Feeling sluggish, brain-fogged and spaced-out throughout the day is a reality for many people, regardless of age, gender and life circumstances. While we know that getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night is the gold standard, sometimes even after getting enough shut-eye you can still feel exhausted the next day. So, what gives? We tapped several experts to find out the reasons you might be tired, even when you’re getting enough sleep. Here are some sneaky culprits behind your fatigue.
5 Reasons You’re Tired All the Time
1. You’re dehydrated.
According to the National Academy of Medicine, women should get about 91 ounces of fluids each day and men should aim for about 125 ounces. To make things easy, buy a large water bottle and refill it every day. You can alsoeat plenty of hydrating foodsto help meet your daily goal.
2. Snacking is causing a blood-sugar roller coaster.
Healthy Snack Recipes to Help Keep You Energized All Day
Getty Images / Dmitry Marchenko / EyeEm
3. Your social calendar is empty.
4. You’re binge-watching.
5. Your thyroid is out of whack.
If you have eliminated all the reasons above and the tiredness still persists, it’s worth checking your thyroid function. “The thyroid affects our metabolism and vascular system, it works on pretty much our whole body,” says Arti Thangudu, M.D., a board-certified endocrinologist and lifestyle medicine physician. According to Thangudu, a lab test that looks closely at your TSH levels (thyroid stimulating hormone) can reveal either a hyperactive thyroid or an underactive thyroid; both conditions can lead to brain fog, general sluggishness and less pleasant mood. Thangudu adds, “It’s best to consult your physician on next steps if tests are abnormal.”
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