Everyone experiences tiredness from time to time. Whether that’s due to having too many late nights or there’s been something, or someone, keeping you up at night – there are many common causes of fatigue. However, experiencing unexplained tiredness that persists or intensifies over weeks could be caused by a serious underlying illness, so it’s essential that you speak to your doctor if you’re experiencing this.
When should you see a doctor about tiredness?
If you’ve been feeling constantly tired for more than two weeks, with no obvious reason, and there’s no sign of any improvement – despite making an effort to reduce stress and eat a more balanced diet – it’s always best to book a doctor’s appointment. This way, they can rule out any medical conditions that may be causing your tiredness.
When to book an urgent appointment
Extreme tiredness accompanied with the following requires urgent care, and shouldn’t be ignored:
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heart rate
- Imminent sense of passing out
Causes of tiredness
There are a number of reasons why you could be tired all the time, and additional support can help you to identify the root cause.
Psychological causes of tiredness
- Depression – If you have a low mood, which is partnered with a lack of energy, you may be experiencing depression. As depression is a symptom of something else going on, it is treatable – either through medication, therapy, or lifestyle changes – so if this applies to you, book an appointment with your GP.
- Anxiety– Experiencing constant anxious thoughts can be emotionally and physically draining, which is why tiredness is a common symptom of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Your GP can investigate this, advising you on the treatment needed to help you feel better.
- Stress– Certain situations or significant life events can be stressful, which could be related to relationships, money, housing, or family. These, in turn, can make you feel more tired than usual. Excessive stress can lead to certain mental health conditions if left untreated, such as depression and anxiety, which is why it’s important to seek help from your doctor early on.
Physical causes of tiredness
There are several physical causes of tiredness, but these could include:
- Cancer – Fatigue and feeling tired is a common symptom of cancer, and it can also be a result of certain treatment methods. It’s important to acknowledge that cancer-related fatigue differs from general tiredness as it doesn’t subside with sleep or rest. Instead, it’s long lasting and severe. If you’re experiencing extreme tiredness, combined with the other symptoms of cancer, book an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.
- Hormonal conditions – Certain hormonal conditions, such as diabetes, hypothyroid, and menopause, can cause you to feel tired. Your hormones play a pivotal role in controlling your body’s processes, so if these are out of balance, you may display symptoms as a result.
- Auto-immune conditions – Individuals with auto-immune conditions, such as type 1 diabetes, coeliac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis, are likely to experience inflammation. A side effect of inflammation is tiredness, as the body is constantly allocating resources to build up an immune response. There are certain ways to reduce inflammation, whether that’s by adjusting your diet or taking anti-inflammatory medications.
- Poor digestion, malabsorption of nutrients – Certain digestive conditions, such as IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), can cause tiredness. This is because you’re prevented from getting the nutrients needed for your body to function as it should, including energy production.
- Anaemia – a common cause of tiredness, anaemia can be caused by a wide range of conditions.
Diagnosing fatigue
In order to determine the root cause of your tiredness, your GP will likely ask you a number of questions. So, it’s helpful to consider parts of your life that are particularly tiring, such as work and family, as well as any life events you’ve recently experienced, such as a breakup, that could be responsible. Your GP may also ask you questions about your lifestyle, as there could be ways to adjust this to benefit your mental and physical health.
If, on the other hand, your GP suspects that an underlying medical condition or nutritional deficiencies could be the cause for your tiredness, they may do a blood test.
No one should have to endure this symptom in silence. Transparent communication with your GP can help you get closer to a diagnosis, and therefore, treatment – which depends on the cause.
Self-help methods for tiredness
If your doctor has excluded an underlying health condition as being responsible for your tiredness, or if you’re waiting for a diagnosis, you may find these self-help methods useful:
- Exercise– Although you may not want to exercise when you’re feeling tired, moving your body regularly can combat tiredness in the long run. Rather than pushing yourself to your limits, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise each day, building this up over the following weeks and months. Even a 15 minute walk can give you a much needed energy boost!
- Diet – Eating a balanced plate of food – for example, one that includes plenty of good quality fat and protein – can help balance blood sugar levels, which will boost your energy. Plus, being overweight puts additional strain on your body, which can lead to exhaustion, so a combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet may help to alleviate tiredness. For more information on what’s in a healthy diet, refer to our guide.
- Sleep – Not getting the recommended hours of sleep each night can cause you to feel tired. Thankfully, there are many ways to ensure you get a better night’s sleep, whether that’s by implementing a bedtime routine, or limiting your alcohol and caffeine intake. Find out more by checking out our six steps to better sleep.
- Communicate your feelings – Think about the stresses that might contribute to your tiredness, and rather than hiding away from your feelings, seek help from people you trust. If you’re limited in the people you can talk to, or you’d rather receive professional help, talking therapies – such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – are available to help establish the root cause of your tiredness.
Takeaway
Tiredness is extremely common, and something that the majority of the population will have experienced at some point. Rather than learning to deal with it, take the necessary steps to improving the symptom – whether that involves speaking to your GP and receiving treatment, or taking small, gradual steps to adjust your lifestyle. Ultimately, tiredness is mostly sortable and curable.
Did you know you can track your sleep quality in the Evergreen Life app? You can also receive more personalised tips on how to improve other aspects of your wellbeing such as diet, happiness and fitness. Download the app (if you haven’t already) and take your available questionnaires to start your wellness journey and look out for your notification to complete more questionnaires including the Sleep Quality Check.
Reviewed by:
Anna Keeble – Head of Content
- Mayo Clinic (2020) Fatigue: When to see a doctor. Mayo Clinic.
- Medical University of South Carolina (2022) When is being “too tired” a problem. Medical University of South Carolina.
- NHS UK (2022) Cancer – Signs and symptoms. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2020) Counselling. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2020) Inflammatory Bowel Disease. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2022) Overview – Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2019) Overview – Clinical depression. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2022) Overview – Generalised anxiety disorder in adults. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2022) Self-help tips to fight tiredness. NHS UK.
- NHS UK (2022) Stress. NHS UK.
- Zielinski MR, Systrom DM and Rose NR (2019). Fatigue, Sleep, and Autoimmune and Related Disorders. Front Immunol. 10:1827 (doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01827).
