Why am I tired all the time?

Symptoms:

» You feel like life’s too much effort and nothing is worthwhile, you feel useless and worthless, you’re tired all the time and want to stay in bed all day.

» You’re short of breath and are having palpitations, you’re tired all the time and seem to have no energy.

» Your voice has become hoarse, you feel the cold even in warm weather, you’ve put on a lot of weight and your hair is falling out.

It could be:

» Clinical depression where your negative thoughts affect the way you think, feel and behave. Everything seems black and you can’t just snap out of it, your spirits are too low.

» Anaemia which has several causes, the most common of which is iron deficiency. The blood’s capacity to carry oxygen is diminished.

» Hypothyroidism where the thyroid gland isn’t producing enough thyroid hormone to control your metabolism. There’s often a history of thyroid disease in the family.

Stop it:

» This is serious and you should see your doctor as soon as possible. The future may seem black but most people with depression are helped with therapy, drugs and talking. Enlist support from your best friend.

» See your doctor for blood tests and treatment appropriate for the type of anaemia you have. For iron deficiency anaemia you may have to take iron tablets for several months or have iron injections.

» See your doctor for assessment and treatment. If you do have hypothyroidism you’ll need to take thyroid hormone tablets daily for the rest of your life.