FATIGUE
- Jun 3, 2025
- 4 min read
It’s More Than Just Feeling Tired - Nap Won’t Fix It
We all get tired. Burn-the-toast, can’t-find-your-keys, fell-asleep-on-the-couch kind of tired. But fatigue? That’s a whole other beast. If tiredness is a yappy little puppy begging for a nap, fatigue is a 90-pound moose sitting on your chest refusing to move - and politely declining your invitation to “just push through.”
Let’s talk about it. Really talk about it.
Because for something that affects so many of us, fatigue is often brushed off as laziness, overthinking, or “just one of those days.” But here’s the thing: about 1 in 4 people report fatigue to their primary care provider. That’s not just a “meh” day - that’s an epidemic of exhaustion.
Fatigue vs. Tiredness: Know the Difference
Tired is what you feel after binge-watching Schitt’s Creek until 2 a.m. Fatigue is what you feel even when you got your eight hours, drank the coffee, and still feel like someone unplugged your battery.
Fatigue is persistent. It drags on. It affects your ability to focus, work, connect with people, and even take care of yourself. It doesn’t go away with sleep, and it often doesn’t come with a clear reason. That’s why it’s frustrating - and so often misunderstood.
The Gender Gap (Yes, It’s Real)
Here’s a stat that might not shock you if you’re a woman: about 18% of women report experiencing fatigue, compared to 14% of men. Why the gap?
Let’s start with the obvious:
Hormones: Estrogen and progesterone don’t just affect moods and monthly calendars. They also influence energy levels. Fluctuations (hello PMS, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause) can lead to serious dips in energy.
The Mental Load: Women often juggle careers, caregiving, housework, emotional labour, and birthday party RSVPs - all before breakfast. That invisible “to-do” list never seems to quit, and it takes a toll.
Sleep Disruptions: Research shows women experience more insomnia and sleep disturbances than men. And no, it’s not just from worrying if the door was locked.
Autoimmune Conditions: These tend to affect women more often - think lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Fatigue is a common symptom in all of them.
So no, it’s not “just in your head.” It’s in your hormones, your life load, and your biology.
Fun (and Slightly Depressing) Stats:
Canadians average 6.9 hours of sleep on weekdays. But nearly 1 in 3 say they don’t feel well-rested when they wake up.
A study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that chronic fatigue affects more women between 35–54, right in the sweet spot where careers and caregiving collide.
Fatigue is one of the top five reasons people see their family doctor. And yet? It’s rarely taken as seriously as it should be.
Why It’s Not Always Easy to Pin Down
Fatigue doesn’t come with a neon sign. It can look like:
Brain fog that makes you reread the same email three times.
Snapping at your partner over something ridiculous (like the way they chew carrots).
Crying because you can’t decide what to make for dinner.
Canceling plans even though you really wanted to go.
It’s emotional, mental, and physical - all rolled into one. And because it can be caused by anything from stress to thyroid issues to long COVID, it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
What Can We Do About It?
Here’s where it gets tricky. There’s no one-size-fits-all cure. But there are ways to manage it. Here are a few starting points:
1. Talk to your doctor - And don’t downplay it. Say “I feel bone-deep exhausted and it’s affecting my life,” not “I’ve just been a little tired lately.”
2. Track your energy - Note when you feel most drained. Patterns can help pinpoint causes (stress, sugar crashes, hormonal changes, etc.).
3. Say no - This might be the hardest one. But overcommitting is a fast track to burnout. Boundaries are not rude - they’re necessary.
4. Move your body - gently - It feels counterintuitive, but light movement (think walking, stretching, or dancing) can boost energy.
5. Ditch the guilt - Resting is not lazy. If your phone needs to recharge every night, so do you. You’re not a machine.
The Big Picture
Fatigue is real. It’s not “just being tired.” And it’s not something you have to push through in silence while juggling work, groceries, and emotional labour like some kind of exhausted circus clown.
If you’re feeling it, you’re not alone - and you’re not imagining it. Whether it’s hormones, health, or the weight of the world you’ve been carrying, fatigue is trying to tell you something.
Start listening. Not just to ourselves, but to each other. Let’s normalize checking in on energy levels - the way we check the weather.
Because while we’re all about pushing boundaries and reaching goals, sometimes the bravest thing we can do is say, “I need a break.”
And honestly? That’s something worth waking up to.
