Feeling tired is something that many of us can struggle with day-to-day.
Lack of sleep, too much coffee or alcohol, a changing shift pattern, or being unable to sleep at night can all play a factor in making you feel worn out.
As reported by Wales Online, the pandemic has also had an impact, causing people to feel exhausted and more of us were experiencing sleep disturbance in lockdown.
Tiredness can hugely effect your quality of life and if you are feeling constantly drained you should pay a visit or call your GP as a first course of action.
According to the NHS, unexplained tiredness is one of the main reasons for people seeing their doctor.
Your GP will look into everything from stress and anxiety to physical causes like iron deficiency, an underactive thyroid, and sleep apnoea.
But there are also many lifestyle factors that could be at play that you may not have considered.
According to the NHS these are the five main lifestyle causes of tiredness.
Too much alcohol
It's no secret that alcohol disrupts your quality of sleep leaving you feel tired and sluggish.
According to Drink Aware not only does it affect your sleep patterns but alcohol can also see you getting up in the night to go to the toilet as well as making you dehydrated.
The NHS advises sticking to the guidelines of no more than 14 units a week for both men and women.
Not enough exercise
Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress.
During the first lockdown ITV's health editor, Dr Hilary Jones, warned viewers against taking naps in favour of exercise.
He said at the time: "Napping during the day is a no-no. If you nap during the day it will definitely impinge on your quality of sleep at night so try to avoid that."
He continued: "If you feel a little bit sleepy in the afternoon, especially after lunch, keep yourself busy. Get up, get going, walk, maybe do your exercise then."
The NHS points out, however, that too much exercise can also affect how tired you feel.
Napping throughout the day
The NHS agrees with Dr Hilary, listing naps as one of the lifestyle factors in feeling tired.
It states: "If you're tired you may nap during the day, which can make it more difficult to get a good night's sleep."
Caffeine
Too much tea, coffee, and energy drinks can upset sleep and make you feel wound-up as well as tired.
If you're a regular coffee drinker many experts recommend having your last cup at least seven hours before you go to bed.
Night shifts
The NHS also points out that night workers often find they get tired more easily and this is more likely if the timing of the shifts keeps changing.
While there can be many reasons for feeling tired all the time the NHS states: "If you have been feeling constantly tired for more than four weeks it's a good idea to see your GP so they can confirm or rule out a medical condition that could be causing your tiredness."
