NPR

We're All Tired. But When Could Fatigue Mean a Medical Problem?

Avoiding your phone and TV at night and setting a firm bedtime might solve your problem if you feel tired a lot. But fatigue can also be a sign of disease.
Before you consider medical reasons for feeling tired, make sure you're getting enough sleep each night.

When I ask friends how they're doing, "tired" is often part of the response. A 2015 YouGov.com poll found 38 percent of Americans were poorly rested at least four days of the week. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from a few years earlier found that 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men said they were "very tired or exhausted" most days or every day of the week.

"It's very, very common," says , chair of the board of regents for the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
A Lawmaker With A Brain Disease Used Voice Assist To Back Her Bill On The House Floor
Rep. Jennifer Wexton of Virginia was diagnosed last year with rare disease that makes it hard to speak. She still advocated for a bill renaming a post office in her district – and the House passed it.
NPR5 min read
Here Are The Courtroom Sketch Artists Drawing Trump's Hush Money Trial
Elizabeth Williams, Christine Cornell and Jane Rosenberg are among a dwindling group of courtroom sketch artists. "It's about trying to draw the most honest and true and real moment," Williams says.
NPR3 min readWorld
The Eurovision Song Contest Kicked Off With Pop And Protests
Performers representing countries across Europe and beyond took the stage in the first of two Eurovision semifinals in the Swedish city of Malmo, against a backdrop of both parties and protests.

Related Books & Audiobooks