Reasons You May Be Tired All the Time
By Paul Rothbart
There are days when it happens. You have to drag yourself out of bed. Even after coffee, you feel lethargic. It's hard to get started and focused on anything. Tiredness happens sometimes. Getting to bed late, tossing and turning, or having to get up earlier can all contribute to fatigue. It's a normal part of life. But if you are constantly tired and never seem to have the energy you need to get through the day, it can be a sign of a more serious problem. If fatigue is your daily companion, here are some possible reasons for it.
Depression
Being tired is a symptom of depression, which is a very common affliction. It is nothing to take lightly. Being depressed is more than just feeling sad, it is caused by an imbalance of the chemicals in the brain that affect mood. Depression doesn't always present other symptoms that are obvious. The deep clinical depression that leads to suicidal thoughts is just one of several types. There are subtle forms of depression such as dysthymia that have symptoms that are quite easy to overlook. If you are tired every day no matter how much you sleep, look for other signs like lack of interest in things that give you joy and avoiding being with others. Seek help. Depression is debilitating but can be managed.
If you or someone you know feels like hurting themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255.
Sleep Apnea
If you are getting to bed and waking at the same time each day, sleeping 7-9 hours a night but still feeling tired, clearly your sleep is not of good quality. If you are not aware of frequently waking up during the night, you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is when your airway is blocked temporarily due to the collapse of the soft palate. Sensing a lack of oxygen, your brain wakes you up. Your breathing returns to normal and you fall asleep again. As a result, you never get into REM sleep, which is where restoration happens. You feel tired all day. Sleep apnea can be tested for and corrected by a CPAP device.
Too Little Sleep
Being tired all the time could also be as simple as not getting enough sleep. Many ambitious people feel that they need less sleep than the average person. They get 5-6 hours and jump into a busy day. Before long, sleep of that length is going to catch up with you. Medical experts have found that seven is the minimum number of hours you need to stay healthy, with some people needing 8-9. If you feel tired and are getting less than the recommended amount of sleep, get to bed earlier or wake up later.
Feeling tired makes it difficult to get anything done. It also just doesn't feel good. If you are constantly fatigued, determine the cause and get medical help. Any of the problems that cause tiredness will affect your overall health.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in The Woodlands, Tex.