10 reasons why you often feel tired

The first months of the year are often accompanied by fatigue and reduced motivation. While the winter season can contribute to these feelings along with the shortened days, in many cases the real cause is different. What are the most common reasons why we feel tired?

1. You are consuming too much caffeine

We consider caffeine to be the most effective solution to fatigue. In the long run, however, it can have the opposite effect, as the organism develops a dependency on it after a certain period of time. What does this mean in practice? In the beginning, you probably indulged in caffeinated drinks when you needed to be extra powerful. However, over time, regular coffee drinking has become a ritual where you drink coffee just to not be tired.

Try not to overdo it with coffee. Try to keep your daily caffeine intake to no more than 400 mg (about 4 cups of coffee a day) and avoid daily use of pre-workout kickers. For people with less mass or more sensitive individuals, the acceptable limit of daily caffeine intake may be even lower.

Caffeine isn't just in coffee! What are other hidden sources of caffeine? Find out in our next article What does caffeine contain? Beware of hidden resources!

2. You don't drink much

Every day, the human body loses approximately 1.5 liters of water (sweating, breathing and other excretions). If these losses are not compensated, dehydration occurs. Mild dehydration is associated with more frequent fatigue, so perhaps the lack of fluids is behind the fact that you don't have much energy to spare.

You should drink approximately 30-45ml of fluids per 1kg of body weight each day. Try to get used to drinking water regularly during the day, you can supplement it with diluted fruit or vegetable juices or unsweetened tea.

Is tap water suitable for regular drinking? We will explain in our article Quality of drinking water: can we drink it from the tap without worry?

3. You lack some vitamins or minerals

Some vitamins and minerals are involved in the energy production process. Their lack can then lead to the fact that you feel increased fatigue during the day. The minerals are mainly magnesium, iron and zinc. For vitamins, you should focus on B vitamins and vitamin C.

Try to ensure a sufficient intake of whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables. If you discover a lack of certain substances in your body, you can consider supplementation through a quality multivitamin.

4. You don't eat enough energy in food

If you eat less than your daily energy requirements for a long time, you may feel increased fatigue. The body thus fights against you not being even more physically active during the day.

Try to supplement your body with all the basic macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) every day. Sufficient energy intake is essential in the long term to maintain vitality and energy.

Still not clear on how basic macronutrients work in the body? Read the article Macronutrients - a source of vital energy

5. You don't sleep enough

The best fighter against fatigue and exhaustion is sleep. If you're sleeping less than your body needs, it's very likely that you'll experience frequent fatigue. You can delay this tiredness with coffee and other "remedies", but expect that it will return shortly.

Give your body enough rest and sleep. For adults, this is about 7-9 hours of sleep per day on average, but be guided primarily by your feelings.

How do you know you're not getting enough sleep? Our next article will reveal Lack of sleep: What are the symptoms when we don't allow the body to rest?

6. You worry too much

At the moment, we are mainly brought to our knees by the fatigue of psychological pounding. When all the worries and obligations not only of a work nature pile up, it can simply be too much.

How to fight it? Leave some time during the day just for yourself and don't let the worries of the everyday get into it. The concept of mindfulness will help you with this.

7. You are too little active during the day

It might sound like a bit of a paradox, but it's quite common to come home drained and tired after a long day at the office. On the contrary, a demanding afternoon training session can literally charge your batteries for the rest of the day.

Try to be physically active during the day. Get off one stop earlier on your way to work in the morning and plan a good workout with your friends in the afternoon.

8. Don't get poisoned by cloudy weather

The weather has a surprisingly large effect on our mood. While in the summer months we are more cheerful and happy, in the winter it is a bit the other way around. Experts explain this by, among other things, reduced production of vitamin D and, conversely, increased production of the sleep hormone melatonin during the winter months, which are characterized by long nights.

Make sure you get enough vitamin D even in the winter months. If the lack of sunlight literally drains your energy, you can try so-called light therapy, in which a glowing panel simulates sunlight for you, for example in the middle of the room.

How can vitamin D deficiency manifest itself in the body? Read Up to a billion people suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Do you know what is at stake?

9. You work too much

Few people are willing to admit that they meet the definition of a workaholic. However, if you work from early in the morning and still check your e-mails at nine in the evening, you may not be far from it. Too much work can mean that you begin to gradually neglect various other areas of your life. In addition to the work itself, this can start to exhaust you mentally and make you tired.

Try to find the right balance between work and your free time. Because you will often be happy and full of energy only when you are successful not only in your work career, but also in other parts of your life.

10. Nothing helps? Go see a doctor!

Have you tried everything but still nothing works? Perhaps it is high time to visit a doctor and discuss with him the possible causes of your long-term fatigue.

An undiagnosed gluten intolerance or a reduced function of the thyroid gland may be responsible for the fatigue. People with iron deficiency also know about it, as fatigue is quite typical for people with anemia.

What to take from it?

Are you feeling tired and exhausted? Try to find the cause of your tiredness, because only then will you be able to get energy into life in the long run.

The basis of success is a healthy lifestyle based on sufficient sleep, quality food and regular physical activity. In addition to these factors, don't forget about your psychological needs, try to overcome your own goals and devote some time to your own body.