Fight tiredness
Tiredness may indicate an underlying medical problem
- identify symptoms of anaemia
- understand insomnia
- recognise symptoms of underactive thyroid
With Dr Morton's - the medical helpline© you can email or phone a real doctor at any time for more information, reassurance or advice
Dr Morton's Test Kit© for causes of being tired all the time
Why am I tired all the time?
'Doctor, I feel tired all the time' is one of the most frequent reasons for someone to talk to a doctor.
Insomnia means 'inability to sleep' . We all need sleep and lying awake, restless, for part or all of the night means sheer exhaustion the next day. Waking up sweating is a symptom of the perimenopause, but can also occur with feverish acute infections, and a number of other much rarer medical problems such as lymphoma. Depression causes early morning waking. Sleep may be disturbed by the need to go to the loo repeatedly due to an irritable bladder in women or prostate trouble in men.
Symptoms
- difficulty getting up in the morning
- lack of physical energy for exercise or pleasurable activity
- general feeling of lassitude
- exhaustion
- early morning waking
- night sweats
- poor libido
When you should contact a doctor
If you are in any way worried and need advice
Causes of tiredness
Insomnia means 'inability to sleep'. We all need sleep and early morning waking, lying awake and restless for the rest of the night means sheer exhaustion the next day. Waking up sweating is a symptom of the perimenopause, but can also occur with feverish acute infections, and a number of other much rarer medical problems such as lymphoma. Depression causes early morning waking. Sleep may be disturbed by the need to go to the loo repeatedly due to an irritable bladder in women or prostate trouble in men.
Fatigue can stem from a whole range of physical causes. Anaemia (low blood haemoglobin level) is a major cause. In women of reproductive age, heavy periods are the most common cause. In men, anaemia may be due to slow loss of blood from a stomach ulcer or some other problem in the gut. Symptoms of anaemia include extreme tiredness together with shortness of breath and palpitations.
Fatigue in men and women may be due to hormonal imbalances or hormone deficiency. Tiredness combined with feeling cold, sluggish bowels and unexplained weight gain could point to an underactive thyroid. Thyroid gland function can be tested on a tiny blood sample taken at home. If your thyroid gland is underactive, you will need to take thyroxine tablets. This is really important as thyroxine is needed for the normal function of every cell in your body.
There are many other much rarer hormonal causes.
Declining or absent oestrogen at the perimenopause or after menopause can lead to a drop in energy levels. Feeling at breaking point can drain a person’s inner resources. Fatigue may be a symptom of stress or anxiety.
These can also lead to tiredness and general unwellness.
Tiredness is the most underestimated symptom of early pregnancy
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Related topics
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