Constantly tired?
Causes and tips for persistent fatigue
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Many of us lead stressful lives and are often listless and tired. But if you are constantly tired, you should find out what causes it.
Why am I always tired?
Do you also belong to the people who constantly feel tired and listless during the day? Is your work or private life already suffering as a result? 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 tired too often.
Why is fatigue so common?
Basically, we should be aware that we are not machines. Man is guided by an internal clock and the influence of light and thus also the seasons 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 as fit and lively, this can be completely natural at first. But if you are constantly tired, you should pay attention – because there are also very serious illnesses such as depression that cause permanent tiredness.
People with stressful shift work often do not have a regular sleep rhythm and are therefore plagued with tiredness because they simply do not get enough rest. In this case, the reasons for fatigue are of course completely different than with unresolved private problems or strokes of fate. Nevertheless, the borders can also be fluid and ultimately, only seeing a doctor can provide more insight into your fatigue.
Other common causes of constant fatigue
As already indicated above, many different reasons can be to blame for being tired all the time. The following triggers often cause fatigue:
- General lack of sleep (e.g. due to going to bed too late)
- unhealthy diet (e.g. 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
- Bad sleeping environment (e.g. too high room temperature or bad 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 sinusitis, anemia, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal diseases or diabetes
- Cancer (these can lead to particularly severe tiredness, also known as fatigue)
By the way, you can too various drugs lead to fatigue as a side effect.
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Is Chronic Fatigue Possible?
Tiredness can become chronic, but the so-called chronic tiredness or exhaustion syndrome occurs rather rarely. Patients are constantly tired and severely exhausted and also suffer, for example, from a sore throat and headache, concentration disorders and/or sleep disorders.
When should I see a doctor for tiredness?
If illnesses such as depression are behind your tiredness, our tips can of course only change the symptoms, but not the causes. There is the so-called 3-3-3 rule, based on which you estimate when the day will come when you should definitely see a doctor. The rule says: If the symptoms of fatigue last longer 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 against constant tiredness?
If you are constantly tired you should heed the following tips:
- Nutrition: In addition to sports and exercise, a balanced diet also plays an important role in determining how alert you feel and whether you tend to be tired. Fruit, vegetables and fish rather than meat are a good basis for this. Also make sure that you get 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. A higher dose of caffeine also tends to make you quick-tempered and not calming you down.
- Sleep Hygiene: Anyone who watches exciting films (e.g. thrillers or horrors) in the evening or surfs the Internet with their smartphone in bed also finds it difficult to rest – tiredness is a long time coming. The body then needs more time to switch to sleep mode and you lie awake in bed longer. In addition, sleep can be affected. So make sure that you switch off electrical devices for the last one to two hours of the day, keep your room at a comfortable temperature (not too warm), darken it and preferably read something or listen to relaxing music so that tiredness can set in. Good sleep hygiene also includes not arguing with your partner at night. Many people also sleep much better alone than with their partner.
- To drink: We hear it again and again and yet we often do it too seldom – drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day. An effective remedy against fatigue!
- Goals: We humans are creatures of habit and when we get caught up 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 about how to think positively here. An optimistic, active approach to life and working towards your goals and aspirations will definitely keep you on your toes and reduce fatigue.
Reading tips: Would you like to find out more? More in-depth health classifications on the subject of fatigue – you can get symptoms and causes here. We will also show you how you can create a nutrition plan that may also reduce your tiredness. And here you can find out what sleep disorders mean in old age.
Sources
- DEGAM Guideline Fatigue (as of: November 2017)
- DEGAM Patient Information Fatigue (Status: May 2017)