Why Are You So Tired All the Time?

Being tired is normal. You have a long day? You’re tired. A good workout? You’re tired. A 12 hour plane ride sitting in front of a screaming, kicking kid? You’re tired and probably pretty irritated. Being tired is part of being human. But being tired all the time could be an indicator that something is off with your body.

The problem is, your energy level, sleep schedule, quality of sleep and general fatigue are closely tied to various aspects of your daily life. Narrowing down the exact reason you’re constantly on the brink of an impromptu nap can be exhausting in and of itself.

If you’re feeling extremely fatigued all of the time, you need to check in with your doctor. That type of unrelenting exhaustion can be a symptom of health problems, like anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea and a host of other conditions. But something as simple as skipping breakfast or spending too much time scrolling through Instagram before bed can be throwing off your energy levels as well. Take a look at the list below and see if there’s room for improvement in any of these areas. You could get a better night’s sleep, wake up feeling more refreshed and have a higher, more consistent energy level throughout your day.

You Skipped Your Workout

If you’re feeling exhausted, the temptation is strong to say “screw it” and skip your workout. But slacking off and skipping your gym session might be making your low energy level worse. Sleep and exercise are tightly linked and neglecting one could have an impact on the other.

“Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration,” according to the National Sleep Foundation. “Exercise may also bolster sleep in other ways, because it reduces stress and tires you out.” Exercise improves energy. Exercise improves sleep. Sleep improves energy. Energy improves exercise. It pays off big time to balance this trio.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests logging 150 minutes of exercise each week to help you get the best shuteye. Be careful about what time of day you’re heading to the gym, however. For most people, a late night sweat session will amp them up too much to get a good night’s rest. Stick to working out earlier in the day if possible. (By the way, it’s possible to interfere with sleep by over-exercising, too.)

You’re Dehydrated

Insufficient water consumption will diminish your energy levels as well. We all know we’re supposed to drink enough water to maintain hydration, but that it could be the reason you’re not full of energy might be surprising.

According to Amy Goodson for Health magazine, even slight dehydration can have a negative impact on energy level. Loss of as little as 2 percent of normal fluid levels can take a toll. Goodson explains that dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume, which makes the blood thicker and harder on your heart to pump through your body. This means oxygen and nutrients take longer to reach your muscles and organs, making you feel fatigued.

The whole “eight servings of 8 ounces of water every day” thing is a little outdated, but is still a decent suggestion for how much water you should drink daily. For your specific requirements, Goodson suggests you take your weight in pounds, divide it by half and use that result as your guide for the number of ounces to drink each day. With that formula, all of us weighing over 130 pounds will have to drink more than eight 8-ounce glasses per day.

You Blow Off Breakfast

Some people live for breakfast. For them, there’s nothing better than rolling out of bed and starting their day with a healthy, satisfying meal. For others, breakfast is at best a tedious chore and at worst nearly nauseating. The problem is, however, that skipping your morning meal for whatever reason is going to have a negative impact on the rest of your day.

According to the New York Times, blowing off a solid breakfast (no, a cup of coffee doesn’t count as breakfast) can have detectable effects on mood, memory and energy level. The Times article cites a study in which participants who ate nothing for breakfast did the worst on memory tests and by noon they had the highest levels of fatigue.

If you’re ditching your morning meal to lose a little weight, you might be doing yourself a double disservice. Research collected by the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service found that in short-term, laboratory-based research studies, there was no significant impact on weight loss resulting from skipping breakfast.

It’s in your best interest to scarf something down first thing in the morning. Plan ahead so you’re not scrambling (egg pun not intended) for breakfast.

Your Diet Is Pretty Much Junk

We know junk food is unhealthy. Logically, we know that. But that doesn’t always stop us from repeatedly indulging in a Little Debbie or that meat lover’s pizza. Too much of the bad stuff can lead to obesity and related health conditions, but it could also be making you tired and lazy.

According to UCLA scientist Aaron Blaisdell, research suggests that fatigue may be the result of a junk food diet. As part of his study of obesity in rats, they were given a task in which they were required to press a lever to receive a food or water reward. (If only life were so easy.) Rats on a diet of junk food showed impaired performance and took much longer breaks than their lean rat counterparts before returning to the task. In a 30 minute session, fat rats took breaks that were nearly twice as long as lean, healthy rats.

Other consumables that can interfere with a good energy level include alcohol and medications (both prescription and over the counter).

You Spend Too Much Time On A Screen Before Bed

Your phone, like most of your electronic devices, emits something called blue light. And that simple blueish backlight can have a real impact on the quality of your sleep. According to the Harvard Medical School, this light at night throws your body’s biological clock – the circadian rhythm – totally out of whack. When that happens, your sleep quality and quantity suffers.

Your best bet to combat this potential source of fatigue is to shut down your phone, computer and TV before you start getting ready for bed. This limits your light exposure and lets your circadian rhythm do its thing. If you just can’t help but check SnapChat one last time before you turn in, download a blue light filter for your phone. This changes the backlight to an orange hue, which could help mitigate any effects that harsh blue light has on your sleep pattern.