WELLBEING

The real reasons you’re so tired all the time

15 July, 2024 . 0

A lack of sleep could be causing your fatigue, but there might be other factors at play, too. Experts reveal the real reasons you might be tired.

It’s one of the most common reasons why Australians book an appointment with their GP.

In a busy world where few of us have time to hit the pause button, fatigue has become a familiar complaint.

“Fatigue or tiredness is one of the most common presentations to general practitioners,” confirms Canberra GP and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners spokeswoman Dr Marisa Magiros.

“More often than not, tiredness is due to a combination of factors.

“It could be lack of sleep, illness, stress at home or at work, grief, diet, not exercising enough or exercising too much. We lead busy lives and it’s not surprising that we feel tired, but if it persists, it’s always worth checking with your GP.”

Not enough shut-eye

Sleep Health Foundation chief executive Dr Moira Junge agrees a range of factors can lead to people feeling tired. And sleep obviously plays a major role.

“Sleep duration matters but so does sleep consistency, quality and regularity,” says Dr Junge, a Monash University adjunct clinical associate professor.

“Most adults need a minimum of six hours. And it’s important to know your body clock — if you’re a night owl and sleep better from 1am, don’t go to bed at 9pm, because you won’t sleep well.”

Dr Junge says people with conditions such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnoea can wake feeling physically and/or emotionally exhausted.

“If you wake feeling tired, you may have a condition you’re unaware of, such as obstructive sleep apnoea or niggling pain,” she notes.

“Being overweight can also cause tiredness because excess weight is like carrying around a heavy backpack.”

Physical exhaustion

A demanding job that puts strain on your body, overexercising that leads to sore muscles and joints, or not doing enough physical activity can all lead to physical tiredness.

Medical conditions such as flu, glandular fever, chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid disorders and heart disease can also lead to your body feeling depleted.

More recently, physical tiredness has been a symptom of long Covid, too.

Queensland exercise physiologist and Exercise Healthcare Australia founder Mitchell Vautin says the right amount of exercise can help alleviate physical sluggishness and burnout.

“If you exercise regularly and aren’t making any progress or you’re going backwards, that’s a sign your body is tired,” Mitchell says.

“You might not be able to lift the same weights or run or cycle as far as usual and you get lethargic or sore more quickly.

“The ‘no pain, no gain’ saying isn’t true. If you exercise at full pace when your body is tired then you run the risk of injury. But do something.

“Reduce the amount of exercise by 20 to 50 per cent and reduce the intensity for a week so your body can recover.”

Emotional fatigue

Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr Rebekah Doley, or Dr Bek, says emotional tiredness is an all too common modern-day complaint.

She describes it as feeling mentally drained, overloaded with responsibilities and seeing the world through opaque glasses.

“People might be present but they’re not connected. They go through the motions and do everything they need to do each day but they feel hollow inside,” she explains.

Stress can be a major factor in triggering emotional tiredness, sometimes caused by taking on too much and trying to be all things to all people.

“If you’re someone who always puts up your hand to do extra when you’re already doing a lot, you start to drown. People who are persistent and conscientious but have poor personal boundaries are often emotionally exhausted because of responsibility overload,” Dr Bek says.

“Give yourself permission to have boundaries and to say ‘no’ without feeling guilt or shame.

“Treat yourself like a high-performance car. You get a car serviced regularly, you get the tyres checked and you fill it with fuel. If you don’t treat yourself in the same way, like a car, you will keep on driving for a while but at some point, you will come to a stop.”

Environmental tiredness

Being less productive, procrastinating and taking longer to make a decision or get a job done, withdrawing from the people around you, taking your frustration out on family, friends and colleagues.

These can all be signs of environmental tiredness.

It’s where routine and the “same old, same old” drain your motivation, curiosity and enthusiasm for life — each day is Groundhog Day and you long to break the monotony.

Dr Bek describes this as “languishing”.

“You have energy but you feel you’re stagnating and have this quiet despair. You’re apathetic and a bit restless and directionless,” she says.

Tiredness with your daily environment and situation can negatively affect your sense of meaning and commitment to your goals.

Dr Bek says the antidote is to find something in life that gives you purpose.

“Lift your head above the parapet and take a bird’s-eye view. Science-based research says we need several things to flourish, including feeling connected and that we are making a meaningful contribution,” she says.

“Look outwards and find ways to be kind and to help others.”

She says showing gratitude is also helpful.

“Pause, reflect on your day and write down three good things that happened every day. Live your life by design by setting a small goal, learning a new skill and finding ways to grow.”

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Written by Sarah Marinos.