The real reasons you're tired all the time and how to fix it

Always on the go? Feeling exhausted is a common complaint, but it isn't always just down to being busy

- DR PHILIPPA KAYE

If I asked the question ‘How are you?’ how many of you would be responding with ‘Tired’? Lots and lots, I bet! In fact, one of the commonest complaints that patients see their GP about is feeling ‘tired all the time’, which is often referred to as TATT.

Being fatigued is so common that almost everyone will have felt tired at some point, maybe after one too many late nights, if you are working lots of overtime, or if your sleep is disturbed by young children. But what about when you feel tired all the time, or when you don’t feel better even after getting rest and sleep? There are lots of causes of TATT – physical, psychological, and relating to our lifestyle choices.

You may be surprised to know that a psychological cause is the most likely. Many mental health conditions affect sleep and cause insomnia. Feeling stress about the cost of living crisis or COVID-19? It could be the reason you’re tired. Depression can cause fatigue, as well as physical symptoms, such as waking up very early in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep. Anxiety often prevents you from getting to sleep at night – or you might wake up in the night and experience panic attacks – and having feelings of anxiety and worry can also lead to fatigue. Talking therapies can really help.

Of course, there are also physical health issues that can lead to fatigue. If you have a cough or cold, the flu or a tummy bug, you are likely to feel tired, as your body needs rest in order to recover. Proper rest is essential. You may also feel tired due to your hormones and menstrual cycle but, in TATT, the fatigue is usually longer-lasting.