Excessive Sleepiness

Causes of Fatigue and Sleepiness and How to Fight Them

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Fatigue Cause No. 1: Not Enough Sleep

Fatigue Cause No. 1: Not Enough Sleep

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It may seem obvious but you could be getting too little sleep. That can negatively affect your concentration and health. Adults should get seven to eight hours every night. 

Fix: Make sleep a priority and keep a regular schedule. Ban laptops, cell phones, and televisions from your bedroom. Still having trouble? Seek help from a doctor. You may have a sleep disorder.

Fatigue Cause No. 2: Sleep Apnea

Fatigue Cause No. 2: Sleep Apnea

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Some people think they’re sleeping enough, but sleep apnea gets in the way. It briefly stops your breathing throughout the night. Each interruption wakes you for a moment, but you may not be aware of it. The result: you’re sleep-deprived despite spending eight hours in bed. Your doctor may order a sleep study to check for this. 

Fix: Lose weight if you’re overweight, quit smoking, and you may need a CPAP device to help keep your airway passages open while you sleep.
 

Fatigue Cause No. 3: Not Enough Fuel

Fatigue Cause No. 3: Not Enough Fuel

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Eating too little causes fatigue, but eating the wrong foods can also be a problem. Eating a balanced diet helps keep your blood sugar in a normal range and prevents that sluggish feeling when your blood sugar drops.

Fix: Always eat breakfast and try to include protein and complex carbs in every meal. For example, eat eggs with whole-grain toast. Also eat small meals and snacks throughout the day for sustained energy.

Fatigue Cause No. 4: Anemia

Fatigue Cause No. 4: Anemia

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Anemia is one of the leading causes of fatigue in women. Menstrual blood loss can cause an iron deficiency, putting women at risk. Red blood cells (shown here) are needed because they carry oxygen to your tissues and organs.

Fix: For anemia caused by an iron deficiency, taking iron supplements and eating iron-rich foods, such as lean meat, liver, shellfish, beans, and enriched cereal, can help.

Fatigue Cause No. 5: Depression

Fatigue Cause No. 5: Depression

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You may think of depression as an emotional disorder, but it contributes to many physical symptoms, as well. Fatigue, headaches, and loss of appetite are among the most common symptoms. If you feel tired and “down” for more than a few weeks, see your doctor.

Fix: Depression responds well to talk therapy and/or medication.

Fatigue Cause No. 6: Hypothyroidism

Fatigue Cause No. 6: Hypothyroidism

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The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck. It controls your metabolism, the speed at which your body converts fuel into energy. When the gland is underactive and the metabolism functions too slowly, you may feel sluggish and put on weight.

Fix: If a blood test confirms your thyroid hormones are low, synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed.

Fatigue Cause No. 7: Caffeine Overload

Fatigue Cause No. 7: Caffeine Overload

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Caffeine can improve alertness and concentration in moderate doses. But too much can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and jitteriness. And research indicates too much actually causes fatigue in some people.

Fix: Gradually cut back on coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, and any medications that contain caffeine. Stopping suddenly can cause caffeine withdrawal and more fatigue.

Fatigue Cause No. 8: Hidden UTI

Fatigue Cause No. 8: Hidden UTI

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If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection (UTI), you’re probably familiar with the burning pain and sense of urgency. But the infection does not always announce itself with such obvious symptoms. In some cases, fatigue may be the only sign. A urine test can quickly confirm a UTI.

Fix: Antibiotics are the cure for UTIs, and the fatigue will usually vanish within a week.

Fatigue Cause No. 9: Diabetes

Fatigue Cause No. 9: Diabetes

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In people with diabetes, abnormally high levels of sugar remain in the bloodstream instead of entering the body’s cells, where it would be converted into energy. The result is a body that runs out of steam despite having enough to eat. If you have persistent, unexplained fatigue, ask your doctor about being tested for diabetes.

Fix: Treatments for diabetes may include lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, insulin therapy, and medications to help the body process sugar.

Fatigue Cause No. 10: Dehydration

Fatigue Cause No. 10: Dehydration

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Your fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. Whether you’re working out or working a desk job, your body needs water to work well and keep cool. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Fix: Drink water throughout the day so your urine is light colored. Have at least two cups of water an hour or more before a planned physical activity. Then, sip throughout your workout, and afterward drink another two cups.

Fatigue Cause No. 11: Heart Disease

Fatigue Cause No. 11: Heart Disease

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When fatigue strikes during everyday activities, such as cleaning the house or weeding the yard, it can be a sign that your heart is no longer up to the job. If you notice it’s becoming increasingly difficult to finish tasks that were once easy, talk to your doctor about heart disease.

Fix: Lifestyle changes, medication, and therapeutic procedures can get heart disease under control and restore your energy.

Fatigue Cause No. 12: Shift Work Sleep Disorder

Fatigue Cause No. 12: Shift Work Sleep Disorder

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Working nights or rotating shifts can disrupt your internal clock. You may feel tired when you need to be awake. And you may have trouble sleeping during the day.

Fix: Limit your exposure to daylight when you need to rest. Make your room dark, quiet, and cool. Still having sleep issues? Talk with your doctor. Supplements and medications may help.

Fatigue Cause No. 13: Food Allergies

Fatigue Cause No. 13: Food Allergies

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Some doctors believe hidden food allergies can make you sleepy. If your fatigue intensifies after meals, you could have a mild intolerance to something you’re eating — not enough to cause itching or hives, just enough to make you tired.

Fix: Try eliminating foods one at a time to see if your fatigue improves. You can also ask your doctor about a food allergy test.

Fatigue Cause No. 14: CFS and Fibromyalgia

Fatigue Cause No. 14: CFS and Fibromyalgia

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If your fatigue lasts more than six months and is so severe that you can’t manage your daily activities, chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia are a possibility. Both can have various symptoms, but persistent, unexplained exhaustion is a main one.

Fix: While there’s no quick fix for CFS or fibromyalgia, patients often benefit from changing their daily schedule, learning better sleep habits, and starting a gentle exercise program.

Fast Fix for Mild Fatigue

Fast Fix for Mild Fatigue

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If you have mild fatigue that isn’t linked to any medical condition, the solution may be exercise. Research suggests healthy but tired adults can get a significant energy boost from a modest workout program. In one study, participants rode a stationary bike for 20 minutes at a mild pace. Doing this just three times a week was enough to fight fatigue.

Excessive Sleepiness

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What it is, its causes and consequences, and how it’s diagnosed and treated

Excessive daytime sleepiness affects between 10% and 20%1 of the American population, and research suggests it’s on the rise2. The 2020 Sleep in America Poll found that Americans report feeling sleepy an average of three days a week, and experience significant effects on mood and physical health as a result.

Though not a disorder in itself, excessive daytime sleepiness is something to take seriously. Your body may be trying to tell you that you are not getting enough sleep, or it may be raising red flags about a sleep disorder or other health condition. It’s important to recognize the signs of excessive daytime sleepiness so you can identify and remedy the cause.

What Is Excessive Daytime Sleepiness?

Excessive daytime sleepiness is defined as difficulty staying awake or alert, or an increased desire to sleep during the day. The feelings of sleepiness may be stronger when you are sedentary3, such as while driving or sitting at work. Although it’s normal to feel sleepy once in a while after going short on sleep, it’s considered excessive daytime sleepiness when this happens almost every day for at least three months4.

It’s easy to confuse sleepiness with fatigue5, since both conditions are characterized by a lack of energy and may arise under similar circumstances, such as being awake for a long time. The principal difference is that people with fatigue may be unable to fall asleep despite feeling tired and sluggish. It is also possible to experience simultaneous fatigue and sleepiness.

Symptoms and Consequences of Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

Sleep plays an important role in consolidating memory, restoring the immune system, and other vital processes. As a result, a lack of quality sleep may result in a host of symptoms that you may not immediately connect to sleep.

Even if you don’t consciously feel sleepy, you may be suffering from excessive sleepiness if you’re experiencing any of the following:

  • Trouble staying alert
  • Feelings of irritation
  • Memory problems
  • Trouble focusing
  • Difficulty retaining new concepts
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Slower reaction times
  • Risk-taking behaviors

Being sleepy can have wide-ranging effects on health and daily life. Consequences of daytime sleepiness include:

  • Increased risk of car and work6 accidents
  • Decreased work productivity or academic performance
  • Worse quality of life
  • Problems regulating mood and emotions
  • Social and relationship problems

Excessive sleepiness may be particularly dangerous for young adults, shift workers, medical staff, and people who drive a lot.

Long-term sleep deprivation has been linked to a higher chance of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Daytime sleepiness in children may affect development7, while in older adults, daytime sleepiness heightens the risk for falls8 and may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment9, memory loss, and earlier mortality.

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What Causes Excessive Sleepiness?

There are many possible causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. One of the most common reasons is a chronic lack of sleep10, whether due to long work hours, an irregular schedule, insomnia11, or other reasons.

Excessive sleepiness can also be caused by getting fragmented or otherwise poor-quality sleep. Getting up multiple times a night to use the washroom12, for example, disrupts the natural progression of the sleep stages and may reduce the proportion of restorative slow-wave sleep. Smoking, not exercising enough, and other lifestyle habits13 may also interfere with sleep quality and cause daytime sleepiness.

Many people who experience excessive daytime sleepiness don’t appear to have any problems sleeping enough. In these cases, sleepiness may be a sign of an underlying health condition or sleep disorder.

Sleep-Wake Disorders

Sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder are known for causing fragmented sleep. These conditions can cause micro-awakenings that disrupt the flow of sleep, though patients may not be aware they have these disorders until they visit a sleep doctor.

Other sleep-wake disorders act more directly on the neurological mechanisms that regulate the sleep cycle. Conditions such as narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia are thought to influence the hormones responsible for promoting wakefulness, causing sleepiness during the day.

Similarly, people with circadian rhythm disorders experience a disconnect between their inner body clock and the times when they need to be awake. This disconnect can cause both insomnia while trying to sleep and excessive sleepiness while awake.

Other Health Conditions

Chronic medical conditions and mental health disorders are often accompanied by daytime sleepiness. Common culprits include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, lupus, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, chronic pain, obesity14, and hypothyroidism, among others.

Health conditions and sleep problems often have a bidirectional effect. A failure to sleep well can interfere with recovery, and may also predict diagnoses of health issues such as Parkinson’s disease15 further down the line. Emerging research suggests that the propensity for daytime sleepiness may even have a genetic component.

Medications used to treat health conditions may also cause daytime sleepiness as a side effect, as can substances such as alcohol or narcotics.

When to Talk To Your Doctor

You should see a doctor if you’re feeling tired all the time, if excessive daytime sleepiness is affecting your day-to-day life, or if you believe it might be a sign of an underlying disorder.

Your doctor will run tests and ask questions about your sleep habits to attempt to pinpoint the reason for your sleepiness. They may also ask your bed partner whether you gasp, snore, or move your legs during the night. If they suspect a sleep disorder, they may refer you to a sleep specialist to run more tests.

Treatment methods for daytime sleepiness depend on the cause. The doctor will likely start by recommending sleep hygiene tips and encourage you to get more sleep. They may adjust the medications you take, and they will also work with you to develop a treatment plan for underlying disorders, which need to be treated in their own right.