Feeling Tired and Lack of Energy all the Time

Many a time we feel tired and sluggish around afternoon and usually need cups of tea or coffee to keep ourselves awake in office. Feeling exhausted and tired once in a while is all right, but if it becomes a part of our daily life, it becomes frustrating and depressing, and is certainly a cause of concern. If you are one of those people who feel tired all the time and have difficulty doing your daily activities because of fatigue, you should identify the causes and take some remedial action. Below are some of the possible reasons which cause fatigue in a person, followed by some effective remedies to get rid of the same.


Inadequate Sleep: If a person has not slept well the previous night, he may feel tired throughout the next day. Most adults need 6-8 hours sleep to remain fresh and energetic throughout the day.

Sleep Disorder: A person suffering from sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, in which he experiences breathing interruptions during sleep, disrupts the sleeping cycle, making the person feel fatigued all the time. To cope with sleep apnea, try to maintain a healthy weight and quit smoking.

Anemia: A person who is anemic, often feels tired. Anemia is caused due to hemoglobin deficiency in the body. Hemoglobin performs a very important function of carrying oxygen to the various parts of the body from the lungs. Due to its deficiency, the body does not get adequate oxygen, making the person feel exhausted all the time.

Poor Diet: A diet which lacks essential nutrients, makes a person feel as if he has no energy. People who opt for crash diets, low fat diets or low carbohydrate diets tend to feel sluggish and tired all the time. Also, one should watch how much they eat. Eating too little is also one of the reasons of tiredness.

Excess Sugar and Caffeine: One of the reasons for feeling tired after eating is excess intake of food rich in sugar, such as bakery items. When a person consumes such food products, his blood sugar levels rise. To balance this, the pancreas produce more insulin. When this insulin is released into the blood stream, tryptophan, a protein-building substance, moves into the brain, and gets converted into serotonin. It is due to the presence of excess serotonin in brain that a person feels tired after eating. Excess consumption of tea or coffee is another reason why people feel tired.

Hormonal Imbalance: In women, fatigue could be caused due to hormonal imbalance, especially when they approach menopause or are menstruating.

Stress and Anxiety: A person who is under mental stress may feel irritable, dizzy and tired all the time.


In order to get over fatigue, a person has to make certain dietary and lifestyle changes. Given below are some tips to overcome tiredness and fatigue.

• Consuming a diet rich in vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, minerals and essential fats is very important to get over the feeling of "no energy" and "always feeling tired". So, include lots of green vegetables, whole grains, fruits, dairy products, in your diet for sustained energy throughout the day. Refraining from high caffeine food and those that have excess sugar in them, is equally important.
• For anemia-induced fatigue, including iron rich food in the diet such as chicken liver, beef liver, oysters, mussels, pumpkin seeds, beans and lentils, along with iron supplements recommended by a doctor helps.
• Dehydration can also be a cause of fatigue and tiredness. So make sure to drink sufficient water to keep your body hydrated.
• Exercising every day helps in reducing stress, and thus, minimizes stress-induced tiredness. It helps improve and maintain stable energy levels throughout the day. A person who exercises regularly, can sleep better than people who don't. In addition, exercising helps in boosting your mood and energy levels, as it releases endorphins, a feel-good hormone, in the body.
• Don't skip meals, as going without food for too long can make your blood sugar levels go down. But don't overeat as it can drain your energy levels. Instead of having three large meals, have 5-6 small meals a day.
• Practice various relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, yoga and meditation to feel relaxed and recharged.
• Last but not the least, try to get 6-8 hours sleep every night to feel refreshed, alert and energized the next day.

These are a few steps which a person can take to get over fatigue and tiredness. However, if the fatigue becomes chronic and continues even after these lifestyle changes have been made, then it may be due to some underlying health conditions, such as sleep apnea, hormonal imbalance or diabetes. In such a case, proper diagnosis and treatment by a doctor is recommended.