Why Are We All So Tired?

It feels like everyone is tired at the moment. Friends, colleagues, the person in front of you at the cafe, and quite possibly you. And it's not always the kind of tired that a good night's sleep fixes, but the kind that follows you around all day.

As a naturopath, I don't think there's one answer to why. Tiredness is usually a few things stacking up at once, and the good news is that a lot of them are things we can gently change. Here are the ones I think are worth looking at first.

We're running on a lot of stress.

Most of us are juggling more than we realise: work, family, a phone that never really switches off and a to-do list that refills itself overnight. Our bodies are very good at coping with short bursts of stress, but when it's constant it can leave us feeling flat and drained. It's worth asking what you're carrying right now, and whether there's anything you can put down, even for a little while.

Our sleep isn't as restful as it could be.

Being in bed for a long time isn't always the same as sleeping well. Bright screens late at night, a racing mind and irregular bedtimes can all get in the way of deep, restful sleep, and we feel it the next day. A simple wind-down routine can help, and we've written about a few ways to build one in 5 Rituals For A Good Night's Sleep and Sleep Hygiene: Create a Wind-Down Routine.

We're leaning on caffeine to get through.

When we're tired, another coffee is the obvious answer. But caffeine late in the day can make it harder to wind down at night, which can leave us more tired tomorrow and reaching for even more coffee. I'm not here to tell anyone to give up their coffee. It's more about noticing how much you're having, when you're having it and how you feel afterwards. If you're curious, we take a closer look in Matcha vs Coffee: What's the Actual Difference?

What we eat and drink matters too.

Skipped meals, a lot of quick sugar and not enough water can all leave us feeling foggy and low on energy by mid-afternoon. Eating regularly, with some protein, healthy fats and fibre, and keeping your water up through the day tends to give us a steadier kind of energy than the spike and crash of a sugary snack.

We're not moving, or getting outside, as much as we need to.

It sounds counterintuitive, but when we're tired the last thing we feel like doing is moving. Yet a short walk outside, with some natural light, can do more for our energy than another coffee. It doesn't need to be a workout. A gentle stroll around the block is a good start.

Sometimes there's more going on.

If you've been tired for a long time, or it's getting in the way of your daily life, please don't just push through. Ongoing tiredness can have underlying causes, and things like iron levels, B12 and thyroid function are commonly checked. Big life changes such as pregnancy, a new baby or perimenopause can also play a part, although I think it's important not to automatically put every symptom down to one potential cause. The best next step is to have your bloods checked and speak to your GP or healthcare practitioner. A cup of tea can be a lovely part of your routine, but it never replaces that.

Where a cup of tea fits in.

None of this is a quick fix, and I don't think there is one. But a few minutes of making and sipping a proper cup of tea is a small ritual that gives your day a natural pause, and some blends can be a helpful part of it.

If you're reaching for a coffee in the afternoon, Energise is our bright, caffeine-free blend with sweet papaya and zesty, spicy herbs, for a pause and reset without another coffee. When there's a lot on your mind, Adapt is a blend I formulated with stress support and mental clarity in mind, with ashwagandha, gotu kola, nettle, brahmi and spearmint. And for winding down in the evening, Serenity is a floral, grounding blend that supports the nervous and digestive systems. (Serenity may not be suitable for those with a bee allergy.)

If you're not sure whether you're just run down, our post on 6 Signs Your Body Might Need More Rest is a good place to start. And if you only change one thing this week, pick whichever one from this list felt most familiar, and start there.