September can be a bit of a shock to the system. The relaxed pace of summer disappears, mornings get earlier, calendars fill up, seasonal allergies kick in, and you suddenly notice that the sun is setting a whole lot sooner than it was a few weeks ago.
So, if you’re feeling a little more tired lately, there may be some perfectly understandable reasons. Our sleep-wake cycle responds to changes in light and darkness, and shifts in schedules, sleep, allergies, activity, and stress can all affect how energetic we feel.
But what if you’ve been tired for much longer than that?
There’s a difference between needing an earlier bedtime after a busy week and regularly waking up exhausted, struggling through the afternoon, or feeling like you never quite have the energy you used to. It’s easy to blame a packed schedule, parenthood, work, changing seasons, or simply getting older. Sometimes, though, persistent fatigue is worth looking at more closely.
Start With Sleep, But Don’t Stop There
When someone is tired, sleep is an obvious place to start. But the number of hours you’re in bed doesn’t always tell the whole story.
You may technically get eight hours of sleep but wake frequently, have difficulty reaching restful sleep, snore, or spend the last hour before bed answering emails or scrolling on your phone.
Light matters, too. Light and darkness are important signals for our internal body clocks, helping regulate when we feel awake and when we become sleepy. Getting natural daylight during the day and keeping a relatively consistent sleep schedule can help support that rhythm.
If you’re getting adequate sleep and still waking up exhausted, however, it’s time to consider what else may be going on.
Could You Be Low in Iron?
Iron helps your body make hemoglobin, which allows red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. When iron is low, fatigue can be one of the first things you notice.
You might also experience headaches, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating, or feeling unusually cold.
Ferritin, a protein that stores iron, can provide additional information about your body’s iron reserves. Low iron stores can occur for several reasons, including heavy menstrual periods, pregnancy, diet, blood loss, or difficulty absorbing nutrients.
Don’t automatically reach for an iron supplement, though. Iron is something to test and discuss with your healthcare provider because taking more isn’t always better.
When Your Thyroid Slows Things Down
Your thyroid helps regulate metabolism, so changes in thyroid function can affect far more than your energy.
An underactive thyroid may cause fatigue along with constipation, feeling cold, dry skin, hair changes, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, or unexplained changes in weight.
Because those symptoms can also have many other causes, bloodwork and your overall health history can help determine whether the thyroid is part of the picture.
The Afternoon Crash May Be Telling You Something
If 3 p.m. regularly feels like someone pulled your plug, take a look at how you’re fueling yourself throughout the day.
Skipping breakfast, going long stretches without eating, or relying heavily on refined carbohydrates can contribute to swings in blood sugar and energy for some people.
Meals that include protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates tend to provide steadier fuel. And while caffeine can certainly make us feel more alert, needing increasing amounts just to make it through the day may be masking the bigger question of why your energy is so low.
Are You Getting What You Need?
Vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, magnesium, and other nutrients all play important roles in normal body function. Deficiencies can sometimes contribute to fatigue, particularly when dietary restrictions, digestive problems, medications, or difficulty absorbing nutrients are involved.
This is another area where testing can be more helpful than guessing. A cabinet full of supplements isn’t necessarily the same thing as giving your body what it actually needs.
Hormones Can Change the Picture
Energy can also shift during menstruation, pregnancy, the postpartum period, perimenopause, and menopause.
Hormonal changes can affect sleep, body temperature, mood, menstrual bleeding, and energy. They can also overlap with other issues. For example, someone experiencing heavier periods during perimenopause may also develop low iron.
Looking at the whole picture matters.
Tired Isn’t a Diagnosis
There will always be days when you’re tired because that’s part of being human, but persistent fatigue is different.
If you’ve been exhausted for weeks or months, your energy has noticeably changed, or tiredness is interfering with work, exercise, relationships, or everyday life, bring it up with your healthcare provider.
Your energy level is information. Instead of continually finding new ways to push through it, sometimes the most useful thing you can do is stop and ask why you’re so tired in the first place.