Everyone gets tired from time to time. A lack of sleep, overactivity, stress, and too much work can all contribute to a feeling of weariness. The difference between everyday tiredness and fatigue is that fatigue involves more than simply a desire to sleep. It also includes a lack of energy or desire to do anything. Chronic fatigue is persistent, and it isn?t relieved with sleep. It can be debilitating, affecting both your emotional and physical health. Fatigue causes usually fall within three categories: medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and emotional causes.

Fatigue?especially if it is significant?could be a sign of a physical illness. A number of different medical conditions can make you weary, including anemia, in which a lack of iron in the body prevents enough oxygen from traveling to the tissues. Other medical fatigue causes include diabetes, thyroid disease, heart disease, arthritis, COPD, and cancer. A doctor?s exam can help identify whether a health condition is causing fatigue.

Lifestyle contributors to fatigue include diet, too little or too much activity, sleep problems, and medications. Foods high in sugar and carbohydrates burn off quickly, leaving the body drained. A diet high in protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains supplies the fuel the body needs to stay alert. Alcohol use can also affect energy level, in part by preventing you from getting a good night?s sleep. Overdoing it at an intense job or hardcore workout can drain you of energy, but staying sedentary also contributes to fatigue. Certain medications, including antihistamines, antidepressants, and sedatives, can cause fatigue as a side effect.

Mental health problems don?t cause fatigue, but feeling drained can be a symptom of an emotional issue. Psychological fatigue causes include depression, anxiety, and stress. Grief from losing a loved one or going through a traumatic life event can also contribute to the feeling of weariness.