Why Am I So Tired After Work? (2024)

FAQs

Why Am I So Tired After Work? ›

Poor diet, even mild dehydration, and alcohol or drug use can contribute to you feeling physically exhausted every day. Underlying medical issues like allergies or intolerances, anemia, chronic disorders, and other conditions can also cause fatigue and are worth getting looked at by a medical professional.

Sometimes, lingering tiredness is just a normal outcome of working, but exhaustion — physical or emotional — can have other causes, too. If you have other unexplained symptoms, including pain, changes in appetite, or stomach distress, it's a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider to rule out other concerns.

So when you're getting eight hours and still feeling tired the next day, it's frustrating. There are four likely culprits behind your low energy: your sleep need is more than eight hours, you're getting less sleep than you think, you've got sleep debt to pay back, or you're out of sync with your circadian rhythm.

Ask, “How can I restore my brain energy after work?” Write down several things that you know will boost your energy: a snack, a glass of water, a brisk walk, a shower, a power nap, listening to music, finding some quiet time, meditating, or connecting with someone else. These are all great ways to refuel your brain.

Fatigue and loss of energy are often symptoms of depression, as is diminished interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy after work. Feeling anxious can also interfere with sleep, and research has shown that poor sleep can then contribute to increased anxiety.

In workplace settings, it is commonly associated with nonstandard schedules, such as night shift work and extended work hours, which disrupt or shorten sleep. Fatigue can also be associated with other workplace factors such as stress, physically or mentally demanding tasks, or working in hot environments.

In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.

The most common reason you're waking up tired is sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is the groggy feeling you get when you first wake up. It can last anywhere from 15 minutes to about two hours, and it's totally normal, even if you've had enough sleep. Sleep inertia is no joke, though.

Is it okay to sleep all day once in awhile? ›

Sleeping a lot isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sleep is important. Not getting enough sleep puts you at risk for health problems, from heart disease to obesity to diabetes. However, sleeping a lot all of a sudden when you didn't before might be a reason to look closely at what is going on with your health.

If you aren't feeling rested when you wake up, despite getting to sleep at least 8 hours prior, then it might not be the quantity of your sleep that's the problem. It could be your sleep quality that needs some attention. The amount of sleep you get is important, but equally important is the quality of that sleep.

Fatigue has been described as “a feeling of weariness, tiredness or lack of energy.”¹ In workplace settings, it is commonly associated with nonstandard schedules which disrupt or shorten sleep. Examples of nonstandard schedules include night shift work and extended work hours.

Energy Sucker #1: Too Much Inactivity

If you've done computer work or worked in an office setting for any length of time, you know how tiring it can be. Your body isn't physically moving to work hard, so it registers the stillness as a sleep opportunity. That, in turn, can make you feel a huge energy drain.

Female fatigue can be caused by high sleep debt, being out of sync with your circadian rhythm, your menstrual cycle and period, pregnancy, menopause, hormonal contraceptives, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and anxiety, medication side effects, and medical conditions like thyroid issues or anemia.

Burnout is one of the most common reasons for having no motivation to work. The combination of mental, physical, and emotional stress can create a sense of persistent exhaustion and detachment.

Generally, when you don't want to go to work, the underlying reasons lie within a few categories: work, home, health, and expectations. Each of these factors could be contributing to feeling like you don't want to work anymore. You don't want to go to work because of the work environment.

Hypersomnia means excessive sleepiness. There are many different causes, the most common in our society being inadequate sleep. This may be due to shiftwork, family demands (such as a new baby), study or social life. Other causes include sleep disorders, medication, and medical and psychiatric illnesses.

Many possible factors cause chronic fatigue, such as underlying medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disturbances, caffeine intake, and chronic stress. If you're experiencing unexplained fatigue, it's important to talk with your doctor to find the cause.

What is work burnout? ›

Job burnout is a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. "Burnout" isn't a medical diagnosis. Some experts think that other conditions, such as depression, are behind burnout.

Possible culprit: A vitamin or mineral deficiency

One possible reason for feeling tired, anxious, and weak is having low levels of iron, vitamin D, or B12. Many experts believe that a significant percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D.

However, most people start experiencing a decline in their energy levels by the time they reach their mid-thirties. And this decline in energy levels can be attributed to various factors, including changes in metabolism, hormonal changes, and lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress.

Common causes of burnout include: lack of adequate social support; taking on more than one can handle at work, school, or interpersonally with family and friends; and poor self-care.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BURNOUT AND FATIGUE

When you are tired, sleep, rest, and hobbies can help you recover from physical exhaustion. Your mind can shift mood and find a way around a problem. With burnout, the fatigue doesn't go away even if you get all your sleep.

Onset of stress phase

As this stage begins, take notice of any physical or mental signs. You may start to lose focus more easily or be less productive when completing tasks. Physically, fatigue can start to set in, making it more difficult to sleep or enjoy activities outside of work.

It is caused by factors that can include stress from significant life events, or changes to your sleep schedule. Or it could be secondary insomnia, which is linked to health conditions like mental health issues, other sleep disorders, illness, or pain — and it can be acute or chronic.

Should you go back to bed if tired? Waking up tired doesn't necessarily mean you should go back to bed and sleep more, especially if you're getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Experiencing a little tiredness upon waking is totally normal and should subside within 15 minutes to an hour.

Is it normal to want to lay in bed all day? ›

Many people enjoy spending a few extra hours in bed on a weekend morning. However, some individuals frequently experience an extreme desire to remain in bed. They may even feel like they cannot get out of bed at all. These feelings and desires may be referred to as dysania, clinomania, or clinophilia.

Oversleeping, or long sleeping, is defined as sleeping more than nine hours. View Source in a 24-hour period. Hypersomnia. View Source describes a condition in which you both oversleep and experience excessive sleepiness during the day.

Light exposure stops the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Staying in Bed Too Long: If you wake up during the night and cannot fall back asleep, experts recommend getting out of bed after 15 to 30 minutes.

For example: a person needing 8 hours of sleep but getting only 6 would build a sleep debt of 2 hours that day. A person with an 8-hour sleep need who gets 6 hours each day for 5 days builds a sleep debt of 10 hours. As sleep debt builds, brain and body functioning deteriorate. Sleep is needed to “pay down” this debt.

What is hypersomnia: “Hypersomnia is when people sleep too much. When they wake up, even though they've slept ten, 12 hours, they don't feel rested. During the daytime, they also get sleepy or have small naps, and therefore hypersomnia lasts all 24 hours.

Lack of energy is a typical symptom for most major diseases, like heart disease, many types of cancer, autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis, and anemia (too few red blood cells). Fatigue also is a common sign of depression and anxiety. And fatigue is a side effect of some medications.

Fatigue is regarded as having an impact on work performance. Government of Alberta, Labour* reports that most incidents occur when people are more likely to want sleep - between midnight and 6 am, and between 1 to 3 pm.

Fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation. Drowsiness and apathy (a feeling of not caring about what happens) can be symptoms that go along with fatigue. Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical activity, emotional stress, boredom, or lack of sleep.

What types of work give you energy? ›

Organizing, strategizing, and writing are other examples of skills that can give you energy, even if you're not good at them right now. If a skill is bubbling up in your mind right now and you feel resistant to it, keep in mind that skills require two things: feedback and practice.

Not everyone wastes the same amount of time, according to wasting time at work statistics. With 89% wasting any amount of time at work, 31% of employees waste around 30 minutes a day and the top 10 percentile waste upwards of 3 hours in the average workday.

Some conditions that cause fatigue include thyroid disorders, iron deficiency anemia, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, and COVID-19. Some other causes of fatigue may involve your diet, sleep, and levels of stress. Lifestyle changes can often improve feelings of fatigue in these situations.

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Excess progesterone can make you sleepy. And if your thyroid -- the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck -- makes too little thyroid hormone, it can sap your energy. A simple blood test called a thyroid panel can tell you if your levels are too low.

Melatonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which can be converted into melatonin, a natural hormone, in the pineal gland. Both of these hormones play a key role in sleep. Melatonin is produced at night and it plays a key role in adjusting your body clock.

It takes an average time of three months to a year to recover from burnout.

Whether it's a power nap after a long day at the office or on a nice, lazy weekend day, naps can help you feel rested and energized. Naps have other health benefits, too. One study found that naps have the potential to boost memory when learning new information or new tasks.

Fatigue has been described as “a feeling of weariness, tiredness or lack of energy.”¹ In workplace settings, it is commonly associated with nonstandard schedules which disrupt or shorten sleep. Examples of nonstandard schedules include night shift work and extended work hours.

Am I burnt out or lazy? ›

Technically, it shouldn't be difficult to tell the difference between burnout and being lazy. Generally, burnout refers to a reaction to prolonged or chronic job-related stress and is typically accompanied by a few defining characteristics, such as exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of reduced professional ability.

Is a Two-Hour Nap Too Long? A 2-hour nap may make you feel groggy after you wake up and you might have trouble falling asleep at night. Aim for napping up to 90 minutes, 120-minutes if necessary. Napping every day for 2 hours could be a sign of sleep deprivation and should be discussed with a doctor.

The 15 minute rule

If, after 15 minutes, you find that you are not asleep, don't stay in bed. if you're still awake after another 15 minutes, get up again and repeat. This helps with associating your bed with sleep and has been found to be one of the nost effective strategies to address long-term sleep difficulties.

Lack of physical or mental energy. Inability to stay awake or alert. Accidentally falling asleep, such as when driving or operating heavy machinery. Inability to maintain or complete an activity.

Presently, no OSHA standard to regulate extended and unusual shifts in the workplace exists. A work period of eight consecutive hours over five days with at least eight hours of rest in between shifts defines a standard shift. Any shift that goes beyond this standard is considered to be extended or unusual.

So how much work is too much? A recent study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization shows that working more than 55 hours a week can have negative effects on your health. So what can you do to achieve a better work-life balance?