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The stress cycle -

When we feel anxiety, it sends our nervous system into overdrive. We start releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, our heart rates and blood pressure increase, our muscles tense, and toxins that cause inflammation are released into our systems.

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Hitting the wall - It’s no wonder the body is tired after going through all that, and you can experience it all while sitting completely still. It’s entirely possible to feel exhausted simply because of an emotion like anxiety.

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Can't figure out why? - If you’re experiencing excessive tiredness that you can’t explain, and both you and your doctor agree that there’s no physical illness, it’s possible that the root cause is anxiety. Read on for key signs that your tiredness is anxiety-induced.

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1. Coffee doesn’t help - Many of us rely on that caffeine jolt from our morning or mid-afternoon cup of coffee. If your caffeine fix isn’t giving you a boost of wakefulness the way it used to, then it might be because you're dealing with more than normal tiredness.

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1. Coffee doesn’t help -

It’s also worth noting that your coffee might actually be making you feel worse. Pay attention to whether or not you feel jittery and uneasy after drinking coffee. If you’re already experiencing stress, then you might be more susceptible to caffeine-induced anxiety.

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2. You feel tired after a good night’s sleep -

If you’re getting at least seven hours of sleep per night and still feel tired, it’s possible that something is wrong.

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2. You feel tired after a good night’s sleep -

Try giving yourself several days of seven to eight hours of sleep to see if it improves. If not, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor.

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3. You get tired before a social event -

If you feel fine all day but then suddenly get a wave of tiredness before a get-together, it may be a sign of social anxiety. Meeting with friends and socializing can be draining for those with social anxiety, and even the anticipation of it can be draining.

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4. Your stomach is bothering you -

Anxiety is often linked to certain physical symptoms. Tiredness is one, and an upset stomach is another. The gut and the brain have a strong link, and it can be one of the first things to suffer when we start to release stress hormones due to anxiety.

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4. Your stomach is bothering you -

Unexplained stomach pain and indigestion may come along with your tiredness, as well as shortness of breath and palpitations in more extreme moments. This is a sign that anxiety is getting to your body.

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5. You’re a little too tired -

We all feel tired at the end of a long day or after a poor night’s sleep, but if you feel totally drained all the time, that’s a different story.

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5. You’re a little too tired -

When we feel anxious, our systems are flooded with cortisol. This is the chemical that puts us on high alert for danger, preparing us to run for our lives. It’s totally exhausting, but it also explains why exercise is the best way to complete the stress cycle and reduce anxiety levels.

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6. Your appetite is suffering -

Anxiety can seriously mess with our appetites. The physical tension of stress can leave your stomach in knots, or even feeling nauseated. Cortisol can also lead to excess acid production in the stomach. This can make you feel fuller than you really are.

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6. Your appetite is suffering -

These problems create a vicious cycle for your energy levels because you’re inclined to skip meals and eat less than you need to. This leaves you with even less energy, leading to greater fatigue. Anxiety can also dehydrate you, which only adds to the feeling of tiredness.

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7. You feel burnt out - The problem with modern-day stressors is that they appear to be pretty low key, but they have the same damaging effect. We’re stressed out by our jobs, by the news, and by a 24-hour connection to social media on our phones.

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7. You feel burnt out -

This means our bodies are constantly in a state of stress and never have the chance to recover. This can easily lead to burnout and exhaustion.

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8. You cry often -

Adults are actually just like toddlers. We tend to cry more easily when we’re over-tired! That’s normal, but if you’re in a constant state of fatigue, this can mean you find yourself in tears all the time.

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8. You cry often -

You’ll notice that you feel emotional very often, and it doesn’t go away after a good night’s sleep. It’s normal to be overly emotional, and even a little depressed, when you’re experiencing anxiety.

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9. You have brain fog -

The term "brain fog" is a minor miracle of the 21st century. It puts a name to something many of us have experienced for decades, but didn’t realize it was a shared experience. If you have brain fog, then you feel a little out of it. You struggle to think clearly, focus, and put your thoughts into words.

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9. You have brain fog -

It’s something we have all experienced when we’re really exhausted. However, it’s not something we should be experiencing every day. It reduces your quality of life, makes it difficult to make decisions, and overall leaves you without a zest for life.

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10. You have trouble sleeping - Our sleep patterns are often affected by anxiety. All those thoughts circling in your head make it impossible to fully relax and fall asleep, no matter how tired you feel.

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10. You have trouble sleeping - In addition to the cacophony of anxiety in your mind, the stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are disrupting your ability to sleep too. Their function is to put you into fight or flight mode so you can save yourself from life-threatening danger. They don’t want you to fall asleep!

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11. You have muscle and joint pain -

When we feel anxious, we tend to tense our muscles without even noticing. You might notice your shoulders, back, or neck are particularly sore after a really stressful day at work.

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11. You have muscle and joint pain -

If you experience muscle and joint pain along with your fatigue, and you haven’t been working out, then this is a sign it might be caused by anxiety.

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12. You wake up often -

Disturbed and restless sleep is another symptom of anxiety. If your mind is heavily preoccupied with issues like relationships, finances, and the end of the world, then it’s hard to fully switch off, even when you’re asleep.

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12. You wake up often -

This can cause you to wake up often during the night, and leave you feeling unrested in the morning.

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13. You struggle to get out of bed -

This isn’t just about not being a morning person. If you find yourself lacking in motivation to get out of bed even on the weekends, or wanting to crawl into bed to avoid social occasions, then your body is sending you a bigger message.

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13. You struggle to get out of bed -

This level of tiredness and burnout can come from a stressful month, year, or even many years of anxiety. If there’s no physical illness causing this feeling, then it could be a message from your body telling you that you need to rest and reset.

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Resources -

There are many different ways to deal with anxiety, and thankfully there are more resources than ever available to help and guide you. The best first step is always to link up with a therapist, potentially through an accessible online platform, to get professional advice for your mental health tune-up.

Sources: (Bustle) (Healthline)

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