It’s normal to feel waves of tiredness from time to time, especially after busy days or a poor night’s sleep. If you find yourself wanting to take a nap or occasionally feeling an afternoon crash, there’s no cause for concern.
However, feeling tired and regular fatigue are not the same thing. Understanding the differences between fatigue vs. tired can help you determine when it may be necessary to seek medical care.
Fatigue vs. Tired: what’s the difference?
Often, people use the words tired and fatigued interchangeably. However, many medical professionals view fatigue vs. tired as different. Feeling tired is a passing feeling that only happens occasionally and is resolved with proper rest/sleep.
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Find a clinicOn the other hand, fatigue is a persistent, constant exhaustion that can affect your quality of life and your ability to get through the day. In many cases, fatigue isn’t resolved even by getting a good night’s rest. Fatigue can stem from issues other than a lack of sleep, such as underlying medical conditions.
What does it mean to feel tired?
Feeling tired refers to feeling a low level of energy that might include sleepiness, drowsiness or a loss of motivation to do things. Feeling tired is a normal part of everyone’s life and doesn’t necessarily mean there’s any cause for concern.
What is fatigue?
Fatigue is different than feeling tired. Fatigue refers to a lingering tiredness that doesn’t go away and feels like it limits your ability to enjoy your day. Chronic fatigue can leave many people waking up feeling unrested and tired even after a full night’s sleep.1
Fatigue itself isn’t a diagnosis, but rather a symptom of other conditions. In most cases, an underlying medical issue contributes to your fatigue. Feeling regularly fatigued is a sign that it’s time to talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help you identify the root cause of your fatigue so you can better manage your symptoms.
Key signs you may be experiencing fatigue
Fatigue can affect every person differently. There are also different kinds of fatigue that can affect people, such as physiologic fatigue from lifestyle factors or secondary fatigue from underlying health conditions. Some key signs you may be experiencing fatigue include:
- Lack of energy: One of the most noticeable signs of fatigue is a consistent lack of energy. You may feel mentally and physically drained and find it more difficult than usual to perform your normal daily tasks. A major lack of energy can regularly hold you back from enjoying your life to the fullest.
- Drowsiness: You might feel like you can’t make it through the day or want to take more frequent naps. Some people have trouble staying awake and may fall asleep throughout the day.
- Difficulty Thinking: Fatigue can make it hard to think clearly and make decisions as you normally would. If you feel that you can’t make clear decisions because you feel “cloudy”, this could be a sign of fatigue.
If you’ve noticed these feelings recurring, it’s important to speak with a medical professional. Ignoring signs of fatigue could worsen your health outcomes. This is because fatigue can often be a sign from your body that an underlying condition is present.
Common causes of fatigue
If you’re experiencing regular signs of fatigue, it’s normal to wonder if it’s a result of something you’re doing. In some cases, fatigue can be linked to lifestyle choices, such as poor sleep hygiene or excessive alcohol or caffeine intake.2 Some lifestyle habits that can contribute to fatigue include:
- Not enough sleep
- Too little physical movement/activity
- Poor diet/overeating/a diet missing vital nutrients
- Some medications
Lifestyle habits are just one of the reasons you may be experiencing fatigue. Underlying medical conditions can cause fatigue3, such as:
- Anemia (low iron in the blood)
- Infections
- Parkinson’s disease
- Diabetes
- Sleep disorders like sleep apnea or insomnia
- Conditions that cause chronic pain
- Chronic conditions like COPD
- Mental health disorders like anxiety or depression
Some treatments for conditions like cancer can also contribute to fatigue, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapies.
Why the difference matters
In mild cases of fatigue, symptoms may improve at home by adjusting lifestyle factors, such as quitting alcohol or practicing better sleep habits. It’s important to understand the difference between fatigue vs. tired so you can pay attention to red flags that indicate it’s time to see a medical professional.
Signs of general tiredness are a normal response to busy days or a poor night’s sleep, but fatigue can cause an overwhelming lack of energy that greatly impacts your life.
Recognizing the difference between fatigue vs. tired allows older adults and their healthcare providers to identify treatable conditions earlier, and can help you maintain your independence and quality of life.
How to tell if you should see a doctor
If you can pinpoint what’s making you feel tired, you can try adjusting a few lifestyle habits at home to boost your energy. However, if your fatigue lasts more than two weeks or begins to impact your ability to perform your daily tasks, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your provider. Some telltale signs it’s time to seek help include:
- Difficulty getting through the day, even after a good night’s rest
- Trouble managing your daily routine or tasks
- Unable to get through the day without falling asleep/napping frequently
If your fatigue is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be a sign of a medical emergency. While general fatigue is something you can schedule an appointment with your doctor to discuss, fatigue that is with other medical symptoms means you should seek emergency care. If you experience any of the following (along with fatigue), seek care:
- Chest pain or pressure
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Muscle weakness
- Headache or vision issues
- Heart beating too fast or too slow
How to improve energy levels
Regardless of the cause for your low energy levels, maintaining healthy lifestyle habits can always offer some extra support. To reduce fatigue, consider4:
- Practicing better sleep habits: The quality of your sleep depends a lot on a regular sleep routine. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Sleep in a cool, distraction-free environment for the best quality sleep.
- Watch substance use: Using any kind of substance, like alcohol or smoking, can greatly impact your quality of sleep. If you are going to consume a small amount of alcohol, try to do so earlier in the day (instead of right before bed). Limit caffeine and cut it off in the early afternoon.
- Consume healthy foods: Eating too much sugar or processed foods can leave you feeling tired and low on energy. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and eat a well-rounded, balanced diet that includes healthy proteins, carbs and whole foods.
- Exercise and move: Regular movement is healthy for you, but also helps support great sleep. Consider things like water aerobics, yoga and light walking to manage stress and anxiety and promote healthy sleep.
For some older adults, keeping a log of symptoms, or a “fatigue diary”, can make it easier to provide information at a doctor’s appointment.
Keep a log of how much you sleep and how you feel at different times of the day. Telling your provider this information can help them identify recommendations to help you better manage your fatigue. Keeping a log also makes it easier to plan your day around when you feel your best, helping you stay most productive.
How your doctor can help you manage fatigue
Seeking care for fatigue can offer a helping hand in improving your quality of life and restoring your ability to perform regular activities without fatigue.
When you seek professional care from a medical provider, they may run a series of tests to help determine the underlying cause of your fatigue. These tests could include blood work, urine tests or radiology scans. Your medical provider may also:
- Ask questions about your lifestyle habits like smoking, drinking and types of foods you consume
- Ask questions about the medications you take and why you take them
- Conduct a physical examination
- Talk to you about methods to help improve energy levels based on your condition
Fatigue vs. Tired: Seeking Help
Understanding the difference between fatigue vs. tired can help you determine when it’s time to seek medical help for exhaustion. While it’s normal to feel tired at times throughout the day, experiencing regular fatigue may indicate that something else is happening in your body.
You don’t have to face fatigue alone. If you struggle to get through the day or manage your daily tasks, schedule an appointment with a medical professional for help. While many older adults think that fatigue is a normal part of the aging process, this is often not true. Fatigue can be managed through a mix of lifestyle changes, medication changes and treatments for underlying conditions.
References
- 1. Cleveland Clinic. “Fatigue.” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21206-fatigue.
- 2. Mayo Clinic. “Fatigue: Causes.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/fatigue/basics/causes/sym-20050894.
- 3. MedlinePlus. “Fatigue.” https://medlineplus.gov/fatigue.html.
- 4. WebMD. “How Tired Is Too Tired?” https://www.webmd.com/balance/how-tired-is-too-tired.
