You wake up in the morning and feel like you’ve had about 30 minutes of sleep, and could sleep for another 8 hours. You’re dragging yourself out of bed and only seem to be able to function after a few coffees. This might be a normal feeling if you’ve had a bad nights sleep, been travelling and dealing with jet lag, or had a stressful week at work.
But feeling exhausted every day isn’t normal. And I know it might feel normal because so many people complain of being tired. In face, research suggests that around one in eight people in the UK feel tired all the time. An Irish study of more than 1,400 GP consultations found that fatigue was reported in 25% of appointments, making it one of the most common reasons people seek medical advice. So it makes sense that we might have all accepted that feeling tired is just a normal symptom of ‘getting older’ or ‘being an adult’, but it’s not.
Here are some of the main things that cause fatigue, and how you can correct them.
1. Nutrient Deficiencies
One of the first things I want to rule out when a client is struggling with low energy is whether they’re low in any nutrients that are essential for energy production. You’ll be surprised how much your energy can improve once you correct a nutrient deficiency.
Common deficiencies include:
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
These nutrients all play important but slightly different roles in helping you produce energy. They can also influence other organs in the body that affect energy levels, too.
- Iron helps transport oxygen around the body. If your iron levels are low, less oxygen reaches your tissues and muscles, which can leave you feeling exhausted, breathless, and unable to concentrate.
- Vitamin B12 and folate (B9) are involved in the production of red blood cells and support the nervous system. Low levels can contribute to fatigue, brain fog, low mood, and poor concentration. All the B vitamins help with energy production too, but these two are most linked to anaemia.
- Vitamin D is actually more of a hormone and it influences so many areas that would impact energy, such as inflammation, brain function, mood and more.
- Magnesium also has hundreds of functions throughout the body, but it’s essential for producting energy, and it also helps with blood glucose control and hormone production which will impact energy levels too.
What to do
The only way to know if you’re deficient in these nutrients is via a blood test. In our 1:1 sessions I like to run a big blood panel to check for all nutrient levels, alongside other causes of fatigue. As this helps to rule out multiple causes at once. But I can also work with clients to help them get their GP to do a blood test to check for some of these nutrients too.
The standard lab ranges for nutrients are very big. So sometimes clients will say I’ve had my bloods done but everything came back as normal, but when I double check them, their folate level was 3! 2-4ng/ml is classed as deficient, but optimal is 15-25ng/ml. A similar thing can happen with iron, B12 and vitamin D. So while you won’t be classed as deficient, your levels are low enough for it to be impacting your energy levels.
This is why I also like to look through any previous testing you’ve had done, just incase something has been missed or you just weren’t ‘deficient enough’ to require a prescription. We can help correct the deficiency through supplements.
2. Stress and Burnout
I would say that most people underestimate the impact that long-term stress can have on energy levels.
I often explain it to clients by comparing it to driving a car without stopping to fill up with petrol. We know we need to stop off and have a ‘break’ while driving to fill up with petrol, otherwise our car will break down. But for some reason, we ignore the fact that if we keep pushing our bodies through stress, eventually something is going to give.
Stress can be triggered in many ways too. Clients will often tell me they’re not stressed, they just have a busy life. But that busy life includes a demanding job, looking after young children, travelling for work, and also trying to get on with life while navigating a health or skin issue. All of this adds up and affects your body more than you realise.
Some signs of burnout can include:
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Increased anxiety
- Low motivation
- Social withdrawal
- Poor concentration
- Feeling tired even after resting
So many people just continue to push through the stress and carry on as normal, but eventually your body is going to force you to rest whether you have time for it or not. And as someone who has hit burnout before, I’d recommend doing something to support your body before you hit burnout.
What to do
Unfortunately, burnout isn’t usually fixed with one long weekend or a single day off. Instead, it’s important to look at the bigger picture and identify where changes can be made to your lifestyle. And look, I know managing stress is one of the hardest things to do, some stress in our life is completely out of our control. But some stress is in our control, and there’s changes we can make to help our brains and bodies.
Some of us need to learn to stop and slow down. We always want to be busy doing things, distracting ourselves from how we really feel. When was the last time you actually felt bored? Sat there doing nothing? Just mindfully listening to the birds, watching people walk past you in the park? Or when was the last time you engaged in a task or hobby with such concentration and focus that you completely lost track of time and went into flow state? And no I don’t mean scrolling on your phone for five minutes and somehow it’s been an hour. I mean engaging in a hobby like playing the guitar, painting, learning a new language, or baking. Flow state is so good for your brain because in that moment of being completely immersed in the task, you’re not thinking about anything else – the stress of work, your skin, and your to-do list.
Chronic stress can also increase demand for nutrients, including vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins. So it’s really important to help replenish these nutrient levels to give your body the boost it needs. In some cases, adaptogenic herbs may also be helpful. These are herbs that can support the body’s response to stress and help regulate cortisol levels.
3. Thyroid Imbalances
Your thyroid plays a key role in regulating metabolism and energy production. When thyroid function starts to decline and you see a decrease in thyroid hormones, one of the most common symptoms is fatigue that doesn’t seem to improve, no matter how much sleep you get.
Other symptoms of an underactive thyroid can include:
- Hair thinning
- Weight gain
- Difficulty losing weight
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Low mood
- Feeling cold
In the UK, most investigations through your GP begin with testing TSH and sometimes T4. While these markers are useful, they’re only two thyroid hormones and alone don’t provide a big enough picture. Similar to the nutrient deficiencies, the ranges for thyroid hormones are quite large. Most people won’t be flagged as having an issue until their TSH level is quite high, but optimal can be around 1-2.
In my clinic, I often recommend a more comprehensive thyroid assessment that includes:
- TSH
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Thyroid antibodies
I’ve worked with clients whose thyroid hormone levels appeared relatively normal, but whose thyroid antibodies were elevated. High thyroid antibodies may indicate an autoimmune condition, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which can affect thyroid function and contribute to symptoms including fatigue. But if you don’t check the antibodies, you’ll never pick it up.
What to do
If testing flags a thyroid issue, there are several ways we can support it. Some people may require medication such as Levothyroxine to replace thyroid hormone. But alongside this, we can also look at nutritional support. The thyroid relies on nutrients including selenium, iodine, zinc, iron and vitamin A to function effectively – so we want to make sure there are good levels of those nutrients. We can also explore other factors such as inflammation, gut health and liver function, all of which can influence thyroid hormone production and conversion.
4. Blood Sugar Imbalances and Insulin Resistance
Blood sugar imbalances are another common but often overlooked cause of fatigue.
Your body uses glucose from food to create energy. However, if you’ve become insulin resistant, glucose has a harder time entering your cells where it can be used properly to create energy, which can cause feelings of fatigue. You might notice you feel like you need a nap after eating a meal that’s higher in carbohydrates (or just sleepy after food in general). So if you’re falling asleep after your lunch at work, this might be something to look into.
Even without insulin resistance, diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar can cause repeated blood sugar spikes and crashes throughout the day. You might have this if you eat your breakfast in the morning, only to feel hungry within an hour or two. And these glucose spikes are why some people find themselves relying on caffeine or sugary snacks to keep going throughout the day. When that crash happens, your body needs something to get the glucose levels back up for energy, which tends to be sugar, caffeine, or carbohydrates – hence why you’re craving the biscuits!
I like a full glucose panel, which includes:
- HbA1c
- Fasting glucose
- Fasting insulin
- C-peptide
What to do
First, you want to make sure you’re eating enough protein with every single meal. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks! Protein helps slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream and can improve energy levels.
Exercise is also incredibly effective for improving insulin sensitivity. Even a five to ten minute walk after meals can make a meaningful difference.
5. Post-Viral Fatigue
A lot of people notice ongoing fatigue after recovering from a virus. For most people, their energy levels return within a few weeks after recovering. For others, symptoms of fatigue can go on for months and months. This is something I experienced myself after having glandular fever in my early 20s. After I recovered from the infection, I felt tired and completely wiped out for months. Some nights I’d go to bed at 6pm and sleep right through to 8am, and I’d still feel tired. Exercising used to wipe me out and I’d end up feeling like I had a cold coming on. These are some signs that your mitochondria might not be working properly after the viral infection.
This issue can be a little more complex because it may influence multiple areas and systems in the body. From the health of the mitochondria (known as the powerhouses of cells) to the immune system. It may also trigger the development of other conditions which could influence energy levels (like autoimmune conditions).
What to do
Similar to burnout, this can mean taking it very slowly and not pushing yourself too hard too soon. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for getting a lot of rest. There are lots of areas we can look into and support, such a mitochondria function, the gut microbiome, and the immune system to help support energy after a viral infection.
6. Poor sleep
This one may sound obvious I know. But we have to rule out that you are sleeping for long enough, and that the sleep quality is good. You could be sleeping for 8 hours per night, but not getting into deep restorative sleep which will help you to feel refreshed the next day.
Factors that can affect sleep quality include:
- Stress
- Sleep apnoea
- Alcohol consumption and drinking alcohol before bed
- Excessive caffeine intake, or drinking caffeine later in the afternoon/evening
What to do
Some simple strategies include:
- Going to bed and waking up at similar times each day
- Reducing screen time before bed (ideally 1 hour before)
- Limiting caffeine later in the day
- Creating a cool, dark sleeping environment
- Avoiding large meals immediately before bedtime
- Avoiding the news, or anything stressful before bed
7. Your diet!
Food provides the raw materials your body needs to produce energy. If your diet is low in protein, fibre and healthy fats, and/or made up mostly of ultra-processed foods, it’s not surprising that your energy levels may dip, because you’re not giving your body what it needs to create energy.
Hydration is another important factor that so many people overlook. Your brain is up to 75% water, and a drop body water as little as 2% can affect brain function. This can cause symptoms like fatigue, difficulty concentrating and headaches. You might feel like you need a nap, but you might actually need some water!
I know, another one that sounds too simple, but sleep, diet & exercise should be the places you start (not buying random supplements).
What Supplements Can Help With Energy?
A lot of people jump straight to supplements to try and find something to help improve their energy. But the reality is that supplements only help if they’re addressing an underlying issue.
As you’ve seen throughout this article, there are many possible causes of fatigue. A supplement that works brilliantly for someone with an iron deficiency is unlikely to help someone whose fatigue is being driven by burnout, poor sleep or an underactive thyroid. And in some cases, taking a supplement (especially something like iron) when you don’t need it, is going to cause more harm than good.
This is why I always recommend testing before supplementing. By understanding what’s driving your symptoms, you can take a more targeted approach and actually get results rather than spending (wasting) money on supplements that may not address the root cause and inevitably don’t work.
Need Some Help?
If you’re always tired, please don’t ignore it and continue to push through. Your body is trying to communicate with you that something isn’t right.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted for weeks or months, I would encourage you to investigate it rather than accepting it as normal. And if you have spoken to your GP and been told there’s nothing wrong, then please get in touch as we can dig a little deeper into what’s affecting your energy levels.
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