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A Brief Guide to the Reasons You’re Always Tired
A comprehensive look at the causes of fatigue
Feeling tired all the time is incredibly common. Dr. Sharon Bergquist, an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, says that about a quarter to a third of primary care visits are due to fatigue. Feeling tired isn’t an automatic reason for concern — some level of fatigue is normal. “I think people expect themselves to do too much, so they’re just fatigued because they’re mentally or physically exhausted,” she says.
For some people, a few good nights of sleep will do the trick, but for others, fatigue can become an ongoing problem that interferes with everyday life. If tiredness doesn’t resolve even after adjusting activity levels or sleep routine, Bergquist says it’s important to talk to a doctor, who can help determine whether seemingly constant tiredness is due to lifestyle factors or a more serious medical condition.
Here are a few of the most common causes for chronic tiredness.
Poor diet
The body converts food into energy, which is why a healthy, balanced diet is essential for well-being. If you don’t get the right nutrients, the body won’t have the energy needed to function.
