Feeling constantly tired can really bring you down, sap your productivity and even lead to moments of unintended snoozing.
But there might be underlying reasons for that persistent drowsiness. NHS GP Doctor Shireen, who regularly shares health tips on TikTok, has highlighted common causes for fatigue in a recent video.
In the informative post, she advises people to consult their GP and suggests starting with comprehensive blood tests to identify the root cause.
Doctor Shireen explains: “This will help us see if you’ve got something called anaemia. Anaemia is when your hemoglobin levels are low.
“Hemoglobin is found in the blood, and it carries oxygen around your blood to your organs. If this is low, you will feel tired.”
She also points out, particularly for women of childbearing age, the importance of checking iron levels, noting: “When you bleed every month, if you’re having a menstrual cycle or a withdrawal bleed if you’re on the pill, then you’re losing iron every month, and that can also cause you to be anaemic.”
The doctor added: “Low iron levels not only will make you feel tired, but they’ll also make you lose your hair, they’ll make your nails brittle. There’ll be so many other side effects to it.”
While many factors can contribute to people often feeling tired, these are some of the more common causes. Anyone who is concerned about persistent fatigue should seek professional medical advice to identify the root cause.
After Doctor Shireen uploaded her explanatory video online, it quickly garnered over 3,000 views, with numerous viewers sharing their own experiences.
Amongst the comments, one person shared: “I’ve had full bloods, hormones, allergy ones, heart scans and everything is ‘normal’. I’m shattered, and have been for months!”
Another commented: “I just started taking Vitamin D tablets a few weeks ago, and I can’t believe the difference in my energy levels.”
A third also wrote: “I’m anaemic with low blood pressure. My mood is on the floor.”