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Is it just me or is everyone exhausted? It seems that the question 'how are you?' rarely comes without a response of 'tired' through a stifled yawn nowadays. And we officially are—according to Mintel, the global market intelligence agency, this is the age of 'hyper-fatigue'. But while it may explain why one in eight of us always feels shattered, it's no comfort for those who are caffeine-fuelling our days.
From punishing deadlines and late-night Netflix binges to social obligations and demanding family lives—it's no wonder our daily lethargy has become as routine as brushing our teeth. The difference between regular fatigue and its new hybrid, however, is the inability to bounce back. “The former is the feeling of tiredness or weakness,” begins Kate Hilton, clinical dietitian at Feel Gut. “It can typically be alleviated by resting and sleep but hyper-fatigue is an intensified form of fatigue where you experience a continued state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, coupled with aches and pains and a weakened immune system. This level of fatigue can be overwhelming and significantly impair daily functioning, despite resting or sleeping.” Whether it's an early night or a weekend 'disco nap', waking up feeling just as tired as when our head hit the pillow has become a frustration we could really do without.
Why are we so tired?
So, what's caused this new-found overwhelm? It doesn't take a scientist to see that hyper-fatigue is likely to be a symptom of modern life with recent stress-inducing events such as the pandemic, cost-of-living crisis, climate-change concerns, and political unrest all contributing to physical and mental exhaustion. “Another major cause of hyper-fatigue is social media,” Hilton explains. “Research is showing time and time again that 'doom scrolling' has a huge impact on our mental wellbeing, with constant stimulation, comparison, and isolation at the forefront—not to mention impacting our sleep directly from excessive blue-light exposure. The biggest issue is that many people are using it as their downtime, which means that they are coming into contact with one of the biggest causes of hyper-fatigue throughout the entire day with no break.”
Interestingly Hilton has another, lesser-known suspect in the line-up for our daily malaise—our gut. “Something that is often overlooked as being one of the leading causes of hyper-fatigue is an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria within our gut microbiome, also known as gut dysbiosis,” she says. “If we have too much bad bacteria (caused by poor diet, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, stress, and even personal hygiene), this can alter the messages being sent via the gut-brain axis and disrupt our mood, energy, anxiety levels, and sleeping patterns, causing increased fatigue. Poor gut health can also affect the absorption of nutrients essential for energy production.” Two new studies in the journal Cell Host & Microbe back up Hilton's claim; scientists found a correlation between the severity of a participant’s fatigue symptoms and the levels of specific species of gut bacteria, mainly Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.
Anyone living in the modern world with the daily pressures it brings is at risk of developing hyper-fatigue, but Dr Sabine Donnai, a highly regarded consulting GP and co-founder of the health-management clinic, Viavi, believes that some are more prone to hyper-fatigue than others. “Clearly those who don't prioritise mental and physical rest will be more vulnerable but we have found that most patients with hyper-fatigue have a variation in the COMT gene,” she explains. “This mutation has a direct effect on hormones such as dopamine levels and raised catecholamine (hormones made by your adrenal glands) levels, resulting in cellular inflammation and the ability to manage stress. So there are some genetic predispositions, but our environment and lifestyle are the most important contributing triggers. Physical or emotional trauma, infections (leading to post-viral fatigue), environmental toxic exposure and mitochondrial dysfunction are important factors to consider as contributions in the form of underlying drivers.”
Although we could all argue that the daily grind has left us wilting, Donnai is quick to point out that there are definitive differences between typical tiredness and hyper-fatigue. "Normal fatigue is when you feel very tired and perhaps run down, but it’s often improved by a few early nights and/or naps and you generally feel better with rest,” she explains. "Hyper-fatigue is a condition of profound and long-lasting tiredness, that doesn’t improve with sleep or rest. It's close to burnout (of which hyper-fatigue is a symptom). Even the thought of going away on a relaxing holiday and having to pack a suitcase would make you want to cry — that is how it feels to have hyper-fatigue."
What can we do about it?
Although taking a big old nap seems like the most obvious course of treatment, hyper-fatigue isn't that simple to treat and will require a big dose of patience. Both Hilton and Donnai concur that starting with a balanced diet and healthier lifestyle is key. “Not everyone with hyper-fatigue has the same driving cause,” Donnai clarifies. “The treatment is two-fold: firstly addressing the symptoms of fatigue, insomnia, pain, and/or brain fog, and secondly addressing the underlying original triggers. Put the symptomatic support first, as without sufficient energy and a positive, healing mindset it will be difficult to start addressing the ‘real issues’ such as detoxification, stress management, viral load, repairing the blood-brain barrier, and general cellular inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.”
To start your healing process today, Hilton recommends loading the fridge with gut-friendly foods to build energy from the inside out. “A balanced diet should include a variety of whole foods rich in fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, to nourish beneficial gut bacteria,” she suggests. “Incorporating fermented foods like yogurt and kefir can introduce beneficial probiotics while minimising processed foods that can promote harmful bacterial growth. This dietary approach, coupled with maintaining a healthy work-life balance, reducing stress, and ensuring regular physical activity, can support gut health and tackle hyper-fatigue.” You'll be smashing that to-do list in no time.
6 tips for facing hyper-fatigue
Want to feel more energised all day long? The experts weigh in...
1. Limit caffeine and alcohol
“While caffeine can provide a temporary energy boost, excessive consumption can disrupt sleep and contribute to fatigue,” says Dr Melanie Angelova, a doctor at Optimise Health. “Similarly, alcohol can interfere with sleep quality and lead to dehydration.”
2. Take regular exercise
“You may not feel like it, but engaging in regular, gentle physical activity—such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming—can improve gut bacteria diversity and boost energy levels,” Angelova says.
3. Prioritise stress management
“Relentless stressors and electronic devises put us in 'fight or flight' mode—even when we sleep,” Donnai warns. “Try meditation and yoga, which have proven to be extremely beneficial in calming the autonomic nervous system.”
4. Focus on hydration
“Water is essential for digestive health and overall bodily function,” Hilton says. “Try having a glass of water as soon as you wake up; it will ensure you are starting your day fully hydrated.”
5. Get adequate sleep
“A good night's sleep should be prioritised and scheduled into your day,” Hilton advises. “Whether this is napping on weekends to catch up or having early nights, adequate sleep can improve your overall physical, mental and gut health in the long term and help fight back against fatigue and symptoms of hyper-fatigue.”
6. Try a treatment
“Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has proven to be very beneficial to kickstart the mitochondria (small structures in cells that make most of the energy) again,” Donnai says.
This article originally appeared in harper's bazaar.com/uk march 2024
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