Chronic fatigue i.e. exhaustion
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Fatigue
Temporary fatigue and lower energy levels are normal parts of life, and everyone experiences them from time to time. If fatigue persists, does not improve with rest, interferes with daily activities, you should see a doctor to determine the cause
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LT,Keuhkosairauksien ja allergologian erikoislääk.
Palvelukoordinaattori, unihäiriöt
Revised 11/5/2025
Fatigue at a glance
- Fatigue can be mental, physical or emotional, but occasional fatigue that goes away with rest is not dangerous.
- In addition to an in-depth interview, a sleep diary and various monitoring forms, sleep-related problems, such as fatigue, can be examined by using various tests that measure sleep or alertness.
- The treatment of fatigue focuses on treating the causes with appropriate methods.
What is fatigue?
Fatigue can be mental, physical or emotional. When normal sleep and rest are not enough for you to feel refreshed and energised, you could be experiencing fatigue. The need for sleep is individual, but, on average, an adult needs 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Temporary fatigue that goes away with rest is not dangerous – everyone feels tired every now and then. About 5% of people experience long-term fatigue, i.e. abnormal fatigue that occurs at least three days a week for three months.
What are the causes of fatigue?
Fatigue is often caused by factors related to life situation or lifestyle. These factors may include:
- too little sleep at night
- too little exercise
- exercise that is too strenuous without sufficient recovery
- heavy substance use
- hectic work without breaks
- shift work or working late in the evening
- a diet that is not varied and well-balanced
- excessive stress and
- sudden life changes
Being overweight or underweight is associated with several factors that cause fatigue.
The dark season can disrupt the circadian rhythm, which affects energy levels and coping. Spending time in the dark lowers energy levels, and regular variations in light and darkness promote both good sleep at night and activity during the day.
On the other hand, various conditions that require examination and treatment can cause fatigue.
Fatigue can be caused by, for example:
- certain mental health conditions
- infections and
- physical illness, such as diabetes, sleep apnoea, some neurological disorders and autoimmune disorders.
Certain medications – such as some antidepressants, relaxants, sedatives and sleeping pills – can also cause a decrease in daytime energy levels. Changes in medication can also increase fatigue.
Screen time, which often takes up a large part of our day, can interfere with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep. Similarly, if you don't spend enough time relaxing before going to bed, it will be difficult for you to fall asleep and the quality of your sleep will decrease.
What can fatigue lead to?
Fatigue can be associated with, for example:
- problems with your memory or concentration
- getting more tired than normal during activities
- problems with interpersonal relationships when there are challenges in concentration and coping
- reduced attention
- slower reflexes
- challenges in realistically assessing one's own and others' actions
- a lower risk-taking threshold, which increases the probability of errors.
Fatigue increases the risk of accidents and makes you more likely to injure yourself while exercising, for example.
Self-care of Fatigue
You can try to alleviate fatigue through the following methods:
- Benefits: Synchronizes your internal clock, boosts daytime energy, and makes it easier to fall asleep in the evening.
- Do this: Use a bright light lamp in the morning for about 20–30 minutes right after waking up.
- Remember: Consistency is key. The treatment is most effective during the darker seasons.
- Benefits: Improves sleep quality, reduces symptoms of sleep disorders, supports alertness, and enhances mood.
- Do this: Avoid crash diets. Eat a varied and regular diet, and reduce portion sizes. Engage in physical activities you enjoy.
- Remember: Aim for lasting changes. Even small successes can have a significant impact on both weight management and sleep.
- Benefits: Relieves tension, improves mood, creates natural tiredness, and clarifies the sleep-wake rhythm.
- Do this: Exercise regularly and moderately, such as taking a 30-minute walk daily. Schedule your exercise for the morning or afternoon.
- Remember: Consistency is key. Avoid heavy exercise late in the evening.
- Benefits: Relieve stress and anxiety. Provide support. Maintain a daily routine. Improve mood.
- Do this: Nurture important relationships and meet your loved ones regularly. Share your concerns and participate in group activities.
- Remember: Staying connected with important people supports overall well-being. In relationships, quality matters more than quantity.
- Why: Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that prolong the time it takes to fall asleep. Alcohol disrupts the deepest and most restorative stages of sleep.
- Do this: Be aware of caffeine's long-lasting effects, which can last up to 8 hours. Remember that nicotine is a stimulating substance. Avoid using alcohol as a sleep aid.
- Remember: Reducing these substances gives your body the chance to achieve natural, restorative sleep.
- Benefits: Breaks the cycle of stress, prevents overload, and facilitates natural falling asleep.
- Do this: Prioritize sleep. Support recovery during the day with light exercise, such as walking in nature, and in the evening with calming activities, such as breathing exercises and reading a book.
- Remember: Comprehensive recovery creates the best conditions for quality sleep.
- Why: Sleeping medication does not provide high-quality sleep. CNS medications, which primarily affect the central nervous system, disrupt sleep structure, may reduce deep sleep, and can cause dependency as well as daytime fatigue.
- Do this: Focus primarily on healthy lifestyle habits, such as maintaining a regular routine, practicing relaxation, and ensuring good sleep hygiene. Use medications only in urgent situations and under medical supervision.
- Remember: Do not exceed the prescribed dose. Always plan the discontinuation of medication with your doctor. The goal is sleep that truly restores and rejuvenates.
- Benefits: Manages energy, prevents exhaustion, breaks the cycle of overactivity, and improves mood.
- Do this: Structure your day with rest breaks, listen to your body's signals, and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
- Remember: Go to bed when you feel sleepy. Listening to your body is the key to well-being.
- Benefits: Maintains the body's fluid balance, focus, and alertness. Reduces symptoms of dehydration (such as headaches) that can disrupt sleep.
- Do this: Distribute your water intake (approx. 1–1.5 liters) evenly throughout the day, and remember you also get fluids from food. Avoid large amounts right before bedtime. Drink more when you sweat.
- Remember: Properly timed hydration supports both daytime energy levels and nighttime sleep.
- Benefits: Keeps blood sugar levels stable, supports alertness and sleep quality, and ensures adequate nutrient intake.
- Do this: Eat regularly (4–6 times a day) and include a variety of foods. Lighten your meals towards the evening (avoid heavy meals, caffeine and sugar). Limit drinking before bedtime.
- Remember: Even small changes in eating habits can have a significant impact on overall well-being and sleep.
- Benefits: Synchronizes your internal clock, makes it easier to fall asleep, improves sleep quality, and prevents daytime fatigue.
- Do this: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Keep naps short (under 30 minutes). Increase light exposure in the morning and reduce it in the evening.
- Remember: Consistency is key, even on weekends. Be patient, as adjusting your sleep rhythm takes time.
When to seek treatment for fatigue?
You should have your fatigue examined and, if necessary, treated if:
- a cause for the fatigue cannot be identified in your lifestyle
- a good night's sleep does not ease the fatigue
- you keep falling asleep during the day
- you also have other symptoms, such as pain, sleep disruptions, anxiety, unintentional weight loss or increased temperature
- the fatigue lasts for months, even if there are no other symptoms.
Examining and treating fatigue
At Mehiläinen, our professionals specialised in sleep-related problems, such as fatigue, will help you determine what is causing your fatigue and find the right treatment for you.
If a physical cause is revealed, the nature and extent of the fatigue can be surveyed more precisely with an at-home sleep registration study, i.e. a sleep polygraphy for sleep apnoea, carried out via Mehiläinen's laboratory.
The treatment of difficult sleep disorders may require the expertise of specialists in several different fields.
If necessary, Mehiläinen can combine the expertise of several specialists – such as neurologists, psychiatrists, pulmonologists, ENT doctors and clinical neurophysiologists – to examine sleep disorders and treat patients.
Prices are starting prices and depend on the selected studies and treatment methods. An outpatient clinic fee and Kanta fee are added to consultation visits.
| Service | Price estimate |
|---|---|
| Start of CPAP machine therapy (1st appointment with a sleep apnoea nurse) *The customer purchases a CPAP machine for themselves, starting from EUR 223.90. | from 223,90 € No Kela reimbursement |
| Initial examination for snoring | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Concise sleep polygraphy No Kela reimbursement will be paid for a concise sleep polygraphy. Learn more and book an appointment for a concise sleep polygraphy | from 542,40 € No Kela reimbursement |
| First appointment for a sleep apnoea oral appliance The estimated total price of a sleep apnoea oral appliance starts from about EUR 1,200. Learn more and book a first appointment for a sleep apnoea oral appliance | from 96,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 123,80 € |
| Initial evaluation for sleep apnoea | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
| Initial examination of sleep disorders | from 66,80 € Without Kela reimbursement from 96,80 € |
Related symptoms
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Deep exhaustion and weakness that does not improve with rest.
Insomnia
Being stressed and busy daily can make it difficult to calm down, which, in turn, will affect sleep.
Narcolepsy
Excessive daytime sleepiness and episodes of suddenly falling asleep may be caused by narcolepsy.
Other sleep disorders
Sleep disorders include restless legs and the rarer disorders of narcolepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome and various parasomnias.
Restless legs syndrome
Uncomfortable sensations in the limbs at rest can disturb sleep.
Sleep apnoea
Narrowing of the airways and relaxation of the muscles during sleep can lead to pauses in breathing.
Snoring
Noise during sleep is caused by a narrowing of the airway.
Other related services
CPAP therapy
Positive airway pressure ventilation effectively reduces sleep apnoea symptoms and improves the quality of life.
Sleep apnea examination, night polygraphy
A reliable at-home examination to diagnose and assess the severity of sleep apnoea.
Sleep apnoea oral appliance
A treatment especially for mild sleep apnoea.
Frequently asked questions about fatigue
Fatigue, whether temporary or constant, can be physical, mental or emotional. Fatigue is usually caused by too little sleep or sleep that is not restorative enough. Fatigue is typically a result of factors related to life situation or lifestyle, such as diet and exercise, stress and recovery. Certain conditions and medications can also cause fatigue.
About 5% of people experience long-term fatigue, i.e. abnormal fatigue that occurs at least three days a week for three months.
To fight fatigue, make sure you have a regular lifestyle: Enough time for sleep and a regular circadian rhythm, a well-balanced diet and adequate hydration. Everyday activity and sufficient, appropriately intensive exercise. If the fatigue persists for a long time or starts to have a significant impact on your everyday life, you should have it examined.
To reduce morning fatigue, ensure good sleep hygiene, i.e. a sufficiently dark, cool and quiet sleeping environment. Waking up with either natural light or a wake-up light can help you wake up feeling more energised. Avoid heavy meals and, for example, caffeine before bedtime. If the fatigue persists for a long time or starts to have a significant impact on your everyday life, you should have it examined.
The right help for fatigue depends on the cause of the fatigue. If the cause is lack of sleep, the most important treatment for fatigue is to reserve a period for sleep that is long and calm enough. It may be necessary to improve your lifestyle by, for example, increasing exercise and taking care of recovery, reducing stimulant use, improving sleep hygiene and reducing pressure.
If the fatigue is not explained by lack of sleep, the cause should be determined in order to choose the right treatment. If the cause of fatigue is an illness, the illness in question must be treated appropriately. If the fatigue persists for a long time or starts to have a significant impact on your everyday life, you should have it examined.
You can influence your sleep through your actions during the day and evening. You can improve your quality of sleep by, for example, winding down in the evening, ensuring a regular circadian rhythm, having regular meal times and a varied diet, drinking enough water during the day, reducing or avoiding the use of caffeine and other substances, getting enough exercise and also ensuring recovery. In addition, you should ensure good sleeping conditions by making sure the space you sleep in is sufficiently quiet, dark and cool. Calming and relaxing breathing exercises can also help.
The need for sleep is individual, but the recommendation for adults is 7–9 hours per night. Children and young people usually need more sleep. It's important to remember that the quality of sleep is as important as its quantity.
