Common Signs
- Exhaustion lasting six months or more
- Unrefreshing sleep
- Post-exertional malaise
- Muscle and joint pain
- Difficulty concentrating ('brain fog')
Chronic fatigue can be a symptom of many conditions — including undiagnosed sleep disorders, anemia, thyroid disease, depression, or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
Unlike normal tiredness, chronic fatigue persists despite adequate sleep and rest. It often interferes with work, exercise, and quality of life.
If exhaustion has lasted more than two weeks with no clear cause, request a full workup from your physician including sleep evaluation, iron panel, and thyroid testing.
When to talk to a doctor
If symptoms last longer than three weeks, interfere with daily functioning, or include witnessed pauses in breathing, schedule an appointment with a board-certified sleep physician.