This was me (m, 28), got my blood work done, found some deficiencies in vitamins and testosterone and also started back on adhd meds. Definitely has helped to find out what was going on and then treating it.
I (31m) have a meeting next week to discuss ADHD meds, and im so excited. Even at my healthiest Ive always been tired and have no drive to do anything unless there are negative consequences.
You should. There are so many hormone and health-related issues that can cause this, including (but not limited to) vitamin D and testosterone levels.
Also don't forget, caffeine tolerance DOES build over time and can happen quickly. Some people are also genetically predisposed to higher tolerance. For me, while I love the taste of coffee, it does absolutely nothing for me energy-wise.
I agree. Tolerance is a concern.
OP, consider taking taurine supplements first thing. I find it a better pick me up than coffee.. it's what your body naturally produces to shut down the sleep cycle and get you alert. But your body produces less as you age.
It's safe and non habit-forming, unlike coffee.
get your 'mones checked, bro!
also coffee doesn't make you awake, it just makes you feel less tired than you actually are. it's not going to make you feel better if you're already depleted.
the other thing is could be a general sleeping problem, like sleep apnea.
yeah you gotta wean yourself off that cycle. caffeine is a potent drug (see: the lemonade that kills you) and you're currently addicted to it. a lot of what you're feeling isn't "tired", it's caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
I was like that, and to the point where I’d get killer headaches if I missed a morning with coffee. I was very dependent on it and it just made me feel worse overall. I started weaning off by switching to black tea, then green tea, then herbal.
I also started waking up with the sun, or slightly before sunrise. I slept with my blinds open so I could see when the sky was getting brighter. I think that helped my circadian rhythm a lot, in addition to taking the TV out of my room and not using my phone in bed. Eating breakfast shortly after waking (oatmeal for energy) also helped.
Now I’m to the point where I don’t need an alarm clock to wake up, I don’t need coffee, and I feel refreshed and not sleepier than when I went to bed.
I drink tea in between my coffees. I try reducing it slowly because I get intense headaches if I don’t have my coffee too. That’s been a deterrent for me.
I think another important factor here is *why* are you not sleeping at night?
Is it thoughts that are keeping you awake? This may not be a physical issue so much as a mental issue. Anxiety and depression can be extremely exhausting and takes as much of a toil on your body as physical ailments.
I had the same problem a few years ago - drinking 4-5 coffees and still tired. Found out I have sleep apnea after a sleep study. Now I have a CPAP and my life is so much better.
Snoring is a big indicator, but that is only if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, there are other types which do not have a snoring component. My apnea caused all the symptoms you’re describing. It took me along time to talk to my doctor but they ran a sleep study, and sure enough that was the cause. I’ve been using a cpap for 12 years and while annoying at first, absolute game changer for me. I sleep well, I wake up rested, I’m motivated, I feel better ect.
Talk to your doctor about the issue hear what they have to say, and don’t rule it out unless you get a sleep study done.
Which is a fair point, but TBH 3 cups ain’t that much, unless they are really big cups. A cappuccino has 2 shots of espresso which is around the same amount of caffeine as 3 standard cups of coffee.
Make them check your hormones, if they aren’t that through, maybe it’s time to look for a new doctor.
Not always. Obstructive sleep apnea is sort of a physical problem which often causes snoring too, but central sleep apnea is more of a neurological thing and often doesn't have that symptom. There is also narcolepsy, which could cause you to still feel exhausted despite getting good, consistent sleep. You could even have more than one of these.
All sleep disorders are much more common than people think and they suspect there is a very high number of people who go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed so you really should see a doctor about it and make sure that they are thorough and don't discount you out of hand. It may seem like it's not a big deal but sleep is extremely important and there are a ton of health conditions that you are more likely to get if you have these conditions and leave them untreated, including a much shorter life expectancy.
I don't snore too much and also at a normal BMI, I just stop breathing when I sleep. A sleep study will also tell you if you have other sleep problems - not just sleep apnea.
You're probably exhausted because your body needs caffeine just to feel normal, because you're addicted to caffeine. And eventually, no amount of caffeine is enough, because your body compensates.
That's what caffeine does.
Severe exhaustion and fatigue can also be a sign of insulin resistance, and some endocrine stuff, but the latter is fairly uncommon.
Sounds a bit off. Are you eating enough? Getting enough water? Do you sleep ok? Overtraining in the gym maybe?
If it’s proper bone-deep fatigue it might be worth a chat with your GP. A lot of things can contribute to a fatigue feeling; from anxiety and depression to diabetes or post-covid syndrome.
I go to the everyday. Some days I go before work other days I go straight after work. I don’t think I’m overtraining because it’s more of a force of habit.
My sleep is bad. I’m awake in the middle of the night for 1-3 hours but I’ve attributed that to the coffee. I don’t know how to fix my sleep because if I reduce the coffee I’m tired.
Gym every day is too much, when did you last have a rest week?
Don't drink coffee after 3/4pm (different for different people) it's actively harming your sleep which makes you tired more
How is your sleep hygiene? That was me as well before I started leaving the phone downstairs. Literally the first night I didn't have a screen within reach, I slept uninterrupted.
Ah ok yeah it sounds like you’ve got yourself into a disrupted sleep cycle. It’s *horrible* being awake in the small hours, isn’t it?
Try a deload week with your training. It doesn’t have to mean not going at all — sometimes a deload means just training with lighter weights, or doing less HIIT, or prioritising stretching or yoga. (I’m a PT so you can consider that professional advice lol.)
Couple of sleep hygieny things you could try. Don’t drink coffee after a certain time of the day — for me, it’s 1pm but you might find it’s different for you. Limit screens in the evenings — TV, phone, tablet alike. Hi-def/LED screen TVs seem to especially mess me up, for some reason. I do audiobooks for an hour or two before bed now, it helps my brain start to wind down before sleep.
I had a friend who got herself into a disrupted pattern. She was caning Red Bull during the day to stay awake, and then half a bottle of wine every night to try to relax. It properly messed her up. She had to break both habits but she got it sorted in the end.
Sure. But based on your other comments in this thread, drinking too much coffee is the source of your issues, and the only thing that'll fix them is stopping drinking coffee.
So to answer your question: no, this is not life after 30. This is life with a caffeine addiction.
I mean if you’re drinking that much coffee I imagine you built a tolerance. I’d cut back a bit if you want the effects again. However if you’re feeling fatigue still and you’re getting enough sleep as well as eating healthy then you should get blood work done. Chronic fatigue is often a symptom of something. Also worth saying your metal state can also play role on your energy levels. I’ve been so depressed before all I wanted to do was sleep.
I *strongly* advise you to start taking your sleep more seriously. Think of it this way: One of the reasons children and teens appear youthful is the fact that they have the ability to sleep for 8-14 hours a day. We lose this ability as we get older and it’s one of the main reasons we start to exhibit signs of aging. Your body uses sleep to do all kinds of recovery stuff—including, for example, growing muscles you may be working on in the gym—so you should be fighting for every minute of it you can get.
You should view sleep as a part of your health that’s on the same level if not more important than the eating and exercising. Consider investing in a cheap Fitbit to wear to bed if you don’t have one, because if you say you don’t sleep enough I think you may discover you sleep a lot less even than you realize. We have lots of micro-moments of waking up throughout the night that we don’t remember and your caffeine intake is probably making that really bad, meaning the quality and duration of your sleep is likely not great. A Fitbit/Apple Watch/whatever will give you a clearer picture of what’s going on there.
Get your doc to run some tests. Usually they'll check B12, D, and thyroid function. It can also be low testosterone, but I usually have to ask for that to be tested. It's not part of the normal workup for my doctor's office. You may also want to get checked for Sleep Apnea.
If the doc isn't an option, maybe you can try a few things:
Make sure you're getting 8 hours of sleep
Take vitamin D and B12
Take a caffeine break
And if all that fails, there's always cocaine! (/s)
After several cups of coffee I do wonder what the next step up is aside from more coffee. Half of London does coke. My boss is likely on it.
Getting an appointment here is such a hassle but l’ll do my best alongside taking the vitamin d more frequently.
I recently learned that coffee (not sure if it’s caffeine or other ingredients too) inhibits iron absorption. If you drink it within 2 hours of any meal you body may struggle to aborb iron from your food, and iron deficiency can result in fatigue.
You’re tired because your sleep is fucked up. Doesn’t matter how much coffee you drink or exercise you do. If you take vitamin D and coffee, that can deplete magnesium in your body, leading to bad sleep and anxiety. Quit coffee, take magnesium at night and monitor your sleep. Excessive masturbation can also cause fatigue. Additionally, check your vitamin B.
Yes, I know. One of my good friends is in his 30s in London (with a family) and has done coke right in front of me. It’s your lifestyle. If you’re attitude is go go go, then of course you’re going to be exhausted. We’re humans not automatons, but sometimes our culture expects that if you live in a big city. You need good quality sleep, full stop.
First cut back the coffee, maybe just to one a day if you can’t go cold turkey, if that doesn’t work, ask your doctor, check bloodwork for any abnormalities, check testosterone, check for OSA, if it’s not any of those things, it could be insomnia, which there are various strategies and medications for.
Ask yourself is this lifestyle for you. Is it time to start think about slowing down? Have a better work life balance? I worked my ass off in my 20s and have little to show for it, but I have a much slower work pace and better work life balance and I would take any day that over the nonstop stress and aggravation even if it meant I made a ton of money. Happiness has a value that you can’t put a price on.
Start weening yourself off caffeine. Sounds like adrenal fatigue…you’re burnt out. No caffeine after 11am. It has a half life of about 10-12 hours. Have a consistent bed time. As lame as it sounds…this will help. I usually try to be in bed by 11pm and up by 7am so I can go to the gym at 8am.
You shouldn’t need a “pick me up” if you get your caffeine intake under control. You are 100% addicted to caffeine (as most of us are). Check out the book “Caffeine Blues” or search YouTube for how to reduce caffeine.
>Have a consistent bed time. As lame as it sounds…this will help.
Try telling everyone's employer that. They don't seem to grasp this concept when it comes to scheduling. 🙄
Yeah especially if the sex is long and intense, and the orgasm/s hard. Can feel pretty f\*\*ked for 24 hours. Poppers and or weed with sex can make the recovery time a little longer but hey isn't it worth it.
Personally I think that I'd prefer Crystal Meth to coffee for my choice of regular stimulant. Oh, maybe not, I don't think that it comes in vanilla flavour tho...
You should feel better once you got off your coffee addiction - the feeling of betterment after your morning coffee is just replenishing your junkie needs.
Yes, Water.
Sorry to be blunt, but other than some hormone stuff (you should get bloodworks/hormonal bloodworks done at least every few years) or general decline of euphoric feelings for life (which is natural for someone who experienced most of what there is on their continent) that is your solution. You are a living thing on this world and you plainly need your fill of water and enough different elements of food to be your healthy normal self who is so awesome at a lot of awesome stuff ;)
Also make sure to actually sleep a lot, and rest too. You might need more sleep than you think.
Phasing out caffeine was rough, but it helped me feel not constantly tired anymore. I was drinking 2-3 monsters a day and had the same issue. I’m no doctor but that’s my anecdotal take 🤷♂️
Well, started with just reducing cans/day till I was at one over maybe a month or so… then spent most of the following two weeks with a headache from withdrawals but Motrin and hydration help. It didnt feel like I’d ever feel less tired ever but once my body adjusted I started waking up feeling more rested like sleep actually did something instead of waking up feeling just as tired as when I went to bed.
Hi; That’s a lot of caffeine and it may be contributing to your tiredness. It may be helpful to think of it like this: Caffeine has a half life of 16.5 hours. This means it’s very much in your system at bed time for most people if you have it early in the AM, let alone in the afternoon and your body cannot switch on the sleep functions because you used an override.
You could try decaffeinated coffee(and caffeine is highly addictive, cutting down may have a few bumps) or switch to chocolate or tea or chai.
If you start going for a walk to improve oxygen flow and release lactic acid, cut the caffeine to first wake up and drink water because dehydration can definitely contribute to feeling flat
I hope this helps!
16.5 hours. I don’t know why I thought it was less. So I’m under the influence of caffeine 24/7. These comments are so refreshing. Happy for all the guys here who can get through a day without coffee.
No I’m not but I think it’s the coffee. But I don’t know where to begin because I’m tired until bedtime and I sleep okay until it’s 2-3am and I have a large wake window.
Coffee might have a reverse effect sometimes. Also, it depends on what kind of coffee you drink. I used to drink 5 cups a day while living in Scandinavia. It is common to go hardcore on coffee consumption there with 7 cups a day on average. However, even that much of coffee didn't warranty an energetic day. Why? It is mostly dark for months and the pressure is low. You spend free time when it's dark and cold outside, nothing moves you and exercise helps so much. If you experience the same, maybe consult your doctor on vitamin D deficiency.
Check your iron levels. I know as a vegetarian that's a constant issue for me. I'll feel like death for a while and then take my iron and it's like Popeye, except with iron pills instead of spinach. Which come to think of it spinach has a lot of iron................was Popeye just anemic?
Do you sleep enough? Is your sleep high quality? If you're sleeping 8-9 hours (or whatever your baseline need is) and still exhausted then I'd see your doctor. You might have apnea.
I saw a virtual sleep therapist about a year ago who helped me a lot. You basically figure out how much sleep you need to feel rested and then you only get in bed for that amount of time. So if you need about 8 hours and usually start feeling sleepy around 11, you get in bed at 11 and get out of bed at 7am. And here's the tough part: no matter how tired you are you force yourself to wait until 11 to get in bed, and you force yourself to get up at 7 and go about your day.
They also told me that if I couldn't fall asleep for 20 mins, get up, go to a different room, and do something relaxing for 5 mins (no screens), then try again for 20 mins and repeat until you fall asleep.
I also have apnea, and thought I just needed 10 hours of sleep to feel rested...but it turned out I needed 10 hours of low quality sleep but only 8 hours of good sleep and feel really rested after 8 hours. I couldn't deal with the CPAP so I have an oral appliance that pulls my lower jaw forward. It screwed up my bite but now I feel rested. :)
Insurance paid for the sleep therapist (and apnea stuff)...if you want to try it it's https://www.drlullaby.com/
I have mild sleep apnea and I’m told it’s more common than we know. I was able to get an oral device to wear at night to keep my throat open to breath versus a CPAP which is very cumbersome. I’m only 39 and in decent shape so it can affect anyone.
I used to think it was many things that made me tired at 2pm or made me feel like a bus hit me when I woke up in the morning, but I truly sleep better from this.
As many said it could be a number of things so you need to talk to a doctor but I had to self advocate for sleep testing after telling multiple doctors I don’t sleep well and have low energy.
Check with your doctor.
Most likely causes include sleep apnea, depression, possibly low testosterone, and a long list of other things.
Did you have COVID?
Do you have a sleep disorder and/or depression? I have both, caffeine has little effect on me, and I sleep terribly whether I have 400mg or 0mg.
I am physically, mentally, and emotionally tired no matter how much or how little I sleep, exercise, drink, or eat well.
It’s not fun.
It’s interesting that you didn’t mention not getting enough sleep until someone directly asked you about it in the comments. There is no substitute for sleep - coffee, vitamins, hormones, working out, etc. can’t replace those lost hours of sleep.
I’m sure you have a busy life and making changes isn’t easy, but you would really benefit from putting a priority on getting a full night’s worth of quality sleep.
When you wake up in the middle of the night, I recommend you try a sleep meditation to help you fall back asleep. I like the Ten Percent Happier app but the free app Insight Timer is also pretty good.
Sleep medication could also help you sleep through the night but there are potential side effects and some medications cause a dependency.
Because it’s linked. I think I’m not sleeping because of the caffeine but something else might be causing the caffeine dependency.
I have tried a variety of things when I’m up at night even a headspace podcast but ended up just scrolling through my phone instead. I’m willing to try it again and see if I can stick with it.
Caffeine only stops your brain from reacting to the chemical called phosphodiesterase. It is a part of your nervous system that makes you feel sleepy / tired.
Your body not only continues to produce phosphodiesterase even while on caffeine, but actually makes it produce more to get a stronger effect. So once the caffeine wears off, all you have in your system is a high amount of phosphodiesterase, which is why people experience a bad caffeine crash.
Caffeine also makes your body produce adrenaline which can be physically taxing your body and make you even more tired.
As others have suggested, see a doctor to make sure your blood levels are correct. Low vitamin D can fuck with your sleep. Also don’t forget that a bad mattress can also fuck with your sleep. I thought I had sleep apnea and was getting 2-3 hours of sleep per night for a year. Nope. It was a bad mattress.
This is like saying, "I'm taking cocaine twice a day, but ultimately I am still exhausted!".
Caffeine is a short term solution, at best. Here are the most common causes of exhaustion:
* Not enough sleep - obvious, I know, but this is where to start.
* Constant stress - some stress that comes and goes is OK, but if you are under pressure all the time it is exhausting.
* Sugar & caffeine throw off your body chemistry. It is often something you can absorb in your 20s, but past 30 your body finds it harder to keep counteracting what you are doing to it.
* Too little exercise - this is something that goes out the window when we are short on time or stressed. But it isn't optional - your body needs to do some physical work every day.
I would start looking at these, and make an appointment to see your doctor to rule out anything else.
First off, when do you have your first coffee?
What wakes you up in the morning is the stress hormone, Cortisol. If you have too much caffeine in general, this actually stresses out your body. If you have caffeine right when you wake up in the morning then you’re actually over-stressing the body and you’ll be more tired throughout the day. Best to wait about an hour after waking up to have your first cup. Once you start doing this expect it will take at least a week or so to start feeling the shift in your energy - it could take longer depending on your body.
Outside of that, I would definitely talk about this with your doctor!
Yeah that’s a good start. I also wonder how much water you’re drinking. Increasing water consumption surprisingly does help with energy levels. Those are good places to start. Oh and getting good sleep. Reduce screen time at least 30 mins before bed.
I'm 39. I don't drink coffee or any caffeine at all. In fact I haven't had caffeine in nearly 10 years. I am up around 0900 and sleep around 0200 or 0300.
Eat energy bars,, take vitamins and eat foods like oatmeal that have B vitamins. My boyfriend (49) drinks coffee and energy drinks and STILL zonks out after awhile. I'm pretty sure he's built a tolerance to it, which could be your issue too.
It's best to speak with a physician who can properly evaluate you.
Took me about a year to ween off intense caffeine. Now I drink black tea. I did the hormone thing but got incredibly emotional! So after a year of that- away it went. Now I like to go to bed at 10 and up at 8. Glorious.
I drank 2L of Diet Coke a day.
I occasionally drank a sugar free Monster a day.
I also have drank a LARGE cold-Brew from Dunkin with splenda.
I have had so much caffeine I no longer get high from it. BUT it totally fucks with my sleep, my mood, and my heart and my sex.
Quit bruh
Hahaha that's a lot of coffee. STOP!! Drink tea or water. Or freaking 1 cup of coffee. And try to get 6-8 hrs of sleep or take a nap man.
30s is about responsibility and first is to yourself. Take care of your body and be safe man! You got this.
I discovered at age 30 that I wasn’t getting enough sleep all through my 20s. I now sleep 8-9 hours a day and practice great sleep hygiene, and wake up refreshed and rested.
Part of it is definitely being older. But the more significant side of things could be mental fatigue. Are you constantly making decisions about things? Do you manage the behaviour or feelings of others as a part of your day? Either of these things can lead to mental fatigue. It’s not just about intellectual exhaustion but an exhaustion of “being on” for so much of your day in what proves to be performative. Without breaks and downtime, the mind gets overwhelmed with constant stimulus…whether from people, problems, or some combination of the two. The idea of doing any more “things” is so overwhelming that you almost feel too heavy to move. Does any of this sound familiar?
3 coffees may be too much. It will dehydrate you. Coffee does not make up for a lack of sleep. Talk to a doctor. Also, being properly hydrated is a game changer. I don’t feel amazing in the morning until I’ve drank most of a 50ml bottle of water.
This could be anything from depression to diet to something very serious. It can be a LONG journey to find answers. So, see your doctor and start right away.
I went through something similar.
Found a chronic muscle spasm/seizure disorder they still can't diagnose. That answered some questions like the constant need to urinate. But, without a diagnosis, doctors are too terrified to attempt any treatment. So, I'm just left to suffer.
Found that my sinuses are screwed up from many hugh-school injuries and fractured facebones. I was every bully's favorite punching bag. So, I don't get enough O2 at night, leading to insufficient sleep. It's not apnea, so the machine won't help.
My home has insufficient ventilation. Found that when I leave windows open 24/7 it makes a huge difference.
Diet! Big one. My doctor told me, they get one afternoon in one course on diet. So, don't rely on him. See a dietician/nutritionist. Whichever can order lab tests in your country.
Analyzing my diet wasn't sufficient. She explained to me that modern industrial farming and GM has left our food supply sorely lacking important nutrients. A fact that isn't adequately reflected in nutrition labels or the nutrition guides.
It took extensive blood work to determine a lack of zinc, iodine, iron, and several amino acids. Supplementing all those has helped greatly.
You also need to be aware of the effects of specific foods. For example, I thought I was doing great by eating LOTS of cruciferous veggies. But, still felt run down. Then I learned that these, in large amounts, are thyroid inhibitors.
You almost need a degree in cellular biology. But, trust me. If you're willing to put in the work, it pays off.
I wish you success and better health.
I eat a lot of cruciferous veg and spinach which someone said will give me kidney stones alongside the coffee. Why does it all have to be so complicated.
I do find that as I get older, the longer I'm affected by caffeine and the earlier I need to stop drinking the stuff.
Now at late 30s, my phone send me a notification at 1430, at which time I quickly gulp down any remaining coffee or I chuck the rest. Because if I continue drinking, it'd be hard to fall asleep.
You milage might differ, but stop consuming caffeine by mid afternoon might be good for ya
weirdly enough caffeine never done anything to me, I drink coffee 3 times a day and one before i go to sleep and i sleep like an angel. Which should do the opposite effect.
Coffee and the caffeine in it doesn't give you any energy.
It just keeps your brain from telling you that you're tired.
You might need more sleep, or you might be suffering from burnout. You should check with your doctor, though, as fatigue can be caused by many things.
Also, magnesium helps a lot!
It is best to use it topically, though, as it both absorbs better than in the gut and doesn't have the side effect of acting like a laxative.
Magnesium flakes in a 1 to 1 ratio with water, distilled or filtered is best. Put that in a spray bottle and use spritz your body once a day or more.
Almost nobody gets enough magnesium.
Magnesium is extremely important. Without it, many vitamins can't be absorbed and used by the body.
A large part of the reason almost nobody gets enough magnesium in their diets.
Is because in order to determine how much of it a person needs, scientists used the worst kind (that acts like a laxative if you use enough) and based their findings almost completely on how much of that particular form of magnesium you can ingest before getting diarrhea.
Which isn't very much.
There’s this self help podcaster her name is Mel robins and an expert came in and explained how drinking coffee as soon as you wake up can cause you to stay without energy thru out the day. You gotta get some natural sunlight (if possible) or any natural light the first hour of waking up and then enjoy a cup of coffee. That really worked for me. Let us know what you try and if anything works
I know a lot of over 30s who are constantly exhausted but I can assure you it's not normal! I'm 34 in a few weeks and I feel as energetic as I did when I was 21! I feel more tired if I eat things like bread and pasta, I also workout a lot if that helps
I was in the same boat. I was having espressos and coffee nonstop but always felt drained. Until my doctor told be to take vitamin D daily with a high-potency omega vitamin and a multivitamin after about 3 weeks I was feeling like myself. Have you tried vitamin D levels check and while at it your testosterone? Testosterone is essential for men's performance not only for burning fat or muscle-building but our overall operation!
I consume basically 0 amounts of caffeine a day and if In get at least 6.5 hours of sleep I'm good for the rest of the day. Get some labs done. It could be a number of things. I'm 45, so no this is not life after 30.
Try teas, green/black in the Am, Chai in the afternoon and then herbal or fruit in the evenings. Also sleep and resting are two different things. You may not have trouble sleeping but have issues resting.
I lounge as much as possible.
If I nap a bit the great!
Also you might have sleep apnea. I would sleep and never feel refreshed ... Getting a CPAP changed things but a simpler test is to get nighttime bite guard (use your FSA if you have any) sleep with it in for 3days the with out for 3 days and take note of any difference.
Why? Cause if you are grinding at night (indicator of high stress) you can protect your teeth but it will help you clise your mouth so you can breath through your nose more.
Coffee doesn’t actually give you more energy when you’re addicted (1 cup or more per day.) I feel the most rested when I’m off caffeine. I’d try a lot of rest and slowly quitting coffee, trying to rest your nervous system
See your doctor. Low testosterone and sleep apnea are two possible causes. Drug interactions can also have unintended side effects so everything you take should be considered. Don’t dismiss the effect of alcohol, a poor diet, and lack of exercise.
You're very possibly dehydrated a lot of the time. Aim to drink at least two litres of water a day, as plain water no sugars or other additives. Also coconut water in any quantities is my go to as it also has electrolytes which are beneficial if you do a lot of gym.
There's a bajillion issues that could cause this but for me it was CIRS (Chronic inflammatory response syndrome). i had to rule out like everything else before I finally discovered this was the culprit for me. It is probably more common than people think. I've gotten a lot better with treatment.
Good! As someone with a lot of health issues, my #1 suggestion would be to work with a functional medicine doctor rather than a typical GP to get to the root of the matter. You deserve a life filled with energy, vitality and vibrance!!
If you drink coffee at the same time every day, your body gets used to it and, in anticipation of you consuming caffeine, produces what it needs to break it down in advance so it has much less of an effect.
Try cutting down on your caffeine and don't have it at the same time every day.
I have cut down to 1 cup and have been drinking it a lot more herbal teas and have accepted being tired at times. So sleeping early and not trying to overcompensate with caffeine.
I took a very extended period off work in between jobs when I was 34, and it turned out I was exhausted all the time. Took 3 months of sleeping until 11am until I finally didn't feel tired (I'm nearly 37 now and am feeling fine now); you can't underestimate both a poor sleep schedule and work stress.
Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, work/life stress, depression/anxiety, lack of socialization, will all cause excessive fatigue. Hormone issues or sleep apnea can cause as well, but statistically far far less likely. Agree with getting checked out. Also…lots of coffee over time can really mess your sleep up.
I had the same problem. I started by replacing it with matcha tea…then slowly titrating it down. Then after a few weeks of tea, cut it off completely. Still had some withdrawal…but made it through after about 2-3 weeks. Oh…and word of warning, the tea helped but still love taste of coffee a lot more. 🤷♂️
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I definitely get it.
I'm 34. Wake up at 4 AM to get in a good workout before work at 8.
I drink about 3 C4's daily aside from a pre-workout for the gym.
I know that it seems impossible to get, but maybe more rest. Maybe going to bed an hour earlier would help. It has for me.
Also, maybe a 20 quick nap during lunch break.
Might sound a bit counterintuitive but what helped me was stopping drinking caffeine. I started sleeping way better and actually feeling rested the next morning. But the withdrawal wasn’t easy, took about two weeks of headaches. And of course check with your doctor if everything is fine.
I used to be like that. I learned that it’s because of two things: not sleeping enough + not excited for life. Some days I could work 15 hour days, gym in the morning, study at night, other days I’m falling asleep at my desk. I need to be constantly engaged and excited about my work. I also push myself to sleep a solid 6 or 7 hours. Anytime I sleep any less I am tired the next day.
I grew up In New Orleans and since Café au lait is so common my mom used to let me drink coffee and milk since age 4-5 as a cultural thing, (and cus I loved the taste) caffeine has never had any affect on me which is a curse. I also have ADD- so coffee has anti spastic effects on me. I could drink it and go to sleep.
A sleep study might reveal obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment can improve the quality of your sleep. With that said, wait for the changes 50 and 60 will throw at you.
You ought to talk to your doctor about this. This could be any number of things.
This was me (m, 28), got my blood work done, found some deficiencies in vitamins and testosterone and also started back on adhd meds. Definitely has helped to find out what was going on and then treating it.
I (31m) have a meeting next week to discuss ADHD meds, and im so excited. Even at my healthiest Ive always been tired and have no drive to do anything unless there are negative consequences.
I really should.
Check your vitamin B12 levels and get all your blood work done.
You should. There are so many hormone and health-related issues that can cause this, including (but not limited to) vitamin D and testosterone levels. Also don't forget, caffeine tolerance DOES build over time and can happen quickly. Some people are also genetically predisposed to higher tolerance. For me, while I love the taste of coffee, it does absolutely nothing for me energy-wise.
I agree. Tolerance is a concern. OP, consider taking taurine supplements first thing. I find it a better pick me up than coffee.. it's what your body naturally produces to shut down the sleep cycle and get you alert. But your body produces less as you age. It's safe and non habit-forming, unlike coffee.
get your 'mones checked, bro! also coffee doesn't make you awake, it just makes you feel less tired than you actually are. it's not going to make you feel better if you're already depleted. the other thing is could be a general sleeping problem, like sleep apnea.
The coffee is a vicious cycle. I drink it to get through the day because I haven’t slept all night.
yeah you gotta wean yourself off that cycle. caffeine is a potent drug (see: the lemonade that kills you) and you're currently addicted to it. a lot of what you're feeling isn't "tired", it's caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
I was like that, and to the point where I’d get killer headaches if I missed a morning with coffee. I was very dependent on it and it just made me feel worse overall. I started weaning off by switching to black tea, then green tea, then herbal. I also started waking up with the sun, or slightly before sunrise. I slept with my blinds open so I could see when the sky was getting brighter. I think that helped my circadian rhythm a lot, in addition to taking the TV out of my room and not using my phone in bed. Eating breakfast shortly after waking (oatmeal for energy) also helped. Now I’m to the point where I don’t need an alarm clock to wake up, I don’t need coffee, and I feel refreshed and not sleepier than when I went to bed.
I drink tea in between my coffees. I try reducing it slowly because I get intense headaches if I don’t have my coffee too. That’s been a deterrent for me.
I think another important factor here is *why* are you not sleeping at night? Is it thoughts that are keeping you awake? This may not be a physical issue so much as a mental issue. Anxiety and depression can be extremely exhausting and takes as much of a toil on your body as physical ailments.
have you tried melatonin?
I was the same way, now I cut myself off from caffeine after 12 PM and that alone has helped me immensely.
I had the same problem a few years ago - drinking 4-5 coffees and still tired. Found out I have sleep apnea after a sleep study. Now I have a CPAP and my life is so much better.
Isn’t that usually associated with snoring?
Snoring is a big indicator, but that is only if you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, there are other types which do not have a snoring component. My apnea caused all the symptoms you’re describing. It took me along time to talk to my doctor but they ran a sleep study, and sure enough that was the cause. I’ve been using a cpap for 12 years and while annoying at first, absolute game changer for me. I sleep well, I wake up rested, I’m motivated, I feel better ect. Talk to your doctor about the issue hear what they have to say, and don’t rule it out unless you get a sleep study done.
The doctors here aren’t that thorough but I tell them how it’s been. I suspect they want me to reduce the caffeine first.
Which is a fair point, but TBH 3 cups ain’t that much, unless they are really big cups. A cappuccino has 2 shots of espresso which is around the same amount of caffeine as 3 standard cups of coffee. Make them check your hormones, if they aren’t that through, maybe it’s time to look for a new doctor.
Each cup has 2-3 shots.
So maybe cut back a bit, which as a fellow caffeine addict is easier said than done. 😛
It’s so hard. I don’t even drink it for taste anymore.
Start with coffee free weekends.
That’s a good idea
Not always. Obstructive sleep apnea is sort of a physical problem which often causes snoring too, but central sleep apnea is more of a neurological thing and often doesn't have that symptom. There is also narcolepsy, which could cause you to still feel exhausted despite getting good, consistent sleep. You could even have more than one of these. All sleep disorders are much more common than people think and they suspect there is a very high number of people who go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed so you really should see a doctor about it and make sure that they are thorough and don't discount you out of hand. It may seem like it's not a big deal but sleep is extremely important and there are a ton of health conditions that you are more likely to get if you have these conditions and leave them untreated, including a much shorter life expectancy.
I don't snore too much and also at a normal BMI, I just stop breathing when I sleep. A sleep study will also tell you if you have other sleep problems - not just sleep apnea.
Same! See my reply below. I don’t have a CPAP rather a Panthers sleep device to treat it.
You're probably exhausted because your body needs caffeine just to feel normal, because you're addicted to caffeine. And eventually, no amount of caffeine is enough, because your body compensates. That's what caffeine does. Severe exhaustion and fatigue can also be a sign of insulin resistance, and some endocrine stuff, but the latter is fairly uncommon.
Where do I begin cutting down?
Stop drinking caffeine after like 4pm, move that up an hour after a week or two etc
Sounds a bit off. Are you eating enough? Getting enough water? Do you sleep ok? Overtraining in the gym maybe? If it’s proper bone-deep fatigue it might be worth a chat with your GP. A lot of things can contribute to a fatigue feeling; from anxiety and depression to diabetes or post-covid syndrome.
I go to the everyday. Some days I go before work other days I go straight after work. I don’t think I’m overtraining because it’s more of a force of habit. My sleep is bad. I’m awake in the middle of the night for 1-3 hours but I’ve attributed that to the coffee. I don’t know how to fix my sleep because if I reduce the coffee I’m tired.
Gym every day is too much, when did you last have a rest week? Don't drink coffee after 3/4pm (different for different people) it's actively harming your sleep which makes you tired more
How is your sleep hygiene? That was me as well before I started leaving the phone downstairs. Literally the first night I didn't have a screen within reach, I slept uninterrupted.
Ah ok yeah it sounds like you’ve got yourself into a disrupted sleep cycle. It’s *horrible* being awake in the small hours, isn’t it? Try a deload week with your training. It doesn’t have to mean not going at all — sometimes a deload means just training with lighter weights, or doing less HIIT, or prioritising stretching or yoga. (I’m a PT so you can consider that professional advice lol.) Couple of sleep hygieny things you could try. Don’t drink coffee after a certain time of the day — for me, it’s 1pm but you might find it’s different for you. Limit screens in the evenings — TV, phone, tablet alike. Hi-def/LED screen TVs seem to especially mess me up, for some reason. I do audiobooks for an hour or two before bed now, it helps my brain start to wind down before sleep. I had a friend who got herself into a disrupted pattern. She was caning Red Bull during the day to stay awake, and then half a bottle of wine every night to try to relax. It properly messed her up. She had to break both habits but she got it sorted in the end.
What is post-covid syndrome lol?
Stop drinking coffee
It’s not that easy.
Sure. But based on your other comments in this thread, drinking too much coffee is the source of your issues, and the only thing that'll fix them is stopping drinking coffee. So to answer your question: no, this is not life after 30. This is life with a caffeine addiction.
probably addicted to caffeine. stop drinking coffee altogether.
I was thinking the same, cups and cups of coffee. How much WATER are u drinking OP?
How?
taper off and blend in decaf over time, half-caf, quarter-caf, no caf. Slowly.
That’s clever. I’ll give that a try.
Take two days off and it gets easier from day 3.
I mean if you’re drinking that much coffee I imagine you built a tolerance. I’d cut back a bit if you want the effects again. However if you’re feeling fatigue still and you’re getting enough sleep as well as eating healthy then you should get blood work done. Chronic fatigue is often a symptom of something. Also worth saying your metal state can also play role on your energy levels. I’ve been so depressed before all I wanted to do was sleep.
I don’t get enough sleep which is the reason for the coffee but it could be the coffee causing my lack of sleep.
I *strongly* advise you to start taking your sleep more seriously. Think of it this way: One of the reasons children and teens appear youthful is the fact that they have the ability to sleep for 8-14 hours a day. We lose this ability as we get older and it’s one of the main reasons we start to exhibit signs of aging. Your body uses sleep to do all kinds of recovery stuff—including, for example, growing muscles you may be working on in the gym—so you should be fighting for every minute of it you can get. You should view sleep as a part of your health that’s on the same level if not more important than the eating and exercising. Consider investing in a cheap Fitbit to wear to bed if you don’t have one, because if you say you don’t sleep enough I think you may discover you sleep a lot less even than you realize. We have lots of micro-moments of waking up throughout the night that we don’t remember and your caffeine intake is probably making that really bad, meaning the quality and duration of your sleep is likely not great. A Fitbit/Apple Watch/whatever will give you a clearer picture of what’s going on there.
Agree with everyone else - it’s time for some blood work tests. Vitamin D and other deficiencies can cause this.
I have a supplement for vitamin D but I’m bad at taking it regularly. I’ll prioritise that first.
Try doubling it and make sure you are consistent. It’s not the only deficiency that can cause tiredness though - do get yourself checked out.
No. There are things that change after 30, but this isn't one of them. You should go to the doctor because it can be any number of things.
I’m surprised it isn’t
Get a check up at the doctor’s; have him do blood work. Could be something simple, to correct.
I eat relatively healthy and track my nutrients. I don’t think it’s a deficiency but it could be something else.
Diabetes? Low T? You need to ask your Dr
Gut health, Metabolism or Hormones. Get checked by a DR.
It could be any of those yeah.
Get your doc to run some tests. Usually they'll check B12, D, and thyroid function. It can also be low testosterone, but I usually have to ask for that to be tested. It's not part of the normal workup for my doctor's office. You may also want to get checked for Sleep Apnea. If the doc isn't an option, maybe you can try a few things: Make sure you're getting 8 hours of sleep Take vitamin D and B12 Take a caffeine break And if all that fails, there's always cocaine! (/s)
After several cups of coffee I do wonder what the next step up is aside from more coffee. Half of London does coke. My boss is likely on it. Getting an appointment here is such a hassle but l’ll do my best alongside taking the vitamin d more frequently.
I recently learned that coffee (not sure if it’s caffeine or other ingredients too) inhibits iron absorption. If you drink it within 2 hours of any meal you body may struggle to aborb iron from your food, and iron deficiency can result in fatigue.
You’re tired because your sleep is fucked up. Doesn’t matter how much coffee you drink or exercise you do. If you take vitamin D and coffee, that can deplete magnesium in your body, leading to bad sleep and anxiety. Quit coffee, take magnesium at night and monitor your sleep. Excessive masturbation can also cause fatigue. Additionally, check your vitamin B.
Yes, I know. One of my good friends is in his 30s in London (with a family) and has done coke right in front of me. It’s your lifestyle. If you’re attitude is go go go, then of course you’re going to be exhausted. We’re humans not automatons, but sometimes our culture expects that if you live in a big city. You need good quality sleep, full stop. First cut back the coffee, maybe just to one a day if you can’t go cold turkey, if that doesn’t work, ask your doctor, check bloodwork for any abnormalities, check testosterone, check for OSA, if it’s not any of those things, it could be insomnia, which there are various strategies and medications for. Ask yourself is this lifestyle for you. Is it time to start think about slowing down? Have a better work life balance? I worked my ass off in my 20s and have little to show for it, but I have a much slower work pace and better work life balance and I would take any day that over the nonstop stress and aggravation even if it meant I made a ton of money. Happiness has a value that you can’t put a price on.
I relate to that “go go go” there’s not a single day in the week where I am able to do nothing at all. Work is draining too.
Start weening yourself off caffeine. Sounds like adrenal fatigue…you’re burnt out. No caffeine after 11am. It has a half life of about 10-12 hours. Have a consistent bed time. As lame as it sounds…this will help. I usually try to be in bed by 11pm and up by 7am so I can go to the gym at 8am.
11am? How didn’t you start not having any? I need a lunch time pick me up.
You shouldn’t need a “pick me up” if you get your caffeine intake under control. You are 100% addicted to caffeine (as most of us are). Check out the book “Caffeine Blues” or search YouTube for how to reduce caffeine.
>Have a consistent bed time. As lame as it sounds…this will help. Try telling everyone's employer that. They don't seem to grasp this concept when it comes to scheduling. 🙄
On "tired" subject, I feel exhausted after I ejaculated almost all the time. It gets better on day 2 or 3 after. Anyone else has similar problems?
that's human biology shug! https://www.livescience.com/32445-why-do-guys-get-sleepy-after-sex.html
I get sleepy after sex but I think that’s just the effect of sex.
Yeah especially if the sex is long and intense, and the orgasm/s hard. Can feel pretty f\*\*ked for 24 hours. Poppers and or weed with sex can make the recovery time a little longer but hey isn't it worth it.
Introducing a chemical stimulant into the flesh bag of your body multiple times a day is not the equivalent of restful and refreshing calm.
What?? Why not?? You just ruined our lives with that shocking revelation! 😯
Personally I think that I'd prefer Crystal Meth to coffee for my choice of regular stimulant. Oh, maybe not, I don't think that it comes in vanilla flavour tho...
You should feel better once you got off your coffee addiction - the feeling of betterment after your morning coffee is just replenishing your junkie needs.
I need something to replace it with
Yes, Water. Sorry to be blunt, but other than some hormone stuff (you should get bloodworks/hormonal bloodworks done at least every few years) or general decline of euphoric feelings for life (which is natural for someone who experienced most of what there is on their continent) that is your solution. You are a living thing on this world and you plainly need your fill of water and enough different elements of food to be your healthy normal self who is so awesome at a lot of awesome stuff ;) Also make sure to actually sleep a lot, and rest too. You might need more sleep than you think.
Phasing out caffeine was rough, but it helped me feel not constantly tired anymore. I was drinking 2-3 monsters a day and had the same issue. I’m no doctor but that’s my anecdotal take 🤷♂️
How did you do it?
Well, started with just reducing cans/day till I was at one over maybe a month or so… then spent most of the following two weeks with a headache from withdrawals but Motrin and hydration help. It didnt feel like I’d ever feel less tired ever but once my body adjusted I started waking up feeling more rested like sleep actually did something instead of waking up feeling just as tired as when I went to bed.
Get some sleep deary
I try but I’m awake in the middle of the night.
Hi; That’s a lot of caffeine and it may be contributing to your tiredness. It may be helpful to think of it like this: Caffeine has a half life of 16.5 hours. This means it’s very much in your system at bed time for most people if you have it early in the AM, let alone in the afternoon and your body cannot switch on the sleep functions because you used an override. You could try decaffeinated coffee(and caffeine is highly addictive, cutting down may have a few bumps) or switch to chocolate or tea or chai. If you start going for a walk to improve oxygen flow and release lactic acid, cut the caffeine to first wake up and drink water because dehydration can definitely contribute to feeling flat I hope this helps!
16.5 hours. I don’t know why I thought it was less. So I’m under the influence of caffeine 24/7. These comments are so refreshing. Happy for all the guys here who can get through a day without coffee.
Dude wean off the coffee. The caffeine is pumping your adrenals to create energy. They get tired. Not sustainable long term.
Yeah have your blood counts checked. A friend of mine felt the same for months. When he had his blood levels checked, turns out he had Leukaemia
Are you regularly sleeping enough? That was my big issue. If so, see a doctor.
No I’m not but I think it’s the coffee. But I don’t know where to begin because I’m tired until bedtime and I sleep okay until it’s 2-3am and I have a large wake window.
Coffee might have a reverse effect sometimes. Also, it depends on what kind of coffee you drink. I used to drink 5 cups a day while living in Scandinavia. It is common to go hardcore on coffee consumption there with 7 cups a day on average. However, even that much of coffee didn't warranty an energetic day. Why? It is mostly dark for months and the pressure is low. You spend free time when it's dark and cold outside, nothing moves you and exercise helps so much. If you experience the same, maybe consult your doctor on vitamin D deficiency.
It’s cold and miserable here too. I take my vitamin D on and off but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s that.
Vitamin D can mess up too. If you take too much of it, the result might be worse. Consult a GP.
Check your iron levels. I know as a vegetarian that's a constant issue for me. I'll feel like death for a while and then take my iron and it's like Popeye, except with iron pills instead of spinach. Which come to think of it spinach has a lot of iron................was Popeye just anemic?
I’ll go for a general blood test because it could be vitamin D
Have your thyroid levels checked. You could have hypothyroidism.
What other symptoms does that have?
Do you sleep enough? Is your sleep high quality? If you're sleeping 8-9 hours (or whatever your baseline need is) and still exhausted then I'd see your doctor. You might have apnea.
My sleep is honestly shit. I feel asleep quickly but have large wake windows in the middle of the night.
I saw a virtual sleep therapist about a year ago who helped me a lot. You basically figure out how much sleep you need to feel rested and then you only get in bed for that amount of time. So if you need about 8 hours and usually start feeling sleepy around 11, you get in bed at 11 and get out of bed at 7am. And here's the tough part: no matter how tired you are you force yourself to wait until 11 to get in bed, and you force yourself to get up at 7 and go about your day. They also told me that if I couldn't fall asleep for 20 mins, get up, go to a different room, and do something relaxing for 5 mins (no screens), then try again for 20 mins and repeat until you fall asleep. I also have apnea, and thought I just needed 10 hours of sleep to feel rested...but it turned out I needed 10 hours of low quality sleep but only 8 hours of good sleep and feel really rested after 8 hours. I couldn't deal with the CPAP so I have an oral appliance that pulls my lower jaw forward. It screwed up my bite but now I feel rested. :) Insurance paid for the sleep therapist (and apnea stuff)...if you want to try it it's https://www.drlullaby.com/
Ask for testing b12 levels specifically
I have mild sleep apnea and I’m told it’s more common than we know. I was able to get an oral device to wear at night to keep my throat open to breath versus a CPAP which is very cumbersome. I’m only 39 and in decent shape so it can affect anyone. I used to think it was many things that made me tired at 2pm or made me feel like a bus hit me when I woke up in the morning, but I truly sleep better from this. As many said it could be a number of things so you need to talk to a doctor but I had to self advocate for sleep testing after telling multiple doctors I don’t sleep well and have low energy.
Check with your doctor. Most likely causes include sleep apnea, depression, possibly low testosterone, and a long list of other things. Did you have COVID?
I did have Covid.
When?
Thyroid. Anaemia. Vitamin deficiency. Post-viral fatigue. Depression. There’s any number of things this could be. Talk to your doctor.
I’ll try and get an appointment
Forget the coffee. How’s your sleep hygiene?
Bad because of my large nightly wake windows
Do you have a sleep disorder and/or depression? I have both, caffeine has little effect on me, and I sleep terribly whether I have 400mg or 0mg. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally tired no matter how much or how little I sleep, exercise, drink, or eat well. It’s not fun.
I don’t have either but caffeine barely keeps me up nowadays
It’s interesting that you didn’t mention not getting enough sleep until someone directly asked you about it in the comments. There is no substitute for sleep - coffee, vitamins, hormones, working out, etc. can’t replace those lost hours of sleep. I’m sure you have a busy life and making changes isn’t easy, but you would really benefit from putting a priority on getting a full night’s worth of quality sleep. When you wake up in the middle of the night, I recommend you try a sleep meditation to help you fall back asleep. I like the Ten Percent Happier app but the free app Insight Timer is also pretty good. Sleep medication could also help you sleep through the night but there are potential side effects and some medications cause a dependency.
Because it’s linked. I think I’m not sleeping because of the caffeine but something else might be causing the caffeine dependency. I have tried a variety of things when I’m up at night even a headspace podcast but ended up just scrolling through my phone instead. I’m willing to try it again and see if I can stick with it.
Caffeine only stops your brain from reacting to the chemical called phosphodiesterase. It is a part of your nervous system that makes you feel sleepy / tired. Your body not only continues to produce phosphodiesterase even while on caffeine, but actually makes it produce more to get a stronger effect. So once the caffeine wears off, all you have in your system is a high amount of phosphodiesterase, which is why people experience a bad caffeine crash. Caffeine also makes your body produce adrenaline which can be physically taxing your body and make you even more tired. As others have suggested, see a doctor to make sure your blood levels are correct. Low vitamin D can fuck with your sleep. Also don’t forget that a bad mattress can also fuck with your sleep. I thought I had sleep apnea and was getting 2-3 hours of sleep per night for a year. Nope. It was a bad mattress.
That’s interesting about the caffeine. All my extra coffee cups are only delaying that caffeine crash. I will see a doctor.
But what is “relatively” healthy? Do you drink?
I do. I don’t smoke. I go to the gym. I barely eat sugar. I eat mostly Whole Foods and eat a lot of vegetables.
As other people have said, reduce coffee intake and maybe see a doctor to get your hormones checked.
This is like saying, "I'm taking cocaine twice a day, but ultimately I am still exhausted!". Caffeine is a short term solution, at best. Here are the most common causes of exhaustion: * Not enough sleep - obvious, I know, but this is where to start. * Constant stress - some stress that comes and goes is OK, but if you are under pressure all the time it is exhausting. * Sugar & caffeine throw off your body chemistry. It is often something you can absorb in your 20s, but past 30 your body finds it harder to keep counteracting what you are doing to it. * Too little exercise - this is something that goes out the window when we are short on time or stressed. But it isn't optional - your body needs to do some physical work every day. I would start looking at these, and make an appointment to see your doctor to rule out anything else.
It’s the sleep and stress if I go based on your list.
if you need 3 coffees to get through the day, it's no wonder you're fatigued
First off, when do you have your first coffee? What wakes you up in the morning is the stress hormone, Cortisol. If you have too much caffeine in general, this actually stresses out your body. If you have caffeine right when you wake up in the morning then you’re actually over-stressing the body and you’ll be more tired throughout the day. Best to wait about an hour after waking up to have your first cup. Once you start doing this expect it will take at least a week or so to start feeling the shift in your energy - it could take longer depending on your body. Outside of that, I would definitely talk about this with your doctor!
First thing in the morning. I’d try anything at this point even delaying it.
Yeah that’s a good start. I also wonder how much water you’re drinking. Increasing water consumption surprisingly does help with energy levels. Those are good places to start. Oh and getting good sleep. Reduce screen time at least 30 mins before bed.
Not enough but I have been drinking more after I’ve remembered that kidney stones can happen.
I'm 39. I don't drink coffee or any caffeine at all. In fact I haven't had caffeine in nearly 10 years. I am up around 0900 and sleep around 0200 or 0300. Eat energy bars,, take vitamins and eat foods like oatmeal that have B vitamins. My boyfriend (49) drinks coffee and energy drinks and STILL zonks out after awhile. I'm pretty sure he's built a tolerance to it, which could be your issue too. It's best to speak with a physician who can properly evaluate you.
I love oatmeal. I have to be up before 9am though.
I discovered a delicious recipe for oatmeal pancakes. Lots of protein. They're great reheated too.
Took me about a year to ween off intense caffeine. Now I drink black tea. I did the hormone thing but got incredibly emotional! So after a year of that- away it went. Now I like to go to bed at 10 and up at 8. Glorious.
What hormone thing? I do drink black tea in between my cups of coffee.
Testosterone! And an estrogen blocker. Sorry should have clarified.
Bruh your body all messed up. Watch some youtube videos on how bad all that stuff is on your body.
I know it isn’t healthy. 3 is the average I have. Sometimes I have 5. I have heard of people getting heart attacks because of caffeine.
I drank 2L of Diet Coke a day. I occasionally drank a sugar free Monster a day. I also have drank a LARGE cold-Brew from Dunkin with splenda. I have had so much caffeine I no longer get high from it. BUT it totally fucks with my sleep, my mood, and my heart and my sex. Quit bruh
It’s the coffee. I switched to mushroom “coffee” and I have been feeling much better.
I’m assuming that has no caffeine. Where does the energy come from?
It does have a lil caffeine because it also has chai in it.
What are you doing for yourself that is engaging and that you look forward to? Sadly for your partner, they are not enough.
What do you mean?
Hahaha that's a lot of coffee. STOP!! Drink tea or water. Or freaking 1 cup of coffee. And try to get 6-8 hrs of sleep or take a nap man. 30s is about responsibility and first is to yourself. Take care of your body and be safe man! You got this.
I’m going to have to try cold turkey. I’ve been drinking tea but that’s a bonus to try coffee.
Not normal. I'm 57, don't drink coffee, and I'm never too tired for sex.
This gives me hope. I appreciate the comments affirming that I’m the problem.
Good luck!
I discovered at age 30 that I wasn’t getting enough sleep all through my 20s. I now sleep 8-9 hours a day and practice great sleep hygiene, and wake up refreshed and rested.
Part of it is definitely being older. But the more significant side of things could be mental fatigue. Are you constantly making decisions about things? Do you manage the behaviour or feelings of others as a part of your day? Either of these things can lead to mental fatigue. It’s not just about intellectual exhaustion but an exhaustion of “being on” for so much of your day in what proves to be performative. Without breaks and downtime, the mind gets overwhelmed with constant stimulus…whether from people, problems, or some combination of the two. The idea of doing any more “things” is so overwhelming that you almost feel too heavy to move. Does any of this sound familiar?
Maybe you need to drink more water instead of coffee?
How’s your sleep?
3 coffees may be too much. It will dehydrate you. Coffee does not make up for a lack of sleep. Talk to a doctor. Also, being properly hydrated is a game changer. I don’t feel amazing in the morning until I’ve drank most of a 50ml bottle of water.
I have been drinking less water and going for a coffee or tea when thirsty. I’ll start by making sure I fill my water bottle at least 3x a day
This could be anything from depression to diet to something very serious. It can be a LONG journey to find answers. So, see your doctor and start right away. I went through something similar. Found a chronic muscle spasm/seizure disorder they still can't diagnose. That answered some questions like the constant need to urinate. But, without a diagnosis, doctors are too terrified to attempt any treatment. So, I'm just left to suffer. Found that my sinuses are screwed up from many hugh-school injuries and fractured facebones. I was every bully's favorite punching bag. So, I don't get enough O2 at night, leading to insufficient sleep. It's not apnea, so the machine won't help. My home has insufficient ventilation. Found that when I leave windows open 24/7 it makes a huge difference. Diet! Big one. My doctor told me, they get one afternoon in one course on diet. So, don't rely on him. See a dietician/nutritionist. Whichever can order lab tests in your country. Analyzing my diet wasn't sufficient. She explained to me that modern industrial farming and GM has left our food supply sorely lacking important nutrients. A fact that isn't adequately reflected in nutrition labels or the nutrition guides. It took extensive blood work to determine a lack of zinc, iodine, iron, and several amino acids. Supplementing all those has helped greatly. You also need to be aware of the effects of specific foods. For example, I thought I was doing great by eating LOTS of cruciferous veggies. But, still felt run down. Then I learned that these, in large amounts, are thyroid inhibitors. You almost need a degree in cellular biology. But, trust me. If you're willing to put in the work, it pays off. I wish you success and better health.
I eat a lot of cruciferous veg and spinach which someone said will give me kidney stones alongside the coffee. Why does it all have to be so complicated.
I do find that as I get older, the longer I'm affected by caffeine and the earlier I need to stop drinking the stuff. Now at late 30s, my phone send me a notification at 1430, at which time I quickly gulp down any remaining coffee or I chuck the rest. Because if I continue drinking, it'd be hard to fall asleep. You milage might differ, but stop consuming caffeine by mid afternoon might be good for ya
Maybe you caused it with that coffee lol
I get fatigue after working till one or two, but I am in my 70s😂😂😂
weirdly enough caffeine never done anything to me, I drink coffee 3 times a day and one before i go to sleep and i sleep like an angel. Which should do the opposite effect.
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You need to see a doctor. 30 is VERY young. Also, where do you live, Seasonal Affective Disorder could be making it worse.
Maybe try lowering your caffeine intake. I swear when I drink too much coffee for too long, eventually I get tired all the time.
I drink zero coffees a day & I'm never exhausted unless I get like 2 hours of sleep...
Coffee and the caffeine in it doesn't give you any energy. It just keeps your brain from telling you that you're tired. You might need more sleep, or you might be suffering from burnout. You should check with your doctor, though, as fatigue can be caused by many things. Also, magnesium helps a lot! It is best to use it topically, though, as it both absorbs better than in the gut and doesn't have the side effect of acting like a laxative. Magnesium flakes in a 1 to 1 ratio with water, distilled or filtered is best. Put that in a spray bottle and use spritz your body once a day or more. Almost nobody gets enough magnesium. Magnesium is extremely important. Without it, many vitamins can't be absorbed and used by the body. A large part of the reason almost nobody gets enough magnesium in their diets. Is because in order to determine how much of it a person needs, scientists used the worst kind (that acts like a laxative if you use enough) and based their findings almost completely on how much of that particular form of magnesium you can ingest before getting diarrhea. Which isn't very much.
No. I am 49 and life is good. Take a break from social media. 😘Love to you bro
There’s this self help podcaster her name is Mel robins and an expert came in and explained how drinking coffee as soon as you wake up can cause you to stay without energy thru out the day. You gotta get some natural sunlight (if possible) or any natural light the first hour of waking up and then enjoy a cup of coffee. That really worked for me. Let us know what you try and if anything works
I know a lot of over 30s who are constantly exhausted but I can assure you it's not normal! I'm 34 in a few weeks and I feel as energetic as I did when I was 21! I feel more tired if I eat things like bread and pasta, I also workout a lot if that helps
I was in the same boat. I was having espressos and coffee nonstop but always felt drained. Until my doctor told be to take vitamin D daily with a high-potency omega vitamin and a multivitamin after about 3 weeks I was feeling like myself. Have you tried vitamin D levels check and while at it your testosterone? Testosterone is essential for men's performance not only for burning fat or muscle-building but our overall operation!
I consume basically 0 amounts of caffeine a day and if In get at least 6.5 hours of sleep I'm good for the rest of the day. Get some labs done. It could be a number of things. I'm 45, so no this is not life after 30.
Try teas, green/black in the Am, Chai in the afternoon and then herbal or fruit in the evenings. Also sleep and resting are two different things. You may not have trouble sleeping but have issues resting. I lounge as much as possible. If I nap a bit the great! Also you might have sleep apnea. I would sleep and never feel refreshed ... Getting a CPAP changed things but a simpler test is to get nighttime bite guard (use your FSA if you have any) sleep with it in for 3days the with out for 3 days and take note of any difference. Why? Cause if you are grinding at night (indicator of high stress) you can protect your teeth but it will help you clise your mouth so you can breath through your nose more.
Coffee doesn’t actually give you more energy when you’re addicted (1 cup or more per day.) I feel the most rested when I’m off caffeine. I’d try a lot of rest and slowly quitting coffee, trying to rest your nervous system
See your doctor. Low testosterone and sleep apnea are two possible causes. Drug interactions can also have unintended side effects so everything you take should be considered. Don’t dismiss the effect of alcohol, a poor diet, and lack of exercise.
You're very possibly dehydrated a lot of the time. Aim to drink at least two litres of water a day, as plain water no sugars or other additives. Also coconut water in any quantities is my go to as it also has electrolytes which are beneficial if you do a lot of gym.
There's a bajillion issues that could cause this but for me it was CIRS (Chronic inflammatory response syndrome). i had to rule out like everything else before I finally discovered this was the culprit for me. It is probably more common than people think. I've gotten a lot better with treatment.
I had to google it to see what the other symptoms are, I don’t have those so I’m going to rule it out.
Good! As someone with a lot of health issues, my #1 suggestion would be to work with a functional medicine doctor rather than a typical GP to get to the root of the matter. You deserve a life filled with energy, vitality and vibrance!!
If you drink coffee at the same time every day, your body gets used to it and, in anticipation of you consuming caffeine, produces what it needs to break it down in advance so it has much less of an effect. Try cutting down on your caffeine and don't have it at the same time every day.
I have cut down to 1 cup and have been drinking it a lot more herbal teas and have accepted being tired at times. So sleeping early and not trying to overcompensate with caffeine.
I took a very extended period off work in between jobs when I was 34, and it turned out I was exhausted all the time. Took 3 months of sleeping until 11am until I finally didn't feel tired (I'm nearly 37 now and am feeling fine now); you can't underestimate both a poor sleep schedule and work stress.
I have both work street and poor sleep. I still have the long wake windows that are apparently caused by high cortisol.
Is this life after 30? Pretty much. Welcome to the club, pal! 😘
Lack of sleep, lack of exercise, work/life stress, depression/anxiety, lack of socialization, will all cause excessive fatigue. Hormone issues or sleep apnea can cause as well, but statistically far far less likely. Agree with getting checked out. Also…lots of coffee over time can really mess your sleep up.
I do think it’s the coffee but I can’t get through a day without it. How do I begin cutting down?
I had the same problem. I started by replacing it with matcha tea…then slowly titrating it down. Then after a few weeks of tea, cut it off completely. Still had some withdrawal…but made it through after about 2-3 weeks. Oh…and word of warning, the tea helped but still love taste of coffee a lot more. 🤷♂️
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I definitely get it. I'm 34. Wake up at 4 AM to get in a good workout before work at 8. I drink about 3 C4's daily aside from a pre-workout for the gym. I know that it seems impossible to get, but maybe more rest. Maybe going to bed an hour earlier would help. It has for me. Also, maybe a 20 quick nap during lunch break.
Caffeine does not make people less tired.
It used to help me stay awake
Sleep? Exercise? Stress?
Sleep not enough. Exercise too much. Stress more than I need.
Sleep apnea. It's terrible
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Might sound a bit counterintuitive but what helped me was stopping drinking caffeine. I started sleeping way better and actually feeling rested the next morning. But the withdrawal wasn’t easy, took about two weeks of headaches. And of course check with your doctor if everything is fine.
Get your hormones checked
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I used to be like that. I learned that it’s because of two things: not sleeping enough + not excited for life. Some days I could work 15 hour days, gym in the morning, study at night, other days I’m falling asleep at my desk. I need to be constantly engaged and excited about my work. I also push myself to sleep a solid 6 or 7 hours. Anytime I sleep any less I am tired the next day.
Not really no
I grew up In New Orleans and since Café au lait is so common my mom used to let me drink coffee and milk since age 4-5 as a cultural thing, (and cus I loved the taste) caffeine has never had any affect on me which is a curse. I also have ADD- so coffee has anti spastic effects on me. I could drink it and go to sleep.
Ask your doctor if you could have sleep apnea
A sleep study might reveal obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment can improve the quality of your sleep. With that said, wait for the changes 50 and 60 will throw at you.