Do you wake up in the mornings feeling tired? Unfortunately, many people do.
In our fast-paced world, it's almost like we've resigned ourselves to being in a constant state of exhaustion. But, feeling exhausted all the time shouldn't be the norm.
Many of our patients ask: why am I always tired? Sometimes there's a simple reason, sometimes we need to investigate further.
We've put together a list of five common reasons why you may be tired all the time. However, we do recommend you see your doctor to make sure there are no hidden symptoms of a more serious reason.
Not enough sleep
Yes, it may seem obvious, but one of the biggest reasons people are tired is because they don't get enough sleep! The recommendation for an adult is between 7.5 and 9 hours sleep a night, every night. Not 5 on weekdays and then 12 on the weekend. It's a myth that you can catch up on sleep on the weekends.
Popular culture has glorified getting very few hours of sleep, with notable figures such as Elon Musk stating they only sleep for four hours. Four hours is not enough.
Lack of sleep can contribute to:
Depression
Heart disease
Diabetes
Obesity
Strokes
and more
Lack of sleep can also be responsible for increased forgetfulness and poor decisions or response times.
To figure out how many hours your body needs, start with nine hours and reduce it by half-hour intervals (going no lower than seven and a half) and see what works best for you.
Being inactive
Exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, but did you know that it's also helpful for sleep? According to Psychology Today, exercise aids sleep because it helps regulate our body clocks, promoting sleepiness at night and alertness during the day. Try to include some kind of daily physical activity, or three to four half-hour sessions a week.
And remember, a physically tired body will help you fall asleep at night.
Iron deficiency
Another reason for daytime sleepiness is anaemia. Being deficient in iron can make us very tired. A simple blood test can figure out if you have anaemia, and then you and your doctor can decide what treatment method is best for you.
Learn more about iron deficiency and iron infusions.
Stress
We are exposed to stress in some manner in our daily lives. From the loud, siren of our alarms in the mornings, to running late for school drop off or an important meeting. Our constant exposure to stress can wreak havoc with our restfulness at night, causing sleep deprivation.
For techniques on managing your stress, please read this article.
Depression
Depression is sometimes experienced physically, with problems of appetite, sleep disturbance, lethargy, or other physical issues. Depression may also cause insomnia and poor energy levels.
If you think think you may be depressed, please contact your doctor. Your doctor can help you with a mental health plan and may refer you to a psychologist.
Other reasons for tiredness
There are many more reasons that can be contributing or causing your exhaustion, like thyroid disorders, a high or low-calorie diet, sleep apnoea and more.
If you would like to find out why you are always so tired, one of our doctors can help you. We'll investigate lifestyle and medical reasons to hopefully get you on the way to more energy during the day and restful nights.
Call us on 03 9741 1200 or book an appointment online.