Why Am I Tired All the Time? The Link Between Mental Health and Fatigue

If you feel exhausted all the time, even after a full night’s sleep, you’re not alone. Millions of young adults struggle with ongoing fatigue, low energy, and a persistent sense of exhaustion that can’t be fixed with coffee or rest. And often, the root cause isn’t just physical. Mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, trauma, and stress can drain your energy as much as any physical illness.

The answer to the question, “Why am I so tired all the time?” is a nuanced combination of environmental, biological, and psychological factors. Some of these factors can be addressed through changes to your routine, but fatigue can often signal more serious underlying mental health concerns, such as depression.

Here are some reasons you might be mentally exhausted, common causes of fatigue, and ways you can stop feeling overly tired all the time.

What You’ll Learn

• What makes people feel tired all the time?
• What’s the difference between emotional exhaustion and mental exhaustion?
• Why do depression and anxiety make you tired?
• What are some effective strategies for reducing ongoing fatigue and exhaustion?

Mental vs. Emotional Exhaustion

Mental fatigue, also called cognitive fatigue or emotional exhaustion, is a state of persistent tiredness that stems from ongoing mental and emotional strain. It goes beyond the typical stress you might feel from a busy day or week. Unlike the temporary effects of a long day, mental exhaustion compounds with time. You might have trouble focusing, feel emotionally flat, or feel like your brain is in a fog. This can stem from chronic challenges with depression, anxiety, illness, physical health issues, life stressors, neurodivergence, and more.

You can also feel tired all the time from as a result of emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion refers to burnout that stems from navigating overwhelming or painful emotions, like grief, loneliness, anxiety, and anger. Mental exhaustion is often the result of juggling too many tasks or responsibilities without sufficient breaks, or having to constantly problem-solve or work through stressors.

These experiences often overlap. Both impact your ability to feel energized, think clearly, regulate emotions, and feel motivated.

Why We Feel Tired When We’re Stressed or Depressed

Why does stress or sadness in our minds manifest as fatigue in our bodies? The answer lies in the mind-body connection. Stress triggers the nervous system to go into fight-or-flight, causing the body to release chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones give us energy to cope with stressors in the short term. But in the long term, the body’s stress reactions leave us drained and tired.

Being tired is also a common symptom of depression. That’s because depression also creates imbalances in brain chemicals, including serotonin and dopamine. In addition to impacting mood, these chemicals help regulate energy levels and feelings of motivation. That helps explain why 40 percent of people with major depressive disorder experience fatigue, according to a 2024 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Symptoms of Mental and Emotional Fatigue

Fatigue related to mental health doesn’t show up the same way for everyone. It can affect you emotionally, physically, and behaviorally. Here are some of the physical and mental signs of emotional exhaustion:

• Irritability or mood swings
• Feeling emotionally numb or disconnected
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Depression and hopelessness
• Headaches
• Muscle tension or chronic pain
• Insomnia or excessive sleep
• Feeling tired all the time, even after rest
• Procrastination or avoidance
• Withdrawing from friends or loved ones
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Reduced work or academic performance

When it’s not addressed, mental fatigue can snowball, leading to more serious issues like chronic illness, major depression, or substance use as a way to cope.

Causes of Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time is rarely the result of just one thing. It’s often a combination of factors that accumulate over time. Some common causes include:

• Work or school pressures: Unrealistic expectations, burnout, and long hours
• Academic demands: College stress, pressure to succeed, or perfectionism
• Family stress: Caregiving for loved ones, conflict at home, or other relationship challenges
• Life transitions: Grieving, moving, changing jobs, having a baby, or breakups
• Lack of downtime: Constant screen time and “brain rot,” no breaks, or a go-go-go mentality
• Poor sleep: Irregular sleep schedules, too much screen time at night, insomnia due to stress, anxiety, or depression
• Unresolved trauma: Past emotional wounds that continue to impact you in 1968the present
• Mental health issues: Untreated anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and neurodivergence can amplify feelings of exhaustion.

Chronic fatigue is often a signal that your nervous system is overwhelmed and needs a reset.

Medical Reasons You Might Be Tired All the Time

While mental health plays a huge role in fatigue, physical health matters, too. Some medical conditions and deficiencies can completely drain your energy, including:

• Vitamin deficiencies: Low iron, B12, or vitamin D can cause fatigue
• Autoimmune diseases: Conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can sap energy
• Thyroid issues: Atypical thyroid activity can cause unexplained tiredness
• Sleep disorders: Sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome
• Chronic infections or illness: Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr, or post-viral fatigue

A comprehensive medical checkup can help rule out or treat underlying physical issues.

Self-Help Strategies for Energy Restoration

If you’re feeling mentally exhausted or emotionally drained, it can be challenging to take steps toward making needed changes. However, there are compassionate, accessible ways to begin feeling more restored. A combination of lifestyle changes and coping skills can help you get there.

Sleep Consistency

Do what you can to go to bed and wake up at the same time as often as possible, even on your days off. This helps balance your circadian rhythm, improve sleep quality, and regulate your overall mental and physical health.

• Use a wind-down alarm to remind you to start getting ready for bed.
• Keep electronics out of the bedroom if possible.
• Consider blackout curtains or a white noise machine to support uninterrupted sleep.

Gentle Workouts

You don’t need intense workouts to feel better. Gentle, intentional movement can go a long way.

• Try a short yoga flow or gentle stretching when you wake up, as a midday break, or before bed.
• Take a walk outside without your phone, simply observing your surroundings.
• Explore low-impact options like swimming, tai chi, or dancing to music in your living room.

Mindfulness

Practicing presence can calm your nervous system and ease emotional fatigue.

• Set aside 5–10 minutes for deep breathing or guided meditation using an app or YouTube video.
• Try journaling in the morning or evening to process your thoughts and feelings.
• Explore grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 method to bring your attention back to the present moment.

Connection

Human connection is vital for emotional well-being, especially when you’re feeling depleted.

• Reach out to a trusted friend or family member just to check in.
• Join a support group (in person or online) where others understand what you’re going through.
• Connect with the environment around you. Get outside in green spaces whenever possible.
• Consider volunteering or joining a class or club to rebuild social support in low-pressure ways.

Time Away from Screens

Constant screen time can overstimulate your brain and disrupt rest.

• Take regular screen breaks during the day.
• Set time limits for social media and news apps.
• Replace evening scrolling or tv time with a calming activity like reading, drawing, stretching, or listening to a podcast.

A New Bedtime Routine

Create an evening ritual that signals to your brain that it’s time to slow down.

• Take a hot bath or shower about an hour before bed to help your body cool down and prepare for sleep.
• Try gentle stretching, yin yoga, or a short meditation.
• Swap your phone for a paper book, coloring book, or soothing playlist.
• Consider using a soft lamp or candlelight as you wind down instead of bright overhead lights.

Therapy

Sometimes fatigue is a symptom of deeper emotional, psychological, or situational challenges.

A therapist can help you explore and treat the root causes of your exhaustion. If you opt for a more comprehensive program, like residential or intensive outpatient, you can get other crucial treatment such as medication management and nutrition support.

Treatment for Exhaustion and Mental Health

At Newport Institute, we understand how mental and emotional health intersect with physical well-being. Our nationwide treatment centers provide evidence-based care for young adults ages 18–35, addressing the underlying causes of emotional exhaustion and co-occurring conditions such as eating disorders and substance use. Whether in residential or outpatient treatment, our goal is to help young adults regain their energy, find hope, and move toward lasting healing.

We take a comprehensive, whole-person approach to healing mental and emotional exhaustion. Our programs are designed to support each young adult’s physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual well-being. Led by experienced clinicians, our approach includes evidence-based and experiential therapies such as:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Experiential therapies, including yoga and meditation, art, music, fitness, and outdoor adventure
• Family therapy to strengthen communication and healing within the family system
• EMDR, Mindfulness, and other therapeutic modalities

Our full-spectrum care also includes:

• Treatment for co-occurring mental health issues, including substance use, body image challenges, and eating disorders
• Medication management
• Medical care from physicians and nurses to rule out physical causes of fatigue
• Group therapy to connect with peers facing similar challenges and reduce feelings of isolation

Start your healing journey today. Contact us for a free mental health assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions