Do you often find yourself asking yourself ‘Why am I so tired?” If so, you are not alone!

Below, you will find a few reasons as to why you might be so tired all the time and how you can push through in order to bounce back in action!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 15.3 percent of women and 10.1 percent of men regularly feel very tired or exhausted in the United States.

Being tired can cause a vast array of issues. For instance, there are 72,000 crashes and 44,000 injuries each year are a result of drowsy driving, and that’s not to mention the estimated 6,000 fatal crashes caused by drowsy drivers.

Feeling drowsy all the time can be prevented however…

1. Lack Of Sleep

According to The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, people between the ages of 18-60 need to get at least 7-hours or more of sleep in order to promote proper health.

Not getting enough sleep each night doesn’t just cause drowsiness, it causes a lack of alertness and impaired performance of every day tasks. It can also take a serious toll on your health, causing obesity, high blood pressure, depression and many more serious ailments.

How can you correct this? Here are some tips. 

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
• Avoid taking naps.
• Limit the time in awake in bed to just 5-10 minutes.
• Create a comfortable area in your bedroom, making sure it is dark and cozy.
• Limit your caffeine intake.
• Avoid nicotine and alcohol before bedtime.

2. Poor Diet

Eating a healthy and balanced diet can do wonders for your health and energy level. The saying ‘you are what you eat’, is actually quite spot on. If your diet consists of healthy foods, you will feel healthier. If you are eating nothing but fatty foods and foods loaded with carbs, you will feel tired and have less energy.

In order to keep your energy level up throughout the day, you want to eat a healthful mix of food from the five food groups, which are: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy.

Here are some dieting tips to help keep the sleepy’s away. 

• Eat the right amount of calories. Too many, or too little can have an effect on your health and sluggish-ness.
• Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies.
• Make sure that you consume whole grains when consuming grains.
• Move over to low-fat or fat-free dairy.
• Cut down on sugar.
• Never skip breakfast.
• Eat at regular intervals daily.
• Drink plenty of water. You will be amazed at what drinking water all day will do for you. Replace the sugary drinks for water and you will feel amazing in no time!

3. Lifestyle Changes

When you feel tired and exhausted, sitting down or laying down may seem like the right thing to do…however that is the exact opposite of what you should do. The best thing you can do is get up and get moving.

A study at the University Of Georgia, Athens suggested that just a quick exercise session (20-minutes) will give you the boost you need to get over sudden exhaustion, the results of a quick exercise session was found to be a better alternative than to sitting and resting.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that all adults need 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week and muscle-strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups on 2 or more days per week.

If you have not exercised in a while and you find yourself tired often, you may want to start an exercise routine sooner than later.

You can start slow, even just 10-minutes per day and gradually work towards longer exercise sessions.

4. Stress

Stress is one of the most common factors when it comes to feeling exhausted all the time. Whether you have financial issues, emotional issues, relationship issues or just major life changes…stress can make you tired.

A little stress in our lives is actually rather healthy. It can make us more alert and help us function better in our everyday lives.

If the pressure you feel from stress is causing you fatigue, headaches or migraines – try a few of these tips to reduce the stress, thus reducing the daily fatigue.

• Identify the source of the stress.
• Keep a stress journal and write out your issues.
• Avoid people and places that stress you out.
• Communicate your concerns with others and get things off your chest.
• Try to view situations in a different, less stressful way.
• Look at the bigger picture.
• Accept that there are things you may not be able to change. You can’t change things that are out of your control.
• Learn to forgive.

5. Medical Issues

If you have made appropriate changes in your sleep habits, eating habits and exercise habits…and you are still exhausted daily – there could be an underlying medical issue.

Some of the most common medical issues that cause fatigue, are as follows :

• anemia
• under-active thyroid
• diabetes
• anxiety
• depression
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• urinary tract infection
• food intolerance
• heart disease
• glandular fever
• pregnancy
• vitamin and mineral deficiencies

So remember, the next time you are tired at work or just around the house…don’t head for the bed or sofa…do a few push ups instead and drink a nice, tall glass of water!