It is fairly common for the average single parent—especially those who have full time custody of their child or children—to feel tired. After all, it can seem like the day and all of its responsibilities are never done. We may work too hard, eat on the run, and never get a full night’s sleep. Feeling tired can seem normal. However, if you are feeling so overwhelmingly tired that you just can’t get any energy going, or if you are constantly sleepy, achy or distracted, it might be worth it to look into your exhaustion.
While tiredness is typical for the average single parent, utter exhaustion on a regular basis is not. A trip to the doctor may reveal that you are anemic or have some other health issues that may be contributing to your exhaustion. For some, however, looking at your life habits may unveil some clues as to why you are feeling so tired all of the time.
The human body needs some basic things—and this goes for single parents too! We need to get plenty of good, uninterrupted sleep, a balanced diet and plenty of water. If you are only getting a few hours of sleep a night or waking up several times, are skipping meals or eating junk food and are not getting enough healthy hydration—your body will rebel. Also, if you are under a great deal of stress, this will take its toll on your body. Sometimes, the initial reaction to stress may be to get mobilized and energized, but extended stressful situations can make us downright tired.
If improving your healthy habits does not help you to get some energy and feel less tired, you should definitely consult your physician. There could very well be a medical reason why you are feeling so exhausted and it is better to determine what that might be before you feel worse and are unable to take care of your family.