Possible Reasons Why You're Always Tired (Aside From Not Getting EnoughSleep)

I said, 'aside from not getting enough sleep' because that is what most people assume is making them tired all the time. While this is *definitely* a possible reason, there are several others I'd like to explore.


-Anemia. Basically, anemia is a condition where an iron deficiency causes the body to not make enough red blood cells. When this happens, the rest of your body doesn't get the oxygen it needs and slows down. This is particularly common in pregnant women (for obvious reasons), but others can get it too. I can go over this in greater detail in another post.

-Sleep Apnea. A friend of mine complained that she couldn't sleep well because of her husband's snoring. I can *definitely* relate, as can my husband! There are several reasons for a person to snore, but my friend's husband did a sleep study and was found to have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is where a person literally stops breathing for a few seconds several times during sleep, often due to the collapse of soft tissue in the back of the throat blocking the airway. Since your body doesn't get the oxygen it needs, it slows down and you feel tired. Luckily, doctors have come up with several treatments, the most common one involving a mask you wear while you sleep that forces air into your body. My father and friend's husband both use these, and they have made a world of difference.

-Thyroid issues. When the thyroid doesn't produce the right amount of hormones, other systems don't function properly and you get tired. For many, taking hormone stimulants solves the problem.

-Lack of water/exercise/proper diet. Exercise can help your body get the oxygen it needs more efficiently, giving you more energy.

-Depression. Sometimes emotional downturns can present themselves in physical ways. You don't want to do the things you used to enjoy-or anything, really-because they become more of a chore than anything else. They take more effort than we are willing to put out, so we feel tired. The fact that people who are depressed also experience sleep disturbances (often sleeping too much) just adds to the tired feeling. Luckily, there are several treatments for this, medicinal and otherwise. When you go to the doctor, ask about thyroid issues too; sometimes they mimic depression.

-Undiagnosed heart disease. Tiredness is a major sign of heart disease in women. If you find yourself unable to do the things you normally do without getting worn out, see the doctor.

-Untreated diabetes. See above.


If you feel tired all the time and 'the usual'  remedies don't work, see your doctor. There are several disorders that cause chronic fatigue that only your doctor can diagnose and treat.
Take care.