Do you feel tired much of the time? Fatigue can be a common complaint as people age. But is it normal?
It is perfectly normal to feel tired at the end of a long day…regardless of your age.
But there are other times when feeling tired can be a sign of something amiss with your health. Examples of fatigue that is out of the ordinary include:
- Waking up tired after a full night’s sleep
- Feeling like you can’t get through the day without a nap
- Nodding off during the day
- An overall lack of energy on a daily basis
It should be noted that chronic fatigue is fairly common. According to the American Psychological Association, 40% of Americans report feeling fatigued more often than not. And 20% describe themselves as extremely fatigued.
Following are some common reasons for chronic or prolonged fatigue.
Poor Sleep Quality
Spending 7-8 hours asleep each night doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the quality rest you need.
Poor sleep quality can be caused by:
- A sleep environment not conducive to sleep
Noise, light, temperature, and an uncomfortable mattress can all be barriers to quality sleep.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and on the cool side. A good mattress, blackout curtains, a sleep mask, and a white noise machine can also be helpful.
- An irregular sleep schedule
Your body will have an easier time getting the rest it needs if you keep a consistent sleep schedule.
On the flip side, if your bedtime is constantly changing, your body clock will be thrown off.
Try to start winding down at the same time each evening, so your body knows it’s time to prepare for sleep.
- Sleep disorders
Sleep-related conditions that can make quality sleep elusive include:
a. Sleep apnea, which causes brief pauses in breathing while sleeping.
b. Restless leg syndrome, which is characterized by uncomfortable sensations or movements in the legs when trying to fall asleep.
c. Insomnia, which is simply difficulty falling or staying asleep with no easily identifiable cause.
Seeing a medical professional who specializes in sleep disorders can help to diagnose and treat these conditions.
Poor Dietary Habits
What you eat can have a significant impact on your energy level.
In particular, eating too many simple carbohydrates causes blood sugar levels to spike and then crash. These crashes in blood sugar are notorious for causing fatigue.
Insufficient iron, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin D can also cause low energy.
Alternatively, a diet that includes plenty of protein, healthy fats, and colorful fruit and vegetables can go a long way toward helping you to maintain a healthy energy level throughout the day.
Dehydration
With age, a person’s ability to determine when they’re dehydrated via thirst declines. The result is often not consuming enough water throughout the day.
Meanwhile, dehydration causes sluggishness.
Rather than relying on your body’s thirst signal to tell you when and how much water to drink, try keeping track of the water you’re actually drinking. Most adults should aim for six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day—more if you’re active or outside in the heat.
Stress
Long term stress causes excess production of a stress hormone called cortisol. If this excess production goes on for too long, the result can be insomnia and exhaustion.
Do your best to manage stress by getting plenty of exercise, and by practicing relaxation techniques like mindfulness.
Hormone Imbalance
Hormones make everything in your body function properly…including energy production and sleep.
As a consequence, age-related hormone decline can cause insomnia and fatigue.
Properly supervised hormone therapy can restore hormones to healthy levels, thereby improving sleep quality, energy levels, and overall health.
Tired All the Time? Get Help!
Age-related fatigue is a common problem, but it also has many solutions.
A poor diet, inactivity, dehydration, and stress can be addressed through lifestyle changes. And hormones can be balanced through properly administered hormone therapy.
Renew Youth has been helping people to combat fatigue through personalized hormone therapy for more than 25 years. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation by calling us at 800-859-7511 or use our easy contact form.