We all have days where we don’t feel like doing anything.

We’re tired from the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep. I know I’ve definitely been there. As a full time employee, student, and mom, it happens often. But when that starts happening all the time, it’s a problem. If you constantly feel tired, there could be something more serious going on. There are many reasons you might be feeling this way, but here’s the good news: you can fix it! These lifestyle factors are the most common reasons you lack energy:

Factor #1: You’re working too hard.

This is something that unfortunately affects a huge percentage of the population. With working hours getting longer and vacations getting shorter, it’s easy to find ourselves working so hard that we’re tiring ourselves out. When you aren’t getting enough downtime, you can quickly become exhausted. There are few solutions to this. If you’re staying at the office late because you’re worried about not getting enough done, cut yourself some slack. Make sure you’re leaving the office at a reasonable time. If you’re working late because your boss is asking you to, talk to him/her. Let your boss know you’re struggling with the workload, and it would help if they could take some of the stress off you. Oftentimes they may not realize just how stressed you are, and they’ll be willing to work with you.

Another big mistake that people make is taking their work home with them. Email is a great innovation in business, but it’s also facilitated a new working style. People think they’re not working too hard because they leave at 5:00 every day. But if you’re still sitting at home answering emails and working remotely, that’s not exactly true. When you’re at home, leave all of your work at the office and get some rest!

Surprisingly, a lot of people don’t use up all of their vacation allowances because they worry about getting behind on work (I’m looking at my mom on this one). Actually, you end up being less productive if you aren’t taking enough time away from the office! Make sure you’re using up all of your vacation hours, and not thinking about work while you’re away.

Factor #2: You aren’t sleeping properly.

Most people think they’re sleeping properly, but they aren’t. The guidelines on sleeping say you should get around 7-8 hours nightly, but that can be misleading. Even if you get the recommended amount, you can still end up feeling tired the next day if you aren’t getting good quality sleep. There are a lot of things you can do to get a better night’s sleep. Having a good routine is important because your body learns when it’s time to go to sleep. If you don’t go to bed at the same time each night, you might not be tired when you’re trying to sleep and you’ll be restless. You also need to avoid using computers or phones late at night because the light on the screen tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.

Even if you do all these things, sleep may still be a struggle without a good mattress. After a while, your mattress degrades and doesn’t offer you the support you need to get restful sleep. Buying a mattress isn’t like it used to be. It seems there are a thousand different types in all sorts of materials. One of the newest and the best is latex. It’s comfortable and not as expensive as some other materials. However, there are a lot of different latex blends and it can get a little confusing. Check out this latex mattress guide to figure out what you need. If you upgrade your mattress, you’ll probably find that you’re sleeping a lot better and you’ll have a lot more energy during the day.

Factor #3: You aren’t eating right.

Your body needs fuel and if you aren’t putting in the right stuff, you’ll have a serious lack of energy. When you aren’t getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients every day, you’ll constantly feel tired. This is often tied in with working too hard as well. You’re more likely to grab snacks and convenience foods that don’t have any nutritional value. Even if you’re pushed for time, it’s important that you’re cooking food with fresh ingredients and eating plenty of fruits and veggies. Swap out all of those unhealthy snacks for pieces of fruit instead.

Dehydration is another big problem that a lot of people suffer from. The general advice is you should drink 8 glasses of water a day. You don’t need to religiously stick to that figure, but it’s important that you drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you’re struggling, get yourself a reusable water bottle and keep it with you at all times. If you’re still struggling, download a handy app that sends you reminders every now and then to drink more water.

Factor #4: You may have a mental health condition.

If you’re having real problems with motivation and just can’t seem to do anything about it, it may be a sign you’ve got a more serious problem. The sheer scale of mental health issues is only just making itself clear. The impact of high stress levels is causing a lot of problems with anxiety and depression. People often don’t realize that there is even a problem. If you’re constantly feeling tired and down, consider seeing your doctor. If you’re concerned, ask them whether they think you may be suffering from a mental health condition.

So many people accept a lack of motivation as a normal part of life, but it isn’t! Usually it is caused by one of these things, and there is almost always something you can do about it.