Why am I always tired and have no energy? How do I stop feeling so tired every day?

If you’ve been feeling tired lately, you’re not alone. According to Statista, only 1 in 7 Americans wake up feeling fresh every day of the week. That means the majority of people are experiencing fatigue, starting from the moment they wake up in the morning!

We all know that dreaded feeling when our alarm clocks go off early in the morning. It can be a true struggle to get up when you’re still feeling tired. Or maybe for you the tired feeling doesn’t come in the morning but it comes later in the day, sometime after lunch. That afternoon slump just hits you and all of a sudden, you’re ready for a nap.

Feeling tired all the time is an awful feeling, especially when you’ve got work to do and errands to run. You can down the coffee, but that’s honestly only going to do so much.

In this post, I outline a few reasons why you might be feeling so tired and some natural ways to boost your energy!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy here.

Why do I feel so tired all the time?

There are a lot of different reasons why you might be feeling so tired all the time. Feeling tired could be caused by more serious medical conditions, sickness, pregnancy, or a side effect of a medication. If you think your fatigue is from a medical condition, it’s best to see a doctor. But it’s also important to note about 1 in 4 people suffer from general fatigue that isn’t associated with a medical condition.

If you’re fatigue isn’t caused by a medical reason, it could be caused by stress, being overworked, burnt out, feeling overwhelmed, not getting enough sleep, not getting enough quality sleep, living a sedentary lifestyle, or not getting enough vitamins and nutrients.

It could be one of those reasons or it might be a combination of those reasons.

If you’re not sure why you feel so tired, here are a few questions to think about so you can narrow it down.

• Am I going to sleep at night when I feel tired or am I pushing myself to stay awake later?
• Am I getting 7+ hours of sleep at night?
• Do I wake up throughout the night or am I sleeping through the night?
• Do I feel stressed out or overwhelmed most days?
• Am I eating a nutrient dense diet and drinking enough water?
• Am I exercising regularly or spending too much time sitting?
• Do I feel tired only after eating huge meals?
• Am I indulging in enough self care?

By asking yourself these questions, hopefully you’ll get a few ideas what could be causing you to feel so tired. So now what are you supposed to do about it?

How can I stop feeling so tired?

Listen to your body

If your feeling tired at 10pm, head to bed. I know sometimes personally I push myself to stay awake if I’m watching a good TV show or something, but it’s important to sleep when our body needs it. Don’t wait until your absolutely exhausted to get into bed.

Get the right amount of sleep for your body

There isn’t a perfect amount of hours to sleep. While some sleep experts recommend somewhere around 7+ hours, it’s going to depend on your lifestyle, your genetics, and many other factors. Personally, I know I need around 8 or 9 hours to feel fully rested. For someone else, they may only require 5 or 6 hours to feel rested. Pay attention to your body and what it needs to feel rested.

Pay attention to the quality of your sleep

Maybe you’re getting enough sleep but the quality of your sleep is bad. If you’re waking up throughout the night or not in a deep sleep, you’re not going to feel rested in the morning. If worrisome thoughts or nightmares are to blame, I highly recommend seeing a therapist.

It could be a more simple explanation though, like the comfort of your mattress or pillow, the amount of light coming into your room, or even your partner’s snoring or kicking habits!

If you think comfort could be to blame, it might be time to revamp your bedding and the items in your bedroom that affect your sleep. Here are a few ideas from Amazon:

• A gel plush pillow
• A cozy microfiber blanket
• Blackout curtains
• Relaxing essential oil diffuser
• A lavender-filled aromatherapy eye mask

Work on Stress Management Techniques

Feeling stressed out and overwhelmed is exhausting! When your feeling stressed, your brain is going to operating in a fight-or-flight state of mind. This means your brain will be on high alert, keeping an eye out for any potential danger. Your thoughts might be racing, you might be overthinking, and you might be completely overwhelmed.

While you may not be able to control the fact that you’ve got a stressful job or a lot going on in your life, there are some stress reduction techniques you can try. Mindfulness has personally helped me become more calm and grounded, even when I feel completely overwhelmed. A few examples of mindfulness techniques include deep breathing, visualization, body scans, meditation, and repeating positive affirmations.

*I’m not a licensed mental health therapist. To find a professional, call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit Betterhelp to get matched with a therapist for affordable online therapy anywhere, at any time. This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Eat a Wholesome, Healthy Diet and Drink Enough Water

If you think your diet and hydration don’t affect your energy levels, think again! If you’re eating a ton of processed foods like fast food or sugary snacks, these things are going to cause you to feel groggy, gross, and tired. It’s important to eat a diet full of whole foods like fruits, veggies, and other foods found in nature.

While you don’t necessarily need to revamp your entire diet, try cutting back on processed foods and incorporating some extra veggies into your diet. Do this for a few days and see if you notice a difference in your energy levels.

Move your body more often!

It may sound counterintuitive to exercise if you feel tired, but trust me, it works! On the days where I exercise, I feel so much more energized and awake compared to the days I don’t. I know the last thing you want to do when your exhausted is move your body, but this is especially important if you have a more sedentary lifestyle.

According to the New York Times, research shows that regular, low intensity exercise can help boost your energy levels. Exercise works directly with your central nervous system to boost energy and reduce fatigue.

Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently

Have you ever felt a wave of exhaustion come over you after eating a giant meal? Eating a ton of food at once can definitely cause you to feel exhausted. Try eating smaller, more frequent meals and see if that helps you beat that after-lunch slump.

Practice Regular Self Care

Do you regularly do things for yourself that are good for your mind, body, and soul? I’m talking things like bubble baths, reading books, spending time relaxing, going for walks, listening to music, and being creative.

If you’re constantly on the go and not focusing on your own needs, your going to feel burnt out and exhausted. It’s so important to make time to care for yourself and do things that light you up! Try doing things that make you feel alive, energized, and happy. For more ideas, try creating a self care morning routine or a routine at night.

I hope this post was helpful in identifying what might be causing you to feel so tired all the time. By paying attention to the amount of sleep you get, the quality of your sleep, your diet and exercise, and incorporating stress reduction techniques, I hope you begin to feel more energized and awake!

What are you going to change moving forward? Let me know in the comments below!