Tiredness and fatigue (2024)

FAQs

Why am I always tired and fatigued? ›

Medical causes– unrelenting exhaustion may be a sign of an underlying illness or condition (such as flu, glandular fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders, heart disease or diabetes). Lifestyle-related causes – alcohol or drugs or lack of regular exercise can lead to feelings of fatigue.

Red flags, which may point towards serious underlying pathology, include constitutional symptoms (unintentional loss of weight, loss of appetite, fever), recent onset in a previously well older patient, unexplained lymphadenopathy and abnormal bleeding.

People use these terms interchangeably, but tiredness usually refers to short-term lack of energy that gets better with rest or sleep. Fatigue, on the other hand, is more of a constant mental or physical exhaustion that impacts your work, social life, or ability to do everyday things.

Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical exertion, poor eating habits, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep. In some cases, however, fatigue is a symptom of an underlying medical problem that requires medical treatment.

Deficiencies in the following nutrients have been linked to fatigue: iron. riboflavin (vitamin B2) niacin (vitamin B3)

These measurable factors make up the Fatigue Test Panel: Complete Blood Count (CBC), Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP), Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Ferritin, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) with reflex to Free T4 (FT4).

The new onset with sudden and profound change in ability to do what one used to do can be an urgent or emergent condition. If the fatigue is associated with chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heart rate, or sense of imminent passing out, these are urgent conditions that warrant immediate medical attention.

Many people with diabetes will describe themselves as feeling tired, lethargic or fatigued at times. It could be a result of stress, hard work or a lack of a decent night's sleep but it could also be related to having too high or too low blood glucose levels.

What is crashing fatigue? ›

Menopause fatigue is often referred to as 'crushing'. It's a feeling of overwhelming, sudden 'crashing' tiredness, something akin to how we feel when we're coming down with a virus - a feeling of being drained, not being able to concentrate or keep your eyes open, and something that doesn't improve with sleep.

Sudden, extreme fatigue can occur due to various medical conditions, including diabetes, depression, and fibromyalgia. Treatment varies depending on the cause.

If you lead an active lifestyle, or you just need an energy boost, both Vitamin B12 and Iron can help reduce feelings of tiredness and fatigue. Or if you need to sustain your mental alertness and concentration, Ginseng can support your mental wellbeing.

Well, this depends on a person's age, health, fitness level and lifestyle. Generally, the more years that pass, the more you'll value your beauty sleep, and its true senior fatigue is a real thing. However, most people start experiencing a decline in their energy levels by the time they reach their mid-thirties.

Chronic fatigue or sleepiness may result from stress, physical or mental health conditions, consistently not sleeping well, or the side effects of medications. Sometimes these factors are easy to identify, while at other times the cause is more difficult to pinpoint, as in the case of a sleep disorder.

The following factors can contribute to fatigue, either alone or in combination: Psychological and psychosocial – stress, anxiety, and depression. Physical – anemia, diabetes, glandular fever, and cancer. Physiological – pregnancy, breast-feeding, inadequate sleep, and excessive exercise.

There are three types of fatigue: transient, cumulative, and circadian: (1) Transient fatigue is acute fatigue brought on by extreme sleep restriction or extended hours awake within 1 or 2 days.