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Always feeling tired? Experts share 4 common causes of daytime fatigue

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Always feeling tired? Experts share 4 common causes of daytime fatigue

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If you’re always tired, you’re not alone. 

Forty percent of adults say fatigue interferes with their daily activities at least three days a week, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

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So, why are so many people tired during the day?

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Fox News Digital spoke with several sleep experts about common reasons for daytime sleepiness — and how to ensure the right amount of rest for mental and physical wellness.

Check out these four issues. 

1. Poor sleep habits

While constantly feeling tired can be linked to many factors, it all starts with getting the right sleep.

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That’s according to Tim Roberts, VP of science and innovation at Therabody, a Texas-based wellness technology company.

Some 40% of adults say that fatigue interferes with their daily activities at least three days a week, according to the National Sleep Foundation. (iStock)

“The first thing to evaluate when building improved and healthy sleep habits should be your sleep schedule,” he told Fox News Digital.

Evaluate whether you can actually get seven to eight hours — and if there is a consistent sleep schedule in which you go to bed and wake up at similar times all week long.

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Next, assess whether you’ve created a sleep environment that is conducive to helping you sleep better. “Think cool, dark, quiet and comfortable,” said Roberts. 

2. Stress-triggered restlessness

Many people have trouble falling asleep and then wake up frequently during the night, causing them to feel tired during the day, said Dr. Kathrin Hamm, sleep expert and founder of Bearaby, a New York City sleep and wellness company.

“The root cause of nighttime restlessness for many people seems to be related to anxiety or stress,” she told Fox News Digital. 

man struggling to sleep

A common reason for daytime fatigue is that people have trouble falling asleep and then wake up frequently during the night. (iStock)

“It’s not uncommon for the human nervous system to need sensory support to destress, to be able to naturally shift from sympathetic (fight or flight) to parasympathetic (rest and digest),” she went on. 

“When our bodies struggle to make this nervous system shift, it often affects sleep quality.”

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3. Vitamin deficiency

Constant fatigue can sometimes be caused by a deficiency in essential nutrients crucial for optimal energy production, according to Grant Antoine, a naturopathic doctor and clinical expert at Viome, a Washington-based biochemistry company focused on diet and lifestyle. 

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“Leaping toward supplements like B vitamins, Coenzyme Q10 or NAD precursors without a thorough understanding could be counterproductive,” he said. 

Antoine recommends taking a personalized approach to supplements, starting with a comprehensive assessment to ensure that you’re getting the right mix of nutrients for your individual biochemistry and energy needs.

4. Blue light at night

The use of technology before bed can contribute to a poor sleeping environment, experts agree.

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“Some technologies, particularly those with screens that emit blue light, can be detrimental to your sleep, but more recently, technologies that can help calm the mind and relax areas of tension in the body have been shown to improve sleep quality when used as part of the bedtime routine,” Roberts said. 

“The root cause of nighttime restlessness for many people seems to be related to anxiety or stress.”

“By focusing on these things, it is possible to improve sleep quality, alleviate persistent tiredness and enhance overall well-being,” he added.

Hamm agreed that blue light is a common culprit.

Woman tired at work

Constant fatigue can sometimes be caused by a deficiency in essential nutrients crucial for optimal energy production, an expert said. (iStock)

“Light impacts our sleep/wake rhythms greatly, so if you’re surrounded by blue light from your devices right up until you try to sleep, you may have a difficult time drifting off,” she told Fox News Digital. 

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“Good sleep hygiene is all about syncing up with your body’s natural rhythms.”

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Above all, the key to quality sleep is to find the methods, environments and positions that are best for you, experts said. 

“Sleep health is highly personalized. Some of us are side sleepers, some of us are stomach sleepers,” Hamm said. 

man sleeps in bed

The key to quality sleep is to find the methods, environments and positions that are best for you, experts said.  (iStock)

“Some people prefer to sleep ‘cozy,’ while others prefer cool and breathable bedding. The key is to figure out what your personal preferences are, and from there curate a consistent bedtime routine.”

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Common sleep hygiene practices that benefit most people are to rest in a dark environment by using a sleep mask or black-out curtains, and to maintain a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, Hamm said.

“If your fatigue seems to last all day, it’s always best to visit a health care professional to help determine whether there might be an underlying medical condition requiring attention,” she added.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

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These Are the Best Cheeses for Weight Loss—#3 Was Not What We Expected

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Higher stroke risk linked to consuming certain amount of alcohol, study finds

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Higher stroke risk linked to consuming certain amount of alcohol, study finds

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A new study suggests that pouring a third drink could mean trouble for your brain. 

Harvard researchers have found that people who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day may suffer a stroke more than a decade earlier than people who drink less.

The research, published this week in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, links heavy drinking to not just earlier strokes, but also larger, deadlier brain bleeds and long-term brain damage.

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The study analyzed data from 1,600 adults averaging 75 years of age who were hospitalized for intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of stroke caused by bleeding inside the brain. 

During their hospital stays, participants were asked about their drinking habits, either directly or through family members.

Harvard researchers have found that people who drink three or more alcoholic drinks a day may suffer a stroke more than a decade earlier than people who drink less. (iStock)

Of the 1,600 participants, about 7% were classified as heavy drinkers.

The researchers defined heavy drinking as having three or more drinks daily, where one drink equals a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor.

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Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeds and whether patients showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that damages tiny blood vessels in the brain and is linked to aging, high blood pressure and dementia.

Heavy drinkers experienced brain bleeds at an average age of 64, compared to 75 for non-heavy drinkers, an 11-year gap. Their brain bleeds were also 70% larger on average.

Wine glass

Researchers defined “heavy drinking” as having three or more drinks daily, where one drink equals a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor. (Getty Images)

Heavy drinkers were also twice as likely to have bleeding deep in the brain and nearly twice as likely to have bleeding that spread into the brain’s fluid-filled spaces, a serious complication called intraventricular extension, the study found.

Additionally, they were three times more likely to have severe white matter damage, which is linked to long-term cognitive decline and brain aging.

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While alcohol has previously been tied to stroke risk, this research shows it may also accelerate small vessel disease, making the brain more vulnerable to severe strokes and slower recovery, according to lead author Dr. M. Edip Gurol of Harvard University.

“Reducing heavy alcohol use may not only lower a person’s risk of bleeding stroke, but it may also slow the progression of cerebral small vessel disease, which in turn may reduce the chances of having another stroke, cognitive decline and long-term disability,” Gurol said in a press release.

“Heavier drinking is also associated with high blood pressure, which is a contributing factor for this type of stroke.”

Jennifer Tujague, chief scientist at the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD) in Washington, D.C., was not involved in the study but shared her reaction with Fox News Digital.

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“These results appear to be consistent with previous epidemiological studies that have found an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke associated with heavier drinking levels,” she said.

“Heavier drinking is also associated with high blood pressure, which is a contributing factor for this type of stroke.”

MRI brain scans

Heavy drinkers in the study had brain bleeds that were 70% larger than those in non-heavy drinkers, researchers found. (iStock)

There were some limitations to the study, the authors noted, including that it was a cross-sectional study design, which means it looked at data from a single point in time rather than following people over a longer period.

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Due to that, researchers can’t say for sure whether drinking caused the strokes or just made them worse. 

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Alcohol use was also self-reported, meaning people might have underestimated or overestimated how much they drank. Lifetime drinking habits also weren’t available.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Distilled Spirits Council for comment.

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Yes, You Can Eat Candy and Lose Weight—These Sugar-Free Picks Make It Easy

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