By Jesse Cannone

Are you constantly asking yourself … “Why am I always tired?”

You get plenty of sleep, yet your energy levels are drained and you’re always fighting off feelings of fatigue …

If this describes you, you’re in good, albeit bleary-eyed, company, as millions of Americans report feeling tired every day.

What’s really going on?

First, Rule Out the Obvious 3 …

1. Food

What’s your diet like? Are you trying to get by on energy-zapping foods like sugar and refined carbs? Drinking too much alcohol or coffee (which will only give you a short-term boost, followed by a crash)? Or are you not eating much at all? Try adding more whole foods like nuts, vegetables, eggs and lean proteins to your diet, and eat a little something with protein, carbs and healthy fats (like peanut butter on whole-grain crackers or a half of a turkey sandwich) every few hours, and see if your energy improves.

Also, be sure you’re drinking enough water, as even mild dehydration can zap your energy.

2. Stress

Stress from financial worries, relationship problems, health concerns or work demands can easily make you feel exhausted. The longer the stress continues, the greater toll it’s likely to take on you physically, so it’s important to take time to de-stress and unwind.

3. Lack of Exercise

Though exercising regularly requires physical effort, it will give you more energy both in the long run and shortly after your workout. A quick jog or even a brief 4-minute workout will leave you feeling energized, and in the days and weeks to come, research shows that overall regular exercisers are less fatigued than those who are sedentary.

One caveat: be sure you don’t exercise too close to bedtime, as your body needs time to unwind for sleep (wrap up your workout at least three hours before you plan to go to sleep). Also, avoid excessive over-exercising, which can lead to fatigue.

Next, 9 Health Issues You Should Know About …

If you’ve ruled out the three factors above, and you’re still feeling like you’re always tired, there are some medical reasons that could be to blame. Talk with a health care practitioner to find out if your fatigue could be the result of one of these conditions:

9. Thyroid Problems: Both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can result in fatigue. In the case of hypothyroidism, you’re likely to feel exhausted even if you’ve had a full night’s sleep (or even more sleep than normal). With hyperthyroidism, the fatigue may be due to insomnia (another symptom of the condition) or bodily stress caused by the disease (which can lead to rapid pulse, tremors, high blood pressure and more).

8. Sleep Apnea: This common condition causes you to wake up multiple times during the night because your airways become blocked. You probably won’t remember these frequent awakenings in the morning, but they are still a major contributor to daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Many people with sleep apnea are unaware they have the condition (which is often also accompanied by heavy snoring), but if you suspect you might it’s worth getting checked out.

Studies show that a simple treatment of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy during sleep (basically wearing a mask that sends a stream of air down your throat to keep your airways open) can help sleep apnea patients gain energy and feel less fatigued.[i]

7. Diabetes: Fatigue, particularly a feeling of being weak and tired, is a common early warning sign of diabetes, which occurs due to high blood sugar levels.

6. Anemia: A simple blood test can help you find out if you have anemia, which means you don’t have enough red blood cells, usually as the result of a lack of iron. Because red blood cells provide oxygen to your tissues, if you have anemia it can leave you feeling exhausted. Anemia is especially common among women.

5. Nutrient Deficiencies: A lack of virtually any important nutrient can leave you feeling fatigued, although iron, B vitamins (particularly vitamin B12) and potassium are some of the most common. A blood test can let you know if you’re deficient in any nutrients, which can be remedied by dietary changes and supplementation.

4. Medications: Certain medications are notorious for making you feel drowsy, and this includes some you might not expect. For instance, antihistamines, pain medications, heart and blood pressure medications and antidepressants can all make you feel sleepy. Even statin drugs widely used to lower cholesterol are linked to fatigue.[ii]

3. Obesity: Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue are associated with obesity, for various reasons including interruptions to sleep and biochemical and hormonal changes.

2. Heart Failure: Fatigue, lethargy and daytime sleepiness are associated with heart disease and heart failure. A medical check-up can help you distinguish between heart-related fatigue and fatigue from other causes.

1. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): If you have severe tiredness that doesn’t go away, isn’t relieved by resting, and is not due to another medical condition, it could be chronic fatigue syndrome. CFS can leave you feeling so drained that you have difficulty completing your normal daily activities.

Is Difficulty Sleeping Making You Tired?

Perhaps the number one answer for the question “Why am I always tired?” is due to problems falling asleep and staying asleep. Give your bedroom a quick check to see if light pollution, noise, computers or other distractions could be keeping you from a sound night’s sleep. Also be sure you’re practicing good sleep “hygiene,” such as going to bed and waking at around the same time each day and turning off your work several hours before bed so you have time to unwind.