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. Sometimes, like Liang, you may just want to stay 

in bed. But, after a good night’s sleep, 

most people feel refreshed and ready to 

face a new day. If 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 and may 

even suggest you become more active. 

Some Illnesses Cause Fatigue

Feeling fatigued can be like an alarm 

going off in your body. It may be the 

first sign that something is wrong. 

But, fatigue itself is not a disease. For 

example, many older people live with 

rheumatoid arthritis, a painful condition 

that affects the joints, usually in hands 

or feet. In addition to their pain, people 

with rheumatoid arthritis often complain 

of other symptoms such as fatigue. Or, 

people with cancer may feel fatigued from

the disease or treatments, or both. They 

may be dealing with pain and nausea as

well. These are just two examples of 

situations where talking to your healthcare

provider about feeling fatigued may lead 

to helpful solutions—for instance, adding 

mild exercises to your daily routine.

Many medical problems and treatments 

can add to fatigue. These include:

F Taking certain medications, such as 

antidepressants, antihistamines, and 

medicines for nausea and pain

F Having medical treatments, like 

chemotherapy and radiation 

F Recovering from major surgery 

What Role Do Emotions Play?

Are you fearful about the future? Do 

you worry about your health and who 

will take care of you? Are you afraid you 
3 4

are no longer needed? Emotional worries 

like these can take a toll on your energy. 

Fatigue can be linked to many emotions, 

including:

F Anxiety

F Depression

F Grief from loss of family, friends, or 

home of many years

F Stress from financial or personal 

problems

F Feeling that you no longer have 

control over your life

Exercise or other physical activity may 

help relieve emotional problems such as 

anxiety and stress. 

Personal Habits

Some people have lifestyle habits that 

rob them of energy. Here are some things 

that may be a drag on you:

F 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.

F Having too much caffeine. If you drink

caffeinated drinks like soda, tea, or coffee 

late in the day, it can keep you from having

a good night’s sleep. Limit the amount of 

caffeine you take during the day and have 

non-caffeinated drinks in the evening.

F Drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol 

changes the way you think and act. It may

also interact with your medical treatments. 

Be careful with the amount you drink.

F Eating junk food. Say “no thanks” to

food with empty calories like chips and 

cookies. You need nutritious food in order

to have the energy to do the things you 

enjoy. 

Being bored can also make you feel 

fatigued. That may sound strange, but it’s 

true. If you have been very busy during

your working years, when you stop working

you may find yourself a little lost about

how to spend your time. 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. Research 

shows that 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 you have to offer, and look 

for places to volunteer. 
5 6

See Your Doctor

If you’ve been tired for several weeks 

with no letup, 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. If medications are prescribed, 

they may target underlying health 

problems, such as anemia or irregular 

thyroid activity. Your provider may 

suggest that you eat a well-balanced diet 

and begin an exercise program.

A Special Kind Of Fatigue

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a 

special condition that typically involves 

fatigue that lasts 6 months or longer 

and is not related to other diseases or 

conditions. The symptoms of CFS can 

include muscle pain, memory problems, 

headaches, and tender lymph nodes. CFS

usually occurs in people who are middleaged and affects more women than men.

It can last for years and may change 

every part of your life. CFS is probably 

not the same as the fatigue that affects 

many people when they get older.

What Can You Do?

There are many lifestyle changes you 

can make that will help you get the most 

out of life. Here are some suggestions:

F Keep a fatigue diary so you can pinpoint 

certain times of the day or situations that 

make you feel more or less tired. 

F Exercise regularly. Moderate exercise 

may improve your appetite, energy, 

and outlook. Some people find that 

exercises combining balance and 

breathing (for example tai chi and 

yoga) improve their energy.

F Try to avoid long naps that can leave 

you feeling groggy in the middle of 

the day and may make it harder to 

fall asleep at night.

F Stop smoking. Smoking is linked to 

many diseases and disorders such as 

cancer, heart disease, and breathing 

problems that can be a drain on your 

energy.

F Some people have so much to do that 

just thinking about it can make them 

feel tired. If you feel swamped, ask for 

help. Working with others may make a 

job go faster and be more fun. 
7 8

What About Liang?

Liang went to see her doctor because she had 

been feeling so tired. Dr. Castillon suggested 

she join a regular exercise program to help 

strengthen her muscles and balance. He told 

her that in terms of muscles the old saying 

“use it or lose it” is true. Liang signed up for

a class twice a week at her local senior center.

She and Dan began taking long walks in 

their neighborhood. Now, they both look 

forward to visits from their grandchildren. 

For More Information

Here are some helpful resources:

National Cancer Institute

6116 Executive Boulevard

Suite 300

Bethesda, MD 20892-8322

1-800-422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER)

www.cancer.gov

National Center for Complementary

and Alternative Medicine

P.O. Box 7923

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-7923

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

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

www.nccam.nih.gov 

National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus

www.medlineplus.gov

For more information about health 

and aging, including sleep, nutrition, 

volunteering, and exercise, contact:

National Institute on Aging

Information Center

P.O. Box 8057

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057

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

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

www.nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov/espanol 

To sign up for regular email alerts 

about new publications and other 

information from the NIA, go to 

www.nia.nih.gov/health. 

Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a seniorfriendly website from the National 

Institute on Aging and the National 

Library of Medicine. This website has 

health and wellness information for 

older adults. Special features make it 

simple to use. For example, you can click

on a button to make the type larger.

National Institute on Aging

National Institutes of Health

NIH...Turning Discovery into Health 

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services

January 2012