2

Fatigue: More 

Than Being Tired

“You better get up soon,” Dan called to his 

wife, Liang. “The grandchildren will be 

here in an hour for lunch.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” Liang 

said. “I feel so tired. I’m not even sure I can 

get out of bed. I just don’t seem to have any 

energy—not even for my family.”

Everyone feels tired now and then. 

But, after a good night’s sleep, most 

people feel refreshed and ready to face 

a new day. If, like Liang, you continue 

to feel tired for weeks, it’s time to see 

your doctor. He or she may be able 

to help you find out what’s causing 

your fatigue. In fact, your doctor may 

even suggest you become more active, 

as exercise may reduce fatigue and 

improve quality of life.

Some Illnesses Cause Fatigue

Sometimes, fatigue can be the 

first sign that something is wrong 

in your body. For example, people 

with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful 

condition that affects the joints, often 

complain of fatigue. People with 

cancer may feel fatigued from the 

disease, treatments, or both.

Many medical problems and 

treatments can add to fatigue. These 

include:

■ Taking certain medications, such as 

antidepressants, antihistamines, and 

medicines for nausea and pain

■ Having medical treatments, like 

chemotherapy and radiation, or 

recovering from major surgery

■ Infections

■ Chronic diseases like diabetes, 

heart disease, kidney disease, liver 

disease, thyroid disease, and chronic 

obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

■ Untreated pain and diseases like 

fibromyalgia

■ Anemia

■ Sleep apnea and other sleep 

disorders

Managing a health problem may 

make the fatigue go away. Your doctor 

can help.
3 4

Can Emotions Cause Fatigue?

Are you fearful about the future? 

Do you worry about your health and 

who will take care of you? Are you 

afraid you are no longer needed? 

Emotional stresses like these can take 

a toll on your energy. Fatigue can be 

linked to many conditions, including:

■ Anxiety

■ Depression

■ Grief from loss of family or friends

■ Stress from financial or personal 

problems

■ Feeling that you no longer have 

control over your life

Not getting enough sleep can also

contribute to fatigue. Regular physical 

activity can improve your sleep. It may 

also help reduce feelings of depression 

and stress while improving your mood 

and overall well-being. Yoga, meditation, 

or cognitive behavioral therapy could 

also help you get more rest. Talk with 

your doctor if your mental well-being 

is affecting your sleep or making you 

tired.

What Else Causes Fatigue?

Some lifestyle habits can make you 

feel tired. Here are some things that 

may be draining your energy:

■ Staying up too late. A good night’s 

sleep is important to feeling refreshed 

and energetic. Try going to bed and 

waking up at the same time every day.

■ Having too much caffeine. 

Drinking caffeinated drinks like soda, 

tea, or coffee late in the day can keep 

you from getting a good night’s sleep. 

Limit the amount of caffeine you have 

during the day and avoid it in the 

evening.

■ Drinking too much alcohol. 

Alcohol changes the way you think 

and act. It may also interact with your 

medicines.

■ Eating junk food. Say “no thanks” to 

food with empty calories, like fried foods 

and sweets, which have few nutrients 

and are high in fat and sugars. Choose 

nutritious foods to get the energy you 

need to do the things you enjoy.

Getting too little or too much ■

it. Visit the Go4Life website at https://

go4life.nia.nih.gov to make a plan to get 

the right amount of exercise for you.
5 6

Can Boredom Cause Fatigue?

Being bored can make you feel tired. That 

may sound strange, but it’s true. If you 

were very busy during your working years, 

you may feel lost about how to spend 

your time when you retire. When you 

wake up in the morning, you may see long 

days stretching before you with nothing 

planned. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Engaging in social and productive activities 

that you enjoy, like volunteering in your 

community, may help maintain your wellbeing. Think about what interests you and 

what skills or knowledge you have to offer 

and look for places to volunteer. 

How Can I Feel Less Tired?

Some changes to your lifestyle can 

make you feel less tired. Here are some 

suggestions:

■ Keep a fatigue diary to help you 

find patterns throughout the day when 

you feel more or less tired.

■ Exercise regularly. Almost anyone, 

at any age, can do some type of 

physical activity. If you have concerns 

about starting an exercise program, ask 

your doctor if there are any activities 

you should avoid. Moderate exercise 

may improve your appetite, energy, 

and outlook. Some people find that 

exercises combining balance and 

breathing (for example, tai chi or yoga) 

improve their energy.

■ Try to avoid long naps (over 

30 minutes) late in the day. Long naps 

can leave you feeling groggy and may 

make it harder to fall asleep at night. 

■ Stop smoking. Smoking is linked 

to many diseases and disorders, such 

as cancer, heart disease, and breathing 

problems, which can drain your energy.

■ Ask for help if you feel swamped. 

Some people have so much to do that just 

thinking about their schedules can make 

them feel tired. Working with others may 

help a job go faster and be more fun.

When Should I See a Doctor 

for Fatigue?

If you’ve been tired for several weeks 

with no relief, it may be time to call your 

healthcare provider. He or she will ask 

questions about your sleep, daily activities, 

appetite, and exercise and will likely give 

you a physical exam and order lab tests.

Your treatment will be based on your 

history and the results of your exam 

and lab tests. Your doctor may prescribe 

medications to target underlying health 

problems, such as anemia or irregular 

thyroid activity. He or she may suggest 

that you eat a well-balanced diet and 

begin an exercise program.
7 8

What Is Chronic Fatigue 

Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also 

known as myalgic encephalomyelitis 

(ME) or ME/CFS, is a condition in which 

fatigue lasts 6 months or longer and 

is not related to other diseases or 

conditions. People with CFS experience 

symptoms that make it hard to do daily 

tasks like dressing or bathing. Along 

with severe fatigue that doesn’t get 

better with rest, CFS symptoms can 

include problems with sleep, memory 

and concentrating, pain, dizziness, sore 

throat, and tender lymph nodes. Learn 

more about CFS at https://medlineplus.

gov/chronicfatiguesyndrome.html.

For More Information About 

Fatigue

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC)

1-800-232-4636 (toll-free)

1-888-232-6348 (TTY/toll-free)

cdcinfo@cdc.gov

www.cdc.gov

National Cancer Institute

1-800-422-6237 (toll-free)

cancergovstaff@mail.nih.gov

www.cancer.gov

National Center for Complementary 

and Integrative Health

1-888-644-6226 (toll-free)

1-866-464-3615 (TTY/toll-free)

info@nccih.nih.gov

www.nccih.nih.gov

MedlinePlus

National Library of Medicine

www.medlineplus.gov

For more information about health 

and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

niaic@nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/health to find more 

health and aging information from 

NIA and subscribe to email alerts. Visit 

https://order.nia.nih.gov to order free 

print publications.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

September 2019

National Institute

on Aging