“Fatigue is for many patients their most disabling symptom,” Brent Goodman, M.D., a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, tells SELF. The condition can also cause pronounced fatigue. Those with POTS will typically have a significant heart rate increase when they go from sitting to standing that leads to really unpleasant symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, and a racing heart. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that affects mostly young women from their teenage years to their 40s. Fatigue is a very common symptom of both conditions, according to the National Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and could be due to a number of factors, including inflammation in the body. If you notice you don’t feel great after having wheat, barley, or rye products, talk to your doctor about getting tested for celiac disease.Īnother possibility is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. 7 You probably already know that people with celiac disease can get diarrhea, gas, and vomiting if they ingest gluten, but it can also cause people to feel weak or fatigued even without gastrointestinal issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some studies suggest as many as 100% of all people with celiac disease name fatigue as one of their main symptoms. Celiac disease is one possibility, where the immune system attacks the small intestine when you eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley (basically all the bread). So, technically these are also autoimmune diseases, but they specifically affect your digestive system and can also cause constant exhaustion.

If you’re experiencing those symptoms, you need to flag your fatigue to your doctor. It’s not normal to feel persistent fatigue for more than a few weeks, miss work or social events because you’re tired, or to need excessive caffeine to get you through the day, Jenepher Piper, M.S.N., a certified registered nurse practitioner of family medicine at Hunt Valley Family Health, an affiliate of Mercy Personal Physicians in Baltimore, tells SELF. We all get a bit tired, but normal fatigue gets better with proper rest. 1 The thing is, when you have a packed schedule (hello, five-day-work-week, 24/7 parenting, or constant exams), finding a few minutes to sneak in a nap or even just sleep through the night is as elusive as the energy of your favorite indoor cycling instructor (seriously, where do they get it?). An estimated 70% of Americans report they don’t get enough sleep-at least one day a month-according to the National Safety Council. If the question that comes up most often when talking to yourself (it’s totally fine!) is “Why am I always tired?” you’re not alone.

Tired but dont want to sleep