Tiredness & Sleep Problems

Obviously tiredness is one of the primary symptoms of people suffering from sleep disorders, but tiredness is also something that will affect each and every one of us from time to time. If you are frequently suffering from some form of tiredness you should assess your lifestyle to see if it is something within this that is causing your fatigue e.g. shift work. Tiredness will take its toll on your health and wellbeing and will become a problem if you are constantly tired for long periods of time and it begins to affect your concentration and your everyday activities.

Due to its commonness, fatigue and tiredness may be left unacknowledged and untreated. If you are frequently tired then you should begin to assess your lifestyle and begin to make changes according to what you feel the tiredness stems from. If it is caused by something to do with your sleeping pattern then you should try and adopt a healthy sleeping regime to try and rectify this.


It may not be as simple as lack of sleep and there are many different factors that could be causing tireness:

  • Do you get enough exercise? Not doing enough exercise during the day can cause lack of sleep during the night.
  • Are you doing too much exercise? Over-exerting yourself could mean that you are frequently tired.
  • Are you pregnant? Tiredness is a common feature of pregnancy and breast feeding.
  • Do you have an illness? A lot of illnesses can leave you feeling tired and drained. It may be a good idea to look for other symptoms if you feel you are suffering from an illness too.
  • Are you a healthy weight? Being overweight or underweight can have a large impact on your wellbeing and both can leave you feeling tired.
  • Do you have a stress within your life? If you are suffering from a recent stress/worry this too could mean you are sleeping less and therefore suffering fatigue during the day.
  • Are you sleeping too much? Many people think the more sleep they get the more refreshed they will feel, but in fact it is possible to sleep too much! It reduces bodily activities and reduces your stamina and so on, so you will feel more easily tired during the day.
  • Have your sleeping patterns changed? You may find that your sleep has become interrupted due to a new career or lifestyle.
  • Do you consume stimulant drinks during the day? Drinking too much coffee, tea, alcohol during the day can affect your sleeping patterns at night and leave you feeling tired during the day. This can then cause a vicious circle as you turn to the stimulants to keep yourself awake.

As you can see, there are many different factors that can lead to fatigue during the day and not all of them need to be because of a lack of sleep. If you are feeling tired, but feel as though you are receiving the right amount of sleep, then assess your lifestyle for any other aspects that could be causing your tiredness. Normally, a simple lifestyle change will help rectify your tiredness and leave you feeling refreshed.

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