How to Stop Feeling Tired All The Time

When you feel tired all the time, it can be hard to function. In fact, if you are feeling tired pretty much all the time, chances are you are seeking ways to feel better immediately. When you are always tired, it can be extremely difficult just to complete everyday tasks, much less to tackle more involved or complicated projects. Simply put, feeling excessively tired all the time is no way to go through life. Excessive fatigue can be caused by lifestyle issues, such as not getting enough sleep and accumulating an enormous "sleep debt." Or it can be the symptom of a medical condition, such as anemia. Read on to find out more.

Things You'll Need

• A willingness to make certain lifestyle changes, if necessary to stop feeling tired all the time.
• A willingness to work with your doctor on treatment solutions, if necessary.
• Certain supplements discussed in the article (such as Vitamin B12), if desired.

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Instructions

• 1

  The first step when you want to stop feeling tired all the time is to examine your current lifestyle, paying particular attention to your current sleep habits. If you suffer from insomnia, you may find that treating your insomnia decreases your fatigue. (Please check out the numerous natural insomnia treatments mentioned in my eHow article about winning the battle against insomnia with home remedies like drinking chamomile tea, or drinking warm milk, or eating small amounts of food that contain L-tryptophan, like a handful of cashews or a slice of turkey before bedtime.)

• 2

  Another aspect of lifestyle habits that can affect your level of fatigue is the amount of exercise that you get on average. Getting enough exercise, as you know, is beneficial for all aspects of your physical and emotional health. Exercising can improve your sleep (and therefore decrease your fatigue) in at least two key ways. First, it can tire you out so that you fall asleep more easily at night and stay asleep longer. Second, it can substantially boost your energy levels - and your mood - because it releases endorphins (feel-good) hormones into your system.

• 3

  Examine your current level of caffeine consumption very carefully. Sure, caffeine can provide you with a quick, temporary energy boost. But it can also cause you to "crash" later on, draining you of your energy and causing you to feel even more fatigued than you felt before drinking coffee, tea or caffeinated soda.

• 4

  Make sure you are staying hydrated by drinking a lot of water and eating nutritious food. For instance, a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, which includes a lot of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, can help decrease fatigue and boost energy.

• 5

  If you have already made all of these suggested lifestyle changes and you are still feeling tired all the time, you will want to see your doctor to check for and/or rule out any underlying health conditions that may be causing your excessive levels of fatigue.

• 6

  For instance, you may want to have your blood drawn to check for anemia. If you are anemic, sometimes adding an iron supplement to your daily diet (with your doctor's approval, of course) may help quite a bit. (Always check with your doctor to determine the right amount of iron for you.)

• 7

  Anemia (or an iron deficiency of any kind) is not the only medical condition or illness that can cause you to feel tired all the time. Others include (but are certainly not limited to): sleep apnea, thyroid problems, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, diabetes, and more. Your doctor may want to perform a battery of medical tests and blood tests to rule in or rule out any or all of these conditions, depending on which other specific symptoms you have. If you are ultimately diagnosed with any of these conditions, your doctor will want to create a customized treatment plan for you that can help reduce all of your symptoms, including your chronic fatigue.