6 Reasons Your Tired All the Time

Ahh, I feel tired, the age-old statement we all make sometimes once a day. Feeling tired can of course be linked to a chronic disease or other issue, but we all just plain old feel tired from time to time. Here are 6 reasons you may not have known that contribute to feeling tired or trigger tiredness. 

Taking a quick inventory of the things that might be responsible for your fatigue is the first step toward relief. In general, most cases of fatigue may be attributed to three areas: lifestyle factors, medical conditions or psychological problems.

1. Not working out: If you're tired, it's easy to skip your workout but believe it or not, this can contribute to feeling more tired. A study from the University of Georgia found that failing to exercise on a regular basis can actually make one feel more tired. The trick? Devote at least a brief amount of time to activity (at least 20-30 minutes) and pump it up. 

2. Skipping your 7-8 glasses: Not drinking enough water can have a profound effect on your overall health, but medical experts from Tufts Unversity estimate that 2% fluid loss can have an impact on energy levels because it causes a visible reduction in blood volume. Dehydration makes the heart pump blood less efficiently, which is also experienced after drinking too much alcohol, which dehydrates the body. 

3. Iron deficiency: If you frequently feel tired, weak and unable to concentrate for an extended period of time, it could be from an iron deficiency. We all suffer consequences of failing to get enough iron. Without sufficient iron levels in our blood, less oxygen makes its way to the muscles and cells in our body. Add more iron-filled foods such as kidney beans, tofu, eggs, dark and leafy vegetables and nuts. 

4. Stress: Worrying to much can have a detrimental effect on our physical health. It's called stress and mentally and physically it can be exhausting. Take a deep breath, and try to reason with your concerns and understand their role in the reality. We create a lot of things in our head sometimes. It's perfectly normal to feel anxious and stressed out from time to time. If you feel this way all the time, consult with your doctor.  

5. Skipping breakfast: Yes, it remains the most important meal of the day and if you don't eat breakfast, you may experience lasting tired effects. When you sleep and haven't snacked throughout the night, your body has gone a considerable amount of time without fuel. That's why breakfast is so critical about a half hour from when you wake up. Even having something small like a piece of whole wheat toast, small cup of yogurt or a piece of fruit helps.

6. Too much junk: Eating too much junk food like chips and candy fills your body with empty calories. Junk foods are processed foods which contain very few nutritional components that you body can convert to energy like vitamins and protein. Focus your snacks on healthy options like a handful of almonds, or cup of berries with yogurt.