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Ask Dr. Folasade Alli: Is My Persistent Lack of Energy Normal?
I am always tired and lacking energy. Could this be normal?
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It is not normal to always feel tired. There could be an underlying medical cause. Some signs to look out for include:
- Feeling exhausted when you wake up in the morning, especially after sufficient hours of sleep.
- Feeling sleepy and/or tired during the day while driving and/or working and/or observing your usual activities.
- Feeling short of breath.
Thankfully, many of the underlying medical causes of persistent fatigue are treatable. Examples of these causes include anaemia, sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, certain medications, allergies, fever, anxiety or depression, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, an under active thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), and some other medical conditions.
I suggest you check with a doctor to help flesh out the root cause of your lack of energy. Certain lab and non-invasive tests may need to be done in order to diagnose the medical cause.
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