Is it “normal” to feel this exhausted after work?

[Saddlesoap]

Not to sound like your mum, but are you drinking enough water?

 

[Pixipoppy]

Every day when I finish work I just want to lie down. I usually have a headache, am ravenously hungry and my eyes just won’t stay open. I have no motivation and it’s so hard to do anything with my evening. I’ll get the odd day where I feel alright, but most evenings are a write off at the moment. I have a stressful job but it’s not long hours, and I get about 7/8 hours sleep a night. I can never arrange to do anything after work as I just don’t know what I’ll feel like. I’m taking painkillers daily for headaches (which is an issue in itself!) and usually have fallen asleep on the sofa by 9pm. I feel like I’m 80 years old at 32 Whenever I tell people they say they’re the same?! Is this normal then, I feel like it can’t be! How do people look after kids and work second jobs?!

 

[Jellybeansoup]

How long have you felt like this? Are you in the UK?

lockdown has made me adapt some weird habits and problems I never had before. I used to be the worlds best sleeper now I’m lucky if I get a full night, most days I’m irritable and snappy which is completely unlike me. My point being is that lockdown could be majorly affecting you without you realising?

 

[Jellybeansoup]

Can I just say it’s so nice to see how much this community cares all of this advice and real concern is literally heart warming

 

[Notworthy]

Maybe ask for your b12 levels to be checked as well as iron. I have a b12 deficiency and could barely function at 15 when I was first diagnosed. I now have injections every 12 weeks and I’m still tired but it’s a million times better

GP's are really poor at picking up deficiences like Vitamin B and Vitamin D, I think they get extra money for handing out anti depressants. My son spent 18 months going back and forth to the GP, brain fog, fatigue, leg pain, by the end he was sleeping 22 hours a day, they desperately tried to get him on anti depressants but he refused, eventually he had a locum instead of one of the normal GPs that checked his vitamin d levels and he had none. 8 weeks of massive dosing and he was fine, sadly he had already had to leave University by then so he got a lovely £9k debt for nothing thanks to his GPs complete incompetence.

 

[Pixipoppy]

Thank you everyone for your advice, sorry I can’t quote everyone!

it’s only midday and I already feel like I need a lie down, I just feel wiped out - like I’ve not slept all night despite having a decent amount!

The first thing I’m going to try is taking some vitamin D and iron supplements - I currently take a multivitamin but maybe I need something a bit stronger.

Im going to get my eyes tested just so the gp can rule that out as a cause of the headaches. I’ll book an appointment with my gp, it’ll probably be a telephone consultation but that’s better than nothing. It’s definitely getting worse, I used to have the odd day like this but now it’s every day - my head feels so heavy and throbbing all the time and my eyes just want to close! It doesn’t help that my job is hectic at the moment but this never used to be an issue for me!

 

[Definitelyme]

Have you had your iron levels checked? Low iron could contribute to the tiredness and can cause headaches (albeit not so commonly).

 

[mochibean]

Unless you work very early mornings then I'd say it's not normal to be this tired. You could maybe be depressed as another poster has suggested? It can really wear you out, even from doing the bare minimum. Also get a blood test just to check your body is functioning at it's best, deficiencies and low iron levels are very normal and can make you very very tired.

I always feel exhausted but I do wake up at 3am every day. It's tough to be so tired all the time so I hope you get it sorted.

 

[Flowergirl123]

I literally could’ve written your post, OP. I was feeling the same since the start of the year, zero energy to do anything after work, barely managing to roll out of bed 10 mins before my first meeting in the morning and spending the weekend on the couch. Couch naps were all I did all the time, even with a full night of sleep.

I went to my GP two weeks ago and had blood tests done and she said my iron levels were high and she’s concerned about my thyroid so I’m going back for more bloods this week. Aside from that, the lack of energy and motivation (and general feeling down) she attributed to potentially depression. She recommended therapy but that wasn’t for me so she prescribed me an anti-depressant. Been on it nearly 2 weeks now and I just came back from a 40 minute post-work walk.

I obviously can’t speak to your situation but highly recommend speaking to your GP. I felt much better having spoken to her about how I was feeling and getting everything tested, and now today was the first day I properly had energy and a motivation to do something again.

 

[Maria**]

I would go to your GP... I have a underactive thyroid and your symptoms sound v familiar x

 

[Notworthy]

Get your Vitamin D levels checked, its the end of winter and peak time for those to be on the low side

I literally could’ve written your post, OP. I was feeling the same since the start of the year, zero energy to do anything after work, barely managing to roll out of bed 10 mins before my first meeting in the morning and spending the weekend on the couch. Couch naps were all I did all the time, even with a full night of sleep.

I went to my GP two weeks ago and had blood tests done and she said my iron levels were high and she’s concerned about my thyroid so I’m going back for more bloods this week. Aside from that, the lack of energy and motivation (and general feeling down) she attributed to potentially depression. She recommended therapy but that wasn’t for me so she prescribed me an anti-depressant. Been on it nearly 2 weeks now and I just came back from a 40 minute post-work walk.

I obviously can’t speak to your situation but highly recommend speaking to your GP. I felt much better having spoken to her about how I was feeling and getting everything tested, and now today was the first day I properly had energy and a motivation to do something again.

Did your GP check Vitamin D levels before offering Anti depressants.

 

[Kandy floss]

GP's are really poor at picking up deficiences like Vitamin B and Vitamin D, I think they get extra money for handing out anti depressants. My son spent 18 months going back and forth to the GP, brain fog, fatigue, leg pain, by the end he was sleeping 22 hours a day, they desperately tried to get him on anti depressants but he refused, eventually he had a locum instead of one of the normal GPs that checked his vitamin d levels and he had none. 8 weeks of massive dosing and he was fine, sadly he had already had to leave University by then so he got a lovely £9k debt for nothing thanks to his GPs complete incompetence.

They definitely are! They tested me for leukaemia before a vitamin deficiency and even after I was diagnosed and fainted in my doctors during one of my loading injections and got taken to hospital they did a pregnancy test and tried to blame it on me being pregnant (I wasn’t).

I’ve been on them for 11 years and have recently had to fight to remain on them after my GP said I don’t need them. They don’t understand how debilitating a vitamin deficiency can be.

Sorry to hear about your son! That’s awful.

 

[Kandy floss]

Maybe ask for your b12 levels to be checked as well as iron. I have a b12 deficiency and could barely function at 15 when I was first diagnosed. I now have injections every 12 weeks and I’m still tired but it’s a million times better

 

[Rahrah]

Get a blood test, I used to feel like this and had an over active thyroid-I was incapable of doing anything but go to work and sleep. Started the medication and was back to normal.

 

[Tublet83]

I had the same headaches - well I called them headaches the opticians said they were migraines, would leave me floored on an evening and really dehydrated the next day.

got my eyes checked been I told I have eye strain and now have to wear vdu glasses for working on the laptop, and they’ve worked! The headaches have gone!

Your employer should pay for your eye test, I went through occupational health to get mine.

 

[Penguinandthepinecone]

I think if your job is mentally draining then that can make you feel permanently tired, whereas a physical/manual job but very low stress you would probably have more energy after work. Depression can also make you feel very tired.

 

[wakametango]

Every day when I finish work I just want to lie down. I usually have a headache, am ravenously hungry and my eyes just won’t stay open. I have no motivation and it’s so hard to do anything with my evening. I’ll get the odd day where I feel alright, but most evenings are a write off at the moment. I have a stressful job but it’s not long hours, and I get about 7/8 hours sleep a night. I can never arrange to do anything after work as I just don’t know what I’ll feel like. I’m taking painkillers daily for headaches (which is an issue in itself!) and usually have fallen asleep on the sofa by 9pm. I feel like I’m 80 years old at 32 Whenever I tell people they say they’re the same?! Is this normal then, I feel like it can’t be! How do people look after kids and work second jobs?!

I don’t have any advice unfortunately but I’ve felt like this since my mid twenties (34 now). I used to say how can a 25 year old be THIS tired? I’d struggle to stay awake after work. I have a busy high pressure job but I’m the same when I’m off work too. Iron fine, I lack motivation and energy in general and it’s an issue in my relationship as I never want to walk the dog and put off small tasks round the house, which he ends up doing.
I put it down to low dopamine because my diet isn’t to blame either. Fruit, veg, bit of meat and home cooked food. I just have to consciously make an effort to do things otherwise I will happily sit and do nothing for days, which then in turn makes me feel worse. I’m also very unimpressed by things (we laugh and say it’s a family trait) but I will rarely get excited about things (I sound miserable, joke is if you spoke to me you’d think I was a right laugh. No one sees the tired mood swings at home! Just my partner) Baby due soon so wondering how I’ll be as a mum :/

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

I used to be like that. I went to the Dr and I had a B12 deficiency, anaemia and was low in vitamin D. In the end it turned out I had coeliac disease and that’s why I wasn’t absorbing vitamins.

I would as well though, make sure you’re eating enough fruit and veg and make sure you’re drinking enough water in work too.

your tiredness could be nothing, but it’s always worth speaking to the dr if you’re feeling like something is wrong.

 

[MyLittlePony25]

it’s definitely worth getting a blood test to check iron, sodium and everything in general. I know when my iron is low I am very tired and I also feel very cold.
have you had your eyes tested recently? It’s worth having an eye test if you are getting daily headaches.
make sure you are drinking enough too, water or squash if you don’t like plain water like me!
I’m the same age as you and often feel very tired but I have underlying health conditions and have chronic insomnia

Do go and get an MOT just to put your mind at rest and rule out anything xx

 

[BettyCrockerr]

I don’t have any advice unfortunately but I’ve felt like this since my mid twenties (34 now). I used to say how can a 25 year old be THIS tired? I’d struggle to stay awake after work. I have a busy high pressure job but I’m the same when I’m off work too. Iron fine, I lack motivation and energy in general and it’s an issue in my relationship as I never want to walk the dog and put off small tasks round the house, which he ends up doing.
I put it down to low dopamine because my diet isn’t to blame either. Fruit, veg, bit of meat and home cooked food. I just have to consciously make an effort to do things otherwise I will happily sit and do nothing for days, which then in turn makes me feel worse. I’m also very unimpressed by things (we laugh and say it’s a family trait) but I will rarely get excited about things (I sound miserable, joke is if you spoke to me you’d think I was a right laugh. No one sees the tired mood swings at home! Just my partner) Baby due soon so wondering how I’ll be as a mum :/

Please seek help from your GP because you sound like you are suffering from depression, and you don’t have to live like this. I’d get ahead of it now before the baby arrives. Be mindful of the drop in mood/feeling blue after birth and make sure you & your partner are clued up on post natal depression. I’d also talk about this with your midwife so that they and health visitors can be a support to you all