7 Reasons Why You Feel Tired During the Day

Tired of being tired all the time? Read on to discover seven reasons you may be struggling to stay awake and alert during the day, so you can get to finding a practical solution!

Why am I always tired?

Although it may seem like an inherent part of a modern lifestyle, feeling tired significantly impacts quality of life, especially if it persists daily. In fact, it's such a familiar sensation that it even has its own acronym: TATT (tired all the time).

The problem, of course, is that several factors can disrupt sleep, and it's challenging knowing where to start. That's why we compiled a list of the most common contributors to constant tiredness. We'll outline their impact, and what you can do to avoid or resolve them.

1. Lack of sleep or sleep disturbance

A lack of sleep may seem like an obvious reason to feel tired during the day, but you might be experiencing or creating disturbances without realising it. Unfortunately, even the slightest upset to the body's cyclical sleep pattern can leave you feeling groggy and lacklustre.

Sleep typically occurs in four different stages (N1, N2, deep sleep, and REM sleep), with a complete cycle taking anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. The key is to complete as many cycles of deep sleep as possible; this is when your body enters the peak of its restorative state. The problem is that you cannot skip stages, so you need to allow your body time to complete every phase, one after another.

This is where a consistent and adequate sleep schedule is crucial. By getting less than 6–9 hours of sleep, you could unknowingly create a sleep disturbance because your body cannot complete the sleep cycles it needs to recover.

2. Bad eating (and drinking) habits

Food and drink choices have a tremendous impact on our quality of sleep. And it's not just what you consume close to bedtime that can cause you to feel tired when you wake—so you must look at what you're consuming throughout the day.

For example, if you regularly drink high-caffeine drinks after midday, it could be causing significant disruption to your sleep schedule. For some people, it can take up to ten hours to completely clear caffeine from their system.

Alternatively, you may not be eating or drinking enough. Skipping meals decreases energy levels, while feeling hungry makes it hard to fall asleep in the first place. If it's difficult to eat a series of balanced meals throughout the day, consider supplementing any missing vitamins or minerals.

3. Stress

Stress fundamentally changes our body's priorities, which makes sense when you're trying to meet end-of-year deadlines or juggling a relentless social schedule. However, there's only so long the mind and body can endure our stress response before symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, and nausea take hold.

Unfortunately, there's no instant fix for stress, as the sensation is unique to the person experiencing it. No cases, symptoms, or remedies are the same. That said, small changes to your daily routine can start to reduce the impact of stress, giving you more freedom to find what works for you.

If you suspect stress is preventing you from getting the rest you deserve, consider small steps such as:

• Switching off your work phone in the evening
• Giving yourself one night off per week from social engagements
• Writing how you feel in a journal
• Practising mindfulness
• Setting limits on social media use

4. Depression

Depression affects all aspects of life, with symptoms ranging from irritability and appetite changes to extreme fatigue and persistent sadness. Given the dramatic impact on how we think and feel, it's no wonder that depression is a leading cause of feeling tired all the time.

Unfortunately, depression plays havoc with the body's production of the neurochemical serotonin. Not only is serotonin integral to the REM sleep stage, but it's a chemical precursor to the sleep hormone melatonin.

Regardless of the specific scenario, the good news is there are plenty of treatment options for depression. Through minor adjustments to lifestyle or medication, there are ways to get your sleep quality back on track.

5. Diabetes

In the UK alone^[1], nearly four million people have diabetes, a condition that prevents the body from producing enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to absorb glucose, an essential energy source for our cells. With a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream, rather than the cells, come myriad symptoms, including increased thirst, urination, and fatigue.

While type 1 diabetes is usually the result of genetics or infection, it's possible to develop type 2 diabetes through lifestyle factors alone. Sadly, the number of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes rises yearly, but the condition is preventable with changes to lifestyle and diet. The key is to limit intake of processed foods high in fat, sugar, and salt—instead opting for whole foods and regular exercise.

6. Anaemia

Normally, red blood cells carry oxygen to tissue all over the body, but that isn't the case for people living with anaemia. The condition causes a decline in red blood cells, leaving individuals feeling weak and tired. In severe cases, it can also cause chest pains, shortness of breath, and irregular heartbeat.

The difficulty with diagnosing anaemia is that symptoms often start very mild. And given that there are dozens of reasons people feel constantly tired, it isn't always considered. It would be best to begin by addressing shortfalls in lifestyle before immediately jumping to a diagnosis of anaemia. Still, if diet, exercise, and sleep hygiene are on point, it's worth discussing with a medical professional.

7. Sedentary lifestyle

You'd think that being sat down all day would help energy levels. After all, not moving very often means you can conserve your energy for when you really need it, right? Well, according to researchers^[2], that isn't the case. Instead, not meeting physical activity recommendations can make you feel more tired than if you exercise regularly.

The rationale behind their observations comes from the way the human body uses oxygen to transform nutrients into energy. In people who exercise regularly, their oxygen levels are greater than those who live a sedentary lifestyle, meaning the body has an easier time generating energy when needed.

Unfortunately, it comes down to a “use it or lose it” scenario. If you find yourself constantly tired, despite being sat down when you work, a brisk walk or thirty minutes of light exercise could be just what you need.

Ready to reinvigorate your daily routine and fight back against feeling tired all the time? Bowse the Cibdol store for a complete selection of oils, capsules, and supplements to give you the boost you need. Then, visit our CBD Encyclopedia to learn more about sleep and sleep hygiene.
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