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Tiredness and anaemia

Everyone feels tired sometimes, usually because of too little sleep, but constant tiredness should be taken seriously. Anaemia, which is often due to a lack of iron, can cause tiredness as well as other symptoms, especially in women. Fortunately, it can be recognised and treated quite easily. 

Signs and symptoms of anaemia

  • Skin, lips, tongue, nailbeds or the inside of eyelids are pale in colour.
  • Feeling of weakness.
  • Dizziness or fainting spells.
  • Breathlessness, especially after exercise.
  • Fast heartbeat felt in the neck or chest (palpitations).

In this section

Causes and complications

The usual cause of anaemia is lack of iron in the diet and sometimes lack of vitamin B12. It can also occur after blood loss (e.g. frequent nose bleeds, heavy periods) or during pregnancy. Tiredness due to anaemia or any of the other causes described below increases the risk of accidents, interferes with work, and puts a strain on personal and family relationships.

Home treatment

If anaemia is confirmed by a blood test, your doctor may prescribe iron tablets. If possible, make sure you eat meat regularly. Eat a variety of vegetables and fruit (including fruit juice) daily to ensure you get the vitamins and minerals you need.

Dealing with other causes of tiredness 

  • Disturbed sleep: Try getting one or two uninterrupted nights and see if you feel better
  • Depression and stress: The tiredness associated with these conditions should improve if the underlying problem is treated appropriately
  • Excess alcohol intake: Even if you drink only moderately, try cutting out all alcohol for a week or so.
  • Recent infectious illness: Don’t expect too much of yourself after an illness like flu. Eat a nourishing diet and take things easy for a couple of weeks.

Consult your doctor if:

  • The problem continues after you have tried the actions listed above
  • You are constantly tired for no apparent reason - especially if it’s affecting your work or relationships
  • You have difficulty sleeping because of night-time trips to the toilet
  • Your stools are black and tar-like.

Reproduced under the terms of Click-Use Licence number C2009000382. The content of this page has been published under a Click-Use Licence (link this to http://www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/index) which covers the use of core Crown copyright information. The original material can be found on NHS Choices.