Persistent Fatigue
When you’re constantly exhausted and even a full night’s sleep doesn't seem to make a difference.
Feeling tired all the time isn’t something you should just simply accept as part of getting older or having a demanding career. Many of the clients I work with have spent years pushing through fatigue, assuming it was “just the job” or a part of getting older. Persistent fatigue is often your body’s way of telling you that something deserves closer attention.
Does this sound familiar?
You may recognise yourself if you:
Wake feeling tired, even after having ‘enough’ sleep
Feel like you are running on empty by mid-afternoon
Depend on coffee, energy drinks or sugar to get through the day
Need your rest days just to recover from your working days
Feel physically and mentally drained after everyday tasks
Avoid exercise because you simply don’t have the energy
Find yourself cancelling plans because you’re too exhausted
Wonder if you will ever feel like yourself again
If this sounds familiar, it’s worth understanding what may be contributing to your fatigue rather than simply accepting it as part of a busy life.
Understanding Persistent Fatigue
Everyone feels tired from time to time. Persistent fatigue is different.
It is an ongoing lack of physical or mental energy that doesn't improve with adequate rest and can interfere with your ability to work, exercise, think clearly and enjoy life.
Fatigue itself is not a diagnosis - it is a symptom. While it is tempting to dismiss it as a normal part of a busy lifestyle, persistent fatigue can have many different underlying factors.
Understanding what is driving your fatigue is an important first step towards supporting your health.
What May Be Contributing
One of the biggest mistakes Lauren sees is people trying to push through fatigue without understanding why it is happening.
Persistent fatigue can have many potential contributing factors including:
• Inadequate nutrition
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Poor sleep quality
• Blood sugar dysregulation
• Inflammation
• Hormonal changes
• Digestive issues
• Insufficient recovery time
Persistent fatigue is your body’s way of telling us that something may be out of balance. Lauren believes it is important to investigate what may be contributing to your fatigue so we can develop a personalised plan that supports your long-term health.
My Approach
If you have been feeling exhausted for weeks, months or even years we will look at the different factors that may be affecting your energy, recovery and overall health.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include:
A comprehensive health and lifestyle assessment covering your energy patterns, sleep, diet, stress, exercise, health history, medications and supplements.
Review of pathology through a nutritional medicine lens including markers relevant to iron status, blood sugar regulation, nutrient status and other aspects of your health where appropriate.
Nutritional assessment looking at whether you're eating enough, getting adequate protein and essential nutrients, and maintaining appropriate meal patterns for your individual needs.
Assessment of factors that can affect energy and recovery, including sleep, stress, blood sugar balance and exercise.
Identification of potential nutritional and lifestyle factors contributing to persistent fatigue.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) to investigate mineral patterns that may provide additional information alongside your pathology and clinical history.
Nutrigenomic testing where appropriate, to explore whether genetic differences may be relevant to how you process or utilise particular nutrients.
Personalised nutrition, lifestyle and supplement recommendations based on your individual findings and within my scope of practice.
Support and review to monitor how your energy, symptoms and overall health are changing.
The goal isn’t simply to find something to give you more energy - it is to understand why your energy is low in the first place.
Lauren Michel is a Certified Practising Nutritionist specialising in personalised clinical nutrition for people experiencing persistent fatigue, particularly police, emergency services, defence and other caring professionals. Telehealth consultations available Australia-wide.
“Feeling tired all of the time isn’t something you should simply have to live with. While fatigue can have many different contributing factors, understanding what is driving your symptoms is often the first step towards getting your energy back”
Read more about the Operation Recovery Program here ➡
Ready to Feel More Energised?
Living with constant fatigue can make every day feel harder than it needs to be.
If you are tired of guessing, making your symptoms with caffeine or simply hooping things will improve on their own, I’d love to help you investigate what may be contributing to you fatigue and develop a personalised plan to support your health and wellbeing.
Book in for a free, no-obligation strategy call to see if this is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I always so tired?
Persistent fatigue can have many possible contributing factors, and it's rarely as simple as not getting enough sleep.
Stress, poor sleep quality, blood sugar regulation, nutrient insufficiencies, medical conditions, medications, hormonal changes, lifestyle factors and recovery from prolonged periods of physical or emotional stress may all play a role. Because there are many potential contributors, it's important not to make assumptions about the cause.
My role is to help investigate the nutritional and lifestyle factors that may be contributing to your fatigue and work collaboratively with you and your healthcare team, where appropriate, to support your overall health and wellbeing.
Can nutrition improve energy levels?
Nutrition plays an important role in supporting the many physiological processes involved in energy production and overall health. Ensuring your body has the nutrients it needs may support normal energy metabolism and general wellbeing.
Rather than providing generic advice, I take the time to understand your health history, symptoms, lifestyle and dietary intake before developing a personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan tailored to your individual needs.
Do I need testing?
Recommendations for pathology testing, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) or other functional testing are always based on your individual circumstances, symptoms and any previous investigations you may already have completed.
Where appropriate, reviewing existing pathology, recommending additional testing, or using HTMA may help build a more complete picture of your nutritional status and overall health. These assessments are considered alongside your health history, symptoms and clinical assessment - they are never relied upon in isolation.
Still have questions?
If you are unsure whether nutritional support is right for you or would like to learn more about how I work book in your free no-obligation strategy to have a chat.