What are tiredness and fatigue?

“I wake up tired”, “I could sleep for a week”, “I don’t have the energy to go for a walk”.

All sound familiar? If so you may be suffering from fatigue and tiredness. Most people suffer from tiredness at some stage of their lives and it’s important to remember that it’s not a disease. What’s not normal is when you still feel tired, even after a good rest. Read below for hints and tips on what you can do for fatigue.

What do tiredness and fatigue feel like?

• Fatigue is described as having a lack of energy and motivation
• Feeling like you need to sleep all the time
• Finding it hard to concentrate
• Tiring easily during exercise

Some people may describe it as feeling:

• Listless
• Worn out
• Weary
• Feeling run down

Why am I feeling tired and fatigued?

There are many causes of tiredness and fatigue like:

• Sleep problems such as sleep apnoea, insomnia
• Depression
• Anxiety or emotional stress
• Drinking too much caffeine
• Drinking too much alcohol
• An underlining medical condition such as diabetes
• An underactive thyroid or anemia
• A baby keeping you up all night or interrupting your sleep
• Stress from work or home life

Tiredness may also be caused by pregnancy particularly in the first 12 weeks and the final weeks. It can also be caused by being overweight as it makes everyday tasks harder to complete.

Other causes of tiredness and fatigue could be lifestyle related, busyness at work and not taking regular breaks. This can cause “burn out”. Staying out late at night socialising and not getting enough sleep is also a factor.

What can I do to help with tiredness and fatigue?

There is no single treatment for fatigue, as management of it depends on the cause of what your tiredness and fatigue is. Your G.P can prescribe medication, if the cause of your tiredness and fatigue is medical, such as underactive thyroid, low iron levels or diabetes.

If a medical condition is not the cause, try the following to help resolve it.

• Try and ensure that you are getting enough sleep at night, - this may mean getting to bed earlier
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime
• Take time to relax and unwind, - try meditation or mindfulness to help relax the mind and body
• Exercising regularly
• Try and get some fresh air every day
• Try and cut out daytime naps as these can prevent you from getting a good night sleep

If you’re suffering from tiredness and fatigue you can always pop into your local CarePlus Pharmacy to discuss your symptoms with our friendly pharmacists. You’ll find a range of vitamin products that may help with your feelings of tiredness.