Do you often feel tired during the day even after a good night’s sleep? Here are six surprising causes of fatigue and what you can do about them:
- Dehydration. Even mild dehydration can slow your mental gears and make you tired. To stay hydrated during the day, drink plenty of water, snack on raw fruit and vegetables or yogurt.
- Thyroid trouble. Over- and under-active thyroids can cause fatigue. A blood test for your level of a thyroid-stimulating hormone can help evaluate your thyroid function. If you’re feeling fatigued, talk to your doctor about the possibility of a thyroid issue.
- Anemia. This is a very common cause of fatigue and very easy to check with a simple blood test. It’s particularly a problem for women, especially those who are having heavy menstrual periods. To enhance your iron levels, eat an iron-rich diet, heavy in meats and dark, leafy greens.
- Allergy medications. If you suffer from allergies, you probably take your all-day allergy pill as soon as you get up to clear your head. But, even ‘non-drowsy’ or non-sedating versions can make you sleepy. To combat this, take your 24-hour-allergy pill at bedtime. You’ll sleep off the immediate drowsy side effects, and the medication will continue to keep you sniffle-free throughout the next day.
- Too much caffeine. You drink coffee to rev up your energy, not drag you down. But, too much coffee can have the opposite effect. If you’re consuming more than 4 cups of coffee each day, you can run into trouble. Some over-caffeinated symptoms include insomnia, irritability, headaches, anxiety, and fatigue. Switch to tea, which contains less caffeine yet can still give you a boost in the morning or afternoon.
- Not enough exercise. If you think that exercise would just make you more tired, there’s good news: Exercise increases energy levels. Get at least 30 – 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week.
If you never feel rested, and nothing seems to fix that, talk to your doctor or a sleep specialist.
