The Royal College of Psychiatrists states that at any given time, one in every five people feel unusually tired and one in 10 have prolonged fatigue. It’s unusual for there to be a medical cause for this tiredness, unless there are other symptoms too, such as heavy periods, weight loss or a change in bowel habits.

There are three main categories that the causes of tiredness fall into:

Physical causes include conditions often associated with tiredness, such as pregnancy – especially the first 12 weeks – glandular fever, anaemia, cancer and an underactive thyroid. But there are some less obvious but nonetheless common culprits, such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders and liver, heart and respiratory illnesses. Painful conditions like arthritis can also be very tiring, as can being significantly under- or overweight.

Psychological causes include depression, insomnia, anxiety and stress – whether this is negative (e.g. related to work or relationship issues or bereavement) or positive (e.g. getting married or moving house). It is worth noting that, contrary to popular opinion, tiredness with a psychological cause is much more common than tiredness caused by a physical problem.

Lifestyle causes can include drinking too much alcohol, particularly in the evening; suffering from disturbed sleep, most commonly because of caring for young children, shift work or sleeping during the day; not getting enough sleep; too high a caffeine intake (six cups of coffee or 10 cups of tea a day can have an adverse effect); and exercising excessively. 

Don't forget...

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which is sometimes referred to as myalgic encephalopathy or encephalomyelitis (ME), is different to everyday tiredness. It causes persistent fatigue, which can result in severe impairments to daily functioning, and does not go away with sleep or rest.