Sleep and Dreaming Small Ways to Feel Better When You're Depressed Guide Small Ways to Feel Better When You're Depressed Guide Overview Understanding Your Emotions What Does Depression Feel Like? Identify Your Emotions Cope With Your Emotions How to Feel Better When You Feel Lonely When You Feel Emotional When You Feel Unappreciated When You Feel a Loss of Interest When You Feel Irritable When You Feel Tired When You Feel Worthless When You Feel Anxious When You Feel Unhappy When You Feel Helpless When You Feel Hopeless 9 Things to Do If You Feel Tired All the Time By Sara Lindberg Sara Lindberg, M.Ed., is a freelance writer focusing on mental health, fitness, nutrition, and parenting. Learn about our editorial process Sara Lindberg Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS on December 20, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in weight management and eating behaviors. Learn about our Review Board Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS Updated on December 21, 2020 Print PeopleImages/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents See Your Personal Physician Set an Achievable Exercise and Mindfulness Goal Each Day Journal Your Daily Activities Move Your Body Practice Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation Focus on Fresh Air and Light Adjust Your Expectations Troubleshoot Your Sleep Hygiene Talk to a Mental Health Professional Next in Small Ways to Feel Better When You're Depressed Guide 5 Things to Do If You are Feeling Worthless Everyone goes through periods of occasional sleepiness and low energy. But if you’re not finding relief through sleep or rest, it’s time to address why you’re experiencing excessive tiredness. It might be related to a medical issue or a mental health condition like depression. Fatigue, sleepiness, and feeling tired all the time are common when dealing with depression. “Depression itself can cause fatigue, apathy, and listlessness due to the nature of the disease,” said Leela R. Magavi, MD, a psychiatrist and regional medical director for Community Psychiatry. Signs of depression related to fatigue include: Trouble falling asleep Trouble staying asleep Difficulty waking in the morning Sleeping too long Once you’re up and moving, you may also feel sluggish and unmotivated throughout the day. If your days and nights include more periods of restlessness and sleepiness than they do bouts of energy, it’s time to make some small changes. These nine strategies can help boost your energy, so that you can feel better. See Your Personal Physician If extreme tiredness is getting in the way of your daily routine, the first thing you should do is see your doctor. They can rule out health-related conditions such as anemia, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, heart disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, or certain medications that may cause excessive sleepiness. They can also talk with you about a referral to a mental health professional. Surprising Reasons That May Be Causing Your Fatigue Set an Achievable Exercise and Mindfulness Goal Each Day Taking on a goal that is too complex or requires too many steps can feel overwhelming, especially when you are feeling tired. To help with small steps, Magavi recommends scheduling an achievable exercise and mindfulness goal for each day. That’s because scheduling in advance and creating routines transform healthy behaviors into positive habits. This could be as simple as a mindful walk on a busy day that only takes 15 to 20 minutes. But make sure it is something you will enjoy doing. “It’s important to individualize the activity to avoid overexertion or demoralization,” Magavi said. Journal Your Daily Activities At the end of the day, Magavi recommends journaling successes and reviewing these frequently to help gain further motivation for the remainder of the week. “Each success releases neurochemicals such as dopamine, which positively reinforce healthy behavior,” she said. For example, if you write down a goal to walk for 20 minutes and cross this out when completed, this will release some positive neurochemicals. “The next day, if demotivation strikes, it is helpful to think about the success from the prior day and attempt to repeat it again,” she adds. Move Your Body Participating in exercise and physical activities you enjoy can help boost your mood and your energy levels. That said, finding the motivation to move your body when you feel tired can be challenging. The first step is to find one thing you like that requires you to move. Then, set a goal to do this one time a day—even if it is for 10 minutes. For those who struggle with self-motivation, as we all do from time to time, Magavi says accountability is key. If this sounds familiar, calling a friend and scheduling a time to exercise each day could prove beneficial. Walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, playing a recreational sport like golf or tennis, and even working in the yard are all excellent ways to incorporate exercise into your day and help boost your energy. Not sure where to start? Magavi recommends a routine of deep, diaphragmatic breathing coupled with Pilates, squats, walking, or running, which helps you concurrently engage in mindfulness and exercise. Practice Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation Mindfulness meditation, relaxation, and breathing exercises can help calm your mind and body, which may allow you to feel more energetic. Plus, it only takes a few minutes each day to feel a difference. Use this time to be aware of what’s going on in your mind and body. Start with five minutes a day and work your way up to mindful moments several times a day. To help you get started, listen to a guided meditation or recorded breathing exercises. Once you feel comfortable with the practice, you will find that you have more focus and awareness throughout the day. Best Guided Meditations of 2021 Focus on Fresh Air and Light Brightening your environment with light can do wonders for your mood and energy. Open all the blinds in your house. Get outdoors and take a walk. If the weather is not cooperating or you are unable to leave the house, sit by a window while reading or working on a computer. You may also want to consider purchasing a light box (10,000 lux), which allows you to do light therapy. This is one of the treatment modalities for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). A doctor or mental health expert can recommend an individualized treatment plan to follow while using light therapy. To treat SAD with light therapy, the National Institute of Mental Health recommends sitting in front of a light box for 30 to 45 minutes, first thing in the morning. Most people use a light box from fall to spring. Adjust Your Expectations Expecting to jump out of bed each morning full of energy may cause you to feel more stress and anxiety. Instead of expecting perfection, understand that some days may be easier than others. If you can bring your expectations down just a bit, you may experience more success. To do this, choose one small thing you can do today that can help boost your energy. For example, walk up and down the driveway, do 10 minutes of restorative yoga, listen to a 10-minute guided meditation, or go outside and breathe in fresh air. Make sure to write down your goal and check it off once you accomplish it. If you are having difficulties waking up and getting out of bed, in addition to having a plan, you can start your day with a few minutes of breathing exercises to help set the tone of the day, especially if you are waking up feeling stressed or anxious. Troubleshoot Your Sleep Hygiene Sleep hygiene is the term used to describe healthy sleep habits or behaviors you can practice that may help improve your ability to fall asleep and remain sleeping through the night. Following good sleep hygiene can improve the quality and quantity of sleep you get each night. It also plays a significant role in your physical and mental health. To help improve your sleep hygiene, make sure to follow a nightly routine that allows time for relaxing activities. Finding ways to unwind before bed may allow you to quiet your mind, relax your body, and get a better night of sleep. Also, aim to get up and go to bed around the same time each day. Limit or eliminate electronics in the evening hours and shut down all screens at least 60 minutes before bed. Fall Asleep Faster With Better Sleep Hygiene Talk to a Mental Health Professional Feeling tired all the time can be a sign of a mental health issue like depression. If your sleepiness becomes excessive and difficult to manage, ask your doctor for a referral to a mental health professional. Talking with a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist who can treat the underlying issue may help you feel better. They can also work with you to develop strategies to boost your energy. How to Know When It’s Time to See a Therapist A Word From Verywell Dealing with fatigue and excessive sleepiness can interfere with your daily routine. Making changes to your sleep hygiene, moving your body more, practicing mindfulness, and getting outdoors can all help with energy levels. However, if these strategies are not working or you’re continuing to feel tired all the time, seek professional help. 5 Things to Do If You are Feeling Worthless Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Healthy sleep habits. Updated February 9, 2017. 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