Are you feeling tired all of the time?

Key Points

• 1.5 million Australians see their doctor about fatigue each year.
• Fatigue affects people of all ages, not just older populations.
• The 3 main types of fatigue are: physical, emotional and mental.

If you’re feeling tired all of the time, just getting through each day can be a challenge. All you want to do is curl up under the covers, but, like many people, you soldier on.

Studies show around 1.5 million Australians visit their doctors each year complaining of fatigue. And it’s not just those with diagnosed medical conditions – it can also affect otherwise healthy people. 

Dragging yourself around with no energy? Begin your recovery with a solid understanding of what fatigue is and how it can affect you. We spoke with Naturopath Gabbie Watt to find out why so many people feel tired and what they can do about it.

What are the symptoms of fatigue?

Fatigue is an ongoing feeling of tiredness that isn’t completely resolved by sleep. The way it shows up can look different for everyone, but if it’s left unaddressed, fatigue may disrupt work, relationships and your overall state of health and wellbeing. 

“It’s really important to note that fatigue isn’t a condition – it’s the symptom of a condition,” says Gabbie. So while fatigue comes with an array of accompanying unpleasant symptoms, it’s not an illness in and of itself, and it has many underlying causes.

Symptoms of fatigue may include:

• chronic tiredness or weakness
• aching muscles
• poor concentration
• lack of motivation
• loss of appetite
• slower reaction times
• low mood
• poor hand-eye coordination
• memory problems
• more chance of making mistakes

Symptoms of chronic fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome differs from general fatigue in that it’s classified as a neurological disorder by the World Health Organisation. Also known as ‘myalgic encephalomyelitis’, it’s a complex disease that needs to be diagnosed by a healthcare professional.

Symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome are similar to general fatigue, but a diagnosis must satisfy certain criteria such as:

• substantial fatigue and impairment for at least six months
• worsening of symptoms after minor physical or mental exertion
• poor sleep that doesn’t relieve symptoms

Eating too many refined carbohydrates like cakes, white bread and pastries can contribute to fatigue

What is the main cause of fatigue?

Fatigue may be caused by stress, viruses, lack of sleep or mental health issues, as well as underlying medical conditions such as thyroid or hormonal imbalances. Other contributors to fatigue may be lifestyle factors such as what you eat and drink.

Diet also plays a big role in energy levels and may contribute to fatigue, with nutritional deficiencies such as iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency being fairly common. But you may also become fatigued if you eat too much of the wrong foods.

“If your dietary pattern is high in refined carbohydrates, too high in sugar and high on the glycemic index, it can cause an overwhelming response for your blood sugar and insulin,”  says Gabbie.

“This way of eating may cause feelings of tiredness and fatigue. Ensuring you include good quality protein and fat sources into your daily diet can support your energy levels. Another potential cause of fatigue is disrupted circadian rhythms, which govern your biological clock.  This can happen as a result of jet lag or working night shifts, which may put your sleeping patterns out of balance.

Causes of chronic fatigue

The causes of chronic fatigue are not yet well understood, and there’s a lot of controversy around what’s really behind this debilitating disease. Theories suggest it may be linked to infection, immune system impairment or genetics.

Causes of extreme fatigue

Extreme fatigue is a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome, and its causes are still being studied and debated. However, you might experience extreme fatigue without a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. In this case, it could have many different causes or contributions, including diet, stress, illness, mental health disorders or medications.

Fatigue vs. lethargy

According to Gabbie, fatigue and lethargy are almost interchangeable terms. While fatigue is defined as feeling exhausted all the time, the word ‘lethargy’ is more often used to describe a feeling of drowsiness and an unusual lack of energy.

When you’re physically fatigued you may have sore muscles and slow reflexes

What are the 3 types of fatigue?

In broad terms, the three types of fatigue are: physical, emotional and mental.

When you’re physically fatigued, you may have sore muscles and slow reflexes, among other symptoms. Emotional fatigue may see you feeling sad or irritable, while mental fatigue may lead to poor decision-making or brain fog.

Is fatigue normal with age?

It’s common to experience fatigue, but it’s not necessarily the case that the older you get, the more fatigue you experience. Fatigue can strike at any age and may be more closely linked to lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, stress, underlying illness and lack of exercise rather than age. 

So the upshot is whether you’re male or female, young or old, you can still experience the unwanted effects of fatigue intruding into your daily life.

Fatigue can be dangerous if you’re operating machinery or driving a vehicle

When should you worry about fatigue?

According to Gabbie, fatigue becomes concerning if it continues for an extended period of time, for example, more than a month.

“If you wake up in the morning and you’re tired for the whole day, and you have accompanying symptoms, especially emotional symptoms or low mood, over an extended period of time, it may be time to seek advice from your healthcare professional.”

Is fatigue dangerous?

For many people, fatigue is more of a general malaise that can make it that extra bit harder to get through the day rather than presenting any significant hazards. For others, the dangers of fatigue may be more concerning.

“Obviously there’s the danger of losing productivity in your day,” says Gabbie. “But other dangers are occupational hazards, for example, if you’re in an environment where you have to operate machinery or if you have to drive.”

Fatigue can also affect hand-eye coordination and your ability to communicate, so it can impair decision-making and lead to accidents at home or in the workplace.

Fatigue is no fun – seek help if it’s getting you down

It’s easy to pass off fatigue as an inevitability of modern life, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Help is available, and it’s worth investigating possible solutions.

“It’s really important that if you are experiencing fatigue for a long period of time, then you want to get that addressed and find out what’s actually causing it,” says Gabbie. 

If you’re experiencing ongoing fatigue, visit your healthcare professional for advice.

Related:

• Why do I always feel so tired and what do I do about it? 
• How to get rid of brain fog and get back on your game
• Burnout recovery: steps on the path to recovery after being burnt out

Gabbie Watt is a Naturopath and passionate about blending evidence-based practice and traditional natural medicine into her approach. With experience previously working as a Radiation Therapist, Gabbie’s professional background in conventional medicine has been instrumental in shaping her holistic approach to health.

Reviewed by the healthylife health experts May 2023.