situations in a different way
- Look at the bigger picture
- Accept the things you are unable to change
- Learn to forgive
Medical Conditions
If you have made lifestyle changes to do with your physical activity, diet, stress levels, and sleep but still feel tired all the time, there could be an underlying medical condition.
Some of the most common conditions that report fatigue as a key symptom include:
- anaemia
- underactive thyroid
- diabetes
- anxiety
- depression
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- urinary tract infection
- food intolerance
- heart disease
- glandular fever
- pregnancy
- vitamin and mineral deficiencies
For more information, you can call on our private GP service in London, we can provide a range of services including private blood tests and psychiatrists.
