Why Are You Tired All The Time? 10 Most Common Causes Of Fatigue | Healthy Living slideshows | Well Being center

Are You Really Getting Enough Sleep?

Not all adults need the same amount of sleep — the old "eight hours a night" is more of an average than a truth to live by. You know that you get enough shut-eye if you wake up spontaneously feeling refreshed, and can remain alert and active throughout the day. Most people will achieve this if they sleep for seven to nine hours a night, while others can get by with less. If you are constantly feeling fatigued, the first thing you should examine is if you really do get enough sleep. If you have real trouble getting out of bed during your days off, you may well be lacking the sleep you need to function optimally. Try going to bed earlier.

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www.sleepfoundation.org/article/white-papers/how-much-sleep-do-adults-need

Work Night Shifts? You Could Have Shift Work Sleep Disorder

There is no shortage of research that shows working night shifts has a negative health impact in the long term. If you work night shifts, either all the time or intermittently with a rotating schedule, your constant fatigue could be pointing to Shift Work Sleep Disorder. People with Shift Work Sleep Disorder suffer from insomnia and extreme sleepiness during waking hours because they are awake during times they should naturally be asleep. Night shift workers obviously attempt to catch up on sleep during the day, but they still get much less sleep than people who sleep during naturally designated times.

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shift_work_sleep_disorder

Caffeine Overload Can Actually Cause Insomnia

Coffee is quite addictive, but you are probably drinking it at least in part because you think it will help you stay awake and alert. Think again — 200 to 300 mg aren't anything to worry about, but if you are ingesting more than 500 mg (that is, four or more cups) a day, you are overdoing it. This much coffee doesn't make you more alert. It can give you insomnia and make you irritable. If you are a coffee addict experiencing these symptoms, it is time to cut down on the caffeine and see if that makes you feel any better.

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Photo courtesy of Ruben Schade by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/rubenerd/3675153074/
www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/NU00600

The Atkins Diet Makes You Tired

A recent study from the Penn State College of Medicine showed that high-fat diets can result in daytime sleepiness, while carbohydrate-rich foods made people more alert. Are you trying to lose weight by following the Atkins diet, and have you noticed that you feel much more fatigued than you did before? It's not the reduced number of calories that is making you tired — it's the lack of carbohydrates. Feeling tired isn't just irritating to you. It affects your performance at work and at home, and could pose a safety hazard if you drive. A well-balanced restricted calorie diet combined with regular exercise is going to be a better option for you.

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www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2321348/Why-Atkins-Diet-make-sleepy-packet-crisps-wake-up.html

Could You Have Anemia?

An iron deficiency is responsible for around half of all anemia cases worldwide, and many people are anemic without knowing it. Do you constantly feel tired, even when you are sure you generally get enough sleep? Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia. Others are dizziness, feeling weak and irritable, concentration problems, shortness of breath, and pale skin. Get a blood test done to find out if you are anemic as soon as you can if these symptoms sound familiar to you. Iron supplements and a diet that includes plenty of iron-rich foods will soon help you feel better.

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www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/iron-deficiency-anemia-symptoms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_deficiency_anemia

Depression And Fatigue Are Interconnected

Studies show that people who suffer from depression have a much higher risk of developing chronic fatigue than the general population — more than four times higher, actually! We already knew that depression makes people tired. Could the opposite be true as well? Yes, research from 2004 says, chronically fatigued people are almost three times more likely to end up depressed. Depression and fatigue may be more similar than the "chicken or egg" question than you thought. If you are suffering from either one or both, your family doctor is a good place to start looking for the help you need to start feeling good again.

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www.webmd.com/depression/news/20040618/depression-fatigue-fuel-each-other

Fatigue As A Common Diabetes Symptom

Fatigue — sometimes to the point of exhaustion — is one of the most common diabetes symptoms out there. Diabetes fatigue is due to blood glucose fluctuations, and is hard enough to cope with for people who know they have diabetes. People who see their doctor about persistent unexplained fatigue will probably trust him or her to figure out what is wrong, but it is a good idea to ask about diabetes as a possible cause of chronic fatigue. You will find out if your constant tiredness could be due to diabetes or not once you have your blood glucose levels checked.

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www.diabetes.co.uk/tiredness-and-diabetes.html

Thyroid Problems Can Lead To Fatigue

Fatigue is a very common symptom of hypothyroidism — a condition in which your thyroid is underactive, also known as "low thyroid". This nasty symptoms is often fully resolved with the right treatment, but it may take some experimentation to get the treatment right. An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can also cause some people to become chronically tired, and even autoimmune thyroid disease is a possibility. People who are constantly tired always benefit from a trip to their family doctor, and your thyroid is one of the possible causes of sleepiness that should be checked. Don't continue to suffer, thinking the problem will go away.

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Dehydration Can Make You Tired

Fatigue has all kinds of potential causes. Some, like iron-deficiency anemia, thyroid problems, or diabetes definitely require medical attention. Before you start wondering if you are tired all the time because you have a medical condition, take a minute to think if your lifestyle could be to blame. It could be that you drink too much coffee or that you don't get enough sleep. It could also be that you don't drink enough water. Indeed, dehydration can make you feel pretty tired. You're especially at risk if you are working out or hiking in hot weather, but dehydration can strike anywhere if you neglect to drink enough. One easy way to prevent dehydration is to always have a water bottle on the go.

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Could You Have A UTI?

You probably think you know all about urinary tract infections and their symptoms. That horrible burning sensation is the obvious tell-tale sign, but not everyone experiences it. In some cases, a UTI can make a person really confused too. Fatigue is another possible symptom of a urinary tract infection. Of all the causes of tiredness, a urinary tract infection may well be the weirdest — and the absolute last thing on your mind when you have trouble staying awake. Yet, if you are suffering from sudden immense fatigue (as opposed to a long-term problem) a UTI could well be the reason.