Always tired? Overview of causes and tips

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Always tired?
Overview of causes and tips

© Kite_rin / Shutterstock

by Timo Koether and
Stephanie Pingel

Many of us lead stressful lives and are often weak and tired. But if you are constantly tired, you should find out what causes it.

Why am I tired all the time?

Do you also belong to the people who constantly feel tired and weak during the day? Is your work or your private life suffering from it? We want to show when tiredness is no longer "normal" and what you can do about it. We also reveal potential causes if you feel tiredness too often.

Why does fatigue occur so often?

Basically, we should be aware that we are not machines. Man is guided by an internal clock and the influence of light and thus the seasons also play a major role for our organism.

So if you suffer from penetrating tiredness in winter, generally want to sleep more and just don't feel so fit and lively, that can be completely natural at first. But if you are constantly tired, you should pay attention – because there are also very serious diseases like depression that cause permanent fatigue.

People with stressful shift work often do not have a regular sleep rhythm and consequently suffer from tiredness because they simply do not get enough rest. In this case, the reasons for fatigue are of course very different from unprocessed private problems or strokes of fate. Nonetheless, the boundaries can also be fluid and ultimately, only a visit to the doctor can reveal more about your tiredness.

Other common causes of constant fatigue

As mentioned above, there can be many different reasons for being constantly tired. The following triggers often cause fatigue:

  • General lack of sleep (e.g. from going to bed too late)
  • unhealthy diet (for example, very fatty and / or high-calorie food)
  • Iron deficiency (especially women often lack iron)
  • Magnesium deficiency
  • Lack of vitamins
  • Weight problems – both overweight and underweight
  • stress
  • Alcohol and or drug use
  • Hormonal causes, such as PMS or menopause
  • Poor sleeping environment (for example, too high room temperature or poor air)
  • Illnesses – for example mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders, burnout, depression, neurological disorders such as dementia or migraines. But also physical illnesses such as colds, flu, chronic sinus infections, anemia, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal diseases or diabetes
  • Cancer (these can lead to particularly severe tiredness, also called fatigue)

By the way, you can too various drugs lead to fatigue as a side effect.

Is Chronic Fatigue Possible?

Fatigue can become chronic – but the so-called chronic fatigue or exhaustion syndrome occurs rather rarely. Patients are constantly tired and severely exhausted and additionally suffer from sore throats and headaches, concentration disorders and / or sleep disorders, for example.

When should I see a doctor about tiredness?

If illnesses such as depression are behind your tiredness, then our tips can of course change the symptoms, but not the causes. There is the so-called 3-3-3 rule, which you use to estimate when the day will come when you should definitely see a doctor. The rule says: If the symptoms of fatigue occur for more than three months, more than three days a week, and more than three hours a day, then you should definitely see a doctor.

Tips: What can you do about constant fatigue?

If you are constantly tired you should heed the following tips:

  • Nutrition: In addition to sport and exercise, a balanced diet also plays an important role in determining how awake you feel and whether you are more prone to fatigue. Fruit, vegetables and fish rather than meat are a good basis for this. Also, make sure you're getting enough vitamins and nutrients – such as iron and magnesium. These tips not only prevent fatigue, they also strengthen your immune system and harden you against acute infections such as colds. Alcohol and cigarettes are poison for the body and do not provide clarity and freshness. An increased dose of caffeine also tends to make you quick-tempered and does not provide rest.
  • Sleep hygiene: Anyone who watches exciting films (e.g. thriller or horror) in the evening or surfs the Internet with their smartphone in bed will also find it difficult to calm down – tiredness will be a long time coming. The body then needs more time to switch to sleep mode and you lie awake longer in bed. It can also affect sleep. So make sure that you turn off electrical appliances for the last one or two hours of the day, keep your room pleasantly warm (not too warm), darken and ideally read something or listen to relaxation music so that you can get tired. Good sleep hygiene also includes not arguing with your partner at night. Many people also sleep much better alone than with their partner.
  • Drink: We hear it again and again and yet we often do not implement it enough – drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day. An effective remedy for fatigue!
  • Aims: We humans are creatures of habit and if we get lost in our daily routine, we can become lazy and sluggish. As a result, we don't do any sport, don't eat well and look at life with skepticism. You can read here how you can think positively. An optimistic, active approach to life and working on your goals and desires will definitely keep you on your toes and reduce fatigue.

Reading tips: Do you want to find out more? In-depth health classifications on the subject of fatigue – symptoms and causes can be found here. We will also show you how you can create a nutrition plan that may also reduce your tiredness.

If you would like to exchange ideas with others about sleep problems and fatigue and are looking for further tips, then take a look at our BRIGITTE Community.

sources

DEGAM guideline fatigue (as of November 2017)

DEGAM patient information fatigue (as of May 2017)

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