Many people often feel tired and weary. Often just too little sleep is behind the complaints. But if you are always tired, a disease may also be the cause of fatigue. For example, fatigue can be caused by an iron or vitamin deficiency. But more serious illnesses such as cancer or depression can also be possible triggers. We have compiled for you the most common causes that can lead to a constant feeling of fatigue.
What is fatigue?
Acute fatigue represents a protective mechanism to protect us from overexertion. Namely, during sleep our body regenerates and can gather new strength. If too little sleep is the cause of fatigue, a quantitative or a qualitative sleep deficiency may be behind the fatigue: either one sleeps too little or the quality of sleep is low and the sleep is therefore no longer sufficiently restorative.
If the body is permanently deprived of sleep, this leads to chronic fatigue. This can manifest itself in concentration problems, increasing sensitivity to pain and burning eyes, among other things. However, chronic fatigue can also be a sign of a disease.
Diseases as a cause of fatigue
Fatigue can occur as an accompanying symptom of various diseases. Therefore, it must always be considered in conjunction with other symptoms. For example, disease-related causes of fatigue may include the following:
- Iron deficiency (anemia)
- Sleep apnea
- Infectious diseases
- Metabolic diseases
- Cancer
- Psychological causes
- Vitamin deficiency
In addition, however, many other causes can cause you to always be tired. An important indication of whether it is a natural, healthy fatigue or a fatigue caused by a disease, represents your own condition: Do you perceive your fatigue as normal or is your fatigue uncomfortable?
Always tired – this helps!
If you are always tired, you should think about what your tiredness could be due to. Then you should check if you can fight your tiredness with a few simple tricks:
- Try to find out if lack of sleep or stress can be the causes of your fatigue. Test whether your fatigue disappears after a short nap, for example.
- Make sure you drink enough fluids (at least 1.5 liters per day). Eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins.
- Try out whether your fatigue can be dispelled with a cold shower in the morning.
- Be physically active! Exercise gets the circulation going and can drive away fatigue.
If your symptoms still do not improve, you should contact a doctor to clarify the cause of fatigue. Especially if other symptoms appear, behind the fatigue may also be a disease.
Fatigue: psychological causes
Fatigue can have not only physical, but also psychological causes. This is especially the case when fatigue is accompanied by lassitude and a depressed mood. The cause of the fatigue may then be depression.
People suffering from depression often find it difficult to fall asleep in the evening. In addition, they usually do not sleep through the whole night, but wake up more frequently. Furthermore, it is typical that despite sufficient sleep, one does not feel fresh and refreshed, but continues to feel tired and exhausted. If you are always tired, feel listless and “empty”, you should think about seeking psychological help.
