Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning can be such a challenge, but imagine how hard it can be to go about your daily business if you’re tired ALL THE TIME! Many people suffer from persistent tiredness or chronic fatigue, a problem that persists even though they sleep a solid 8 hours a night. But what is causing this persistent tiredness? First, let’s find out how your perpetual tiredness affects your life…

How Persistent Tiredness Affects Your Life

Fatigue is more than just being sleepy all the time, but it’s a much more severe problem. It is described as[1]:

• Reduced or no energy. Think about being unable to do exercise or even work hard just because you’re so tired all the time.
• Physical or mental exhaustion. Just taking out the trash or trying to focus on your work is exhausting.
• Lack of motivation. It’s just too hard to get up and work, and you have no desire to do anything more than sleep.

You may fall asleep at your desk or even at the steering wheel, or it may be impossible to work and focus on the task at hand. But what’s causing the fatigue?

Physical Causes of Chronic Fatigue

Here are some of the things that may be causing your extreme tiredness: Weight — Those who are severely underweight have poor muscular conditioning, and thus will tire very easily even with minimal effort. The body of a severely obese person has to work extra hard just to continue functioning, which can use up all of your energy. Disease — Diabetes causes spikes and drops in your blood sugar levels, which causes fatigue. Anemia is a lack of iron, and it can lead to serious weakness. Heart disease, thyroid conditions, celiac disease, and cancer can all cause fatigue. Activity — Think of how tired you are after a 3-hour basketball session, a 90-minute workout, or a long day of work. If you work very hard, you’ll burn through your energy stores far too quickly, leaving your body drained and tired.

Lifestyle Causes of Chronic Fatigue

Inactivity — The longer you are inactive, the less energy your body produces. Those who spend too much time sitting or laying down are inactive, and thus have less energy available. Drinking — Alcohol robs your body of nutrients, and it’s hard on your digestive system. Excessive drinking can lead to serious fatigue. Poor Sleep Habits — If you don’t get enough sleep at night, your body will start to shut down during the day. You NEED to sleep well at night. Caffeine — Caffeine stimulates your nervous system, and it can stop you from sleeping well at night. Junk Food — Junk food fills your body with toxins and chemicals, which are very hard for your body to process. Digestion of these toxins can strain your body, leading to fatigue.

Emotional Causes of Chronic Fatigue

Stress — If you’re very stressed, you may find it hard to calm your mind and relax, much less sleep at night. Stress can cause a lack of sleep, and even go so far as to cause insomnia. Depression — People suffering from depression often have a hard time sleeping at night, leading to daytime drowsiness. On the other hand, some depressive people sleep up to 18 hours a day.

How to Deal With Persistent tiredness

There are many things you can do to try to fight persistent tiredness. Here are the main methods:

• Eat balanced meals
• Do 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day to control weight and increase energy
• Fight stress
• Treat disorders and medical conditions
• Sleep 7 to 8 hours a night
• Cut out alcohol, junk food, and caffeine

Besides the above, it’s important to make sure that your body is in balance and functioning well. [1] http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8877.php