Why Am I So Tired?

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This blog post is five days late, and I am sure my editor is not happy with me. Thankfully she loves me so much that you all will be able to read this without mistakes because she will still take the time to make me sound like a fantastic writer.

So, why is it late?

One word: FATIGUE.

A tired mom eating at a restaurant.
A candid picture of me out to eat with my husband and the kids feeling exhausted.

Why Am I So Tired?

When I was 16 years old, I remember sleeping on the couch in the middle of the day. I was so tired that I could hear what everyone around me was saying but could not get up. My mom had a friend over, saying, “I think something is wrong with my baby because all she does is sleep.”

She was right. All I did was sleep, and I did not understand why I was so tired. Thankfully she followed her instincts and decided to take me to the doctor to find out what was going on.

We found out that my iron was low again. Yes, I had dealt with anemia as a child, but it had returned with a vengeance. I LOVED sweet tea and would make a gallon of it every day for our family.

Unfortunately, we found out that my love for sweet tea was the cause of my anemia. Sweet tea can deplete your iron by 80%. So something as simple as drinking tea was making me extremely tired. Caffeinated drinks can also reduce iron absorption, so a cup of coffee or bottle of soda can hurt as well if you already have low iron.

WOW, this is why I was tired!

Well, that was my experience years ago, but what about now?

I have been so tired lately that I am falling asleep fully clothed. We have all done it at some point, but when it happens often, something may be wrong. You know the feeling of constantly having to push yourself out of bed at the last minute to rush and get the kids off to school on time. At some point, either before or after the kids are gone, you try your best to get yourself together so that you do not look as tired as you feel.

It takes everything out of you to get through the day. And there is still more to be done – the laundry, dishes, preparing for the meetings, or in my case, writing this blog post. But you cannot find the energy to get it done, not to mention the inability to focus. I hear you because I am saying the same thing: “Why am I so tired and fatigued?”

What I have realized is that when we feel this way as women and moms, we often attribute it to having so much to do, but the reality is when it gets to this point, we have to make sure we listen to our bodies and take to time to take care of ourselves. We make sure our children, spouse, parents, etc., get cared for, but we don’t stop to ensure that we are okay.

A simple internet search will yield a long list of reasons that can cause chronic fatigue. Some of those reasons are:

  • Stress
  • Lack of sleep
  • Nutrient deficiencies such as low iron, victim D, or vitamin B12
  • Inadequate hydration
  • Too much caffeine
  • Certain medications
  • Menopause
  • More serious medical conditions

Although some of this seems simple and easy to fix with some lifestyle changes, it is not always that easy. If you have been asking yourself, “Why am I so tired?” you should get an annual checkup with your primary care physician. If you have, but you are starting to feel tired and fatigued more than usual, then make the time to see your doctor again.

I did, and even though I am still fatigued, at least I now know why (a story for another time), and together with my doctor, we are working to change things. Of course, this means we have to make time to put ourselves first.

I know this can be hard for us moms to do, but if we don’t, then we rob ourselves, our children, family, and friends of the very best version of us!

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