“Why am I so tired?” is a question that people ask themselves pretty frequently. Everyone gets tired at one point or another, particularly after something like an illness, a long night up with a sick child or a busy week at work. When tiredness is persistent, however — when you feel tired as soon as you wake up in morning or when sleep doesn’t seem to help, no matter how much rest you get — it may often indicate a deeper, underlying problem.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons for tiredness and fatigue.
What Causes Tiredness and Fatigue?
While there are a lot of possible reasons for tiredness and fatigue, some of the most common ones are listed below:
1. Lifestyle
Certain lifestyle changes can also cause tiredness. Poor dietary choices, not getting enough exercise or water to drink and going without sleep can all lead to fatigue. The good news is, that developing new, healthy lifestyle habits like a balanced diet, adequate water and fluids, getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night and good stress management can all help to boost energy levels.
2. Anemia
People with anemia are not able to make enough red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the their bodies. This is often due to a lack of nutrients like iron or B-12 and can be caused by problems such as heavy periods, bleeding in the digestive tract or pregnancy (due to the increased demands of the growing baby). However, in most cases, this can be resolved with treatments like changes in diet, iron supplements or B-12 shots.
3. Cancer
While you shouldn’t be freaking out about cancer just because you are tired, it is a fact that fatigue is one of the symptoms of cancer. Other common symptoms can include unexplained weight loss and the presence of palpable lumps or growths. This disease is marked by the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of cells that can do damage to surround tissues and possibly spread to other parts of the body. Diagnosis is usually by biopsy and treatment often focusses on radiation, chemotherapy or surgery — and generally when a diagnosis is made early, the outcomes for the patient are better.
4. Depression
Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States (and in many other countries of the world as well). It is marked by persistent feelings of sadness or unhappiness but has physical symptoms, too. Apart from fatigue, people may also experience changes in sleeping and eating habits and difficulty concentrating. Treatment can often center on anti-depressants, counselling and lifestyle changes like stress management to help manage this condition.
5. Hypothyroidism
If a person has hypothyroidism, their thyroid gland is not produce adequate levels of these important hormones — and the result can be a persistent and unrelenting fatigue, even if someone is getting enough sleep. Other common symptoms of this disorder include mood swings, weight gain and feeling cold all the time. Fortunately, simple blood work can reveal if there is a problem and it can be treated with artificial thyroid hormone pills like Synthroid.
6. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder where a person’s airways get blocked off while they are asleep, causing their oxygen levels to drop while they are asleep. This often causes people to stop breathing at night and then to jerk themselves awake (this can happen over 30 times an hour). Because of this, people with sleep apnea can feel short of breath and have low energy levels. Mouthpieces and other devices to aid in breathing as well as the use of a special breathing machine to keep oxygen levels in a safe zone.
In short, fatigue is a common problem, and if you find yourself asking, “Why I am so tired?” more frequently than you should, it might be a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor. Some basic testing can often reveal if there is an underlying problem causing your tiredness — and once a diagnosis is made, treatment to help you get your energy back can begin.
The post Why Am I So Tired: 6 Causes Of Abnormal Fatigue appeared first on Lifehack.
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