Tiredness and sleepiness is not a symptom that defines any one particular disease. Rather, it can be a symptom of many different diseases and conditions. Causes range from lack of sleep and over exercise to medical and surgical treatments. The lack of energy can sometimes cause difficulty with normal daily activities, leading to problems with attentiveness and concentration.

Fatigue is a lingering feeling of tiredness that is constant and limiting. With fatigue, you have unexplained, persistent, and relapsing exhaustion. It's similar to how you feel when you have the flu or have missed a lot of sleep. If you have chronic fatigue, or systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID), you may wake in the morning feeling as though you haven’t slept. You may be unable to function at work or be productive at home and be too exhausted to manage your daily activities.

Excessive sleepiness is characterized by persistent sleepiness and often a general lack of energy, even after apparently adequate or even prolonged night time sleep. In most cases, there's a reasonable explanation for the fatigue and sleepiness. It might be a condition such as allergic rhinitis (nasal problem), anaemia (a deficiency of red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood, resulting in tiredness), fibromyalgia (a disorder causing muscular pain and fatigue) depression or some other health condition.

When the fatigue and sleepiness doesn’t go away for long periods of time, it may be chronic fatigue syndrome or any of a number of sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

When to seek expert advice

If you are facing excessive fatigue and sleepiness during the day which makes it difficult for you to function, seek help from your doctor working with the Section of Neurology at The Aga Khan University Hospital. You can be assured of receiving the best quality medical care, additional information and medical advice from our expert, highly trained and internationally accredited staff. You can safely and privately discuss your symptoms, gain advice and receive personalized treatment and care.

Disclaimer

The information provided on our website is for educational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your doctor or other healthcare professional provider.