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Fatigue is different from simply being tired. When you’re tired, you can sleep, and the sensation goes away. But fatigue goes deeper and starts to interfere with a person’s everyday activities. “Fatigue is this draining, exhausting feeling,” says Leorey Saligan, a researcher who studies the condition at Rutgers University. “It’s not just physical, but also psychological and cognitive.”
For people dealing with chronic illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, or Long COVID, fatigue can be a common experience. If it lingers for weeks, you should check with a doctor to rule out medical conditions like anemia or heart problems.
But many people will also experience short-term fatigue over their lifetimes—for physical, mental, or psychological reasons. Here’s what you can do about it when it strikes.
Get moving
Regular exercise like walking, light strength training, and yoga is one of the most powerful ways to fight fatigue, says Saligan. “Physical exercise has really been very effective in reducing the severity and impact of fatigue,” he says. But there’s a catch: if you’re fatigued, it’s really hard to want to push yourself physically.
Starting small can help. One 2008 study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics found that low-intensity exercise reduced fatigue symptoms by 65% in people who didn’t exercise—a greater reduction than with medium-intensity exercise. Experts advise avoiding exercise late in the day, when it can keep you awake into the night.
Fill your water bottle
Drinking enough water can improve focus and blood flow, all while making it easier for your body to move. Aim for at least a liter a day, says Jodi Stookey, a nutrition epidemiologist who studies hydration. It’s especially important to drink water in the morning, because you need to rehydrate after a long night of rest.
Read More: Why You Should Warm Up Your Feet Before Bed
Even mild dehydration can lead to feelings of lethargy and fatigue. In a 2019 study, dehydrated college students improved their short-term memory, attention, and reaction times an hour after drinking 1.5 liters of water.
Rest regularly—at night
Paradoxically, rest can be challenging for people with true fatigue. That’s because resting excessively can actually make fatigue worse. Instead of taking daytime naps, which can disrupt sleep at night, aim for a regular sleep schedule. In order to have good sleep hygiene, make your room cool and dark. Try to limit screens before bedtime, and use a calming routine to wind down. Keep alcohol and caffeine hours from bedtime as well.
Brew a coffee
Most people are aware that java can give them a jolt. But studies have also shown that consuming caffeine before a mentally tiring task reduces the feeling of cognitive fatigue. Different studies have found effects between 40 and 300 milligrams daily—which is between half a cup and four cups of coffee. Caffeine can also help fight physical fatigue, but too much can also cause energy crashes and more fatigue, so experts recommend not drinking more than four cups per day.
Get into nature
Green spaces are restorative and calming, but they also can fight fatigue. Several studies have documented how being exposed to nature can help cognitive fatigue. That’s because being in natural places enhances working memory, attention control, and cognitive flexibility. Other studies show that people tend to recover from fatigue more quickly when they’re exposed to natural settings like forests or parks.
Read More: What’s the Easiest Way to Start Strength Training?
Listen to your favorite music
A 2025 research review published in PLoS One found that when people who were cognitively fatigued listened to music during memory tasks, they were less likely to make mistakes than people who did the task without listening to music. Researchers believe that’s because music activates the brain’s dopaminergic system: the network of neurons that produces and releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, says Martin Behrens, a researcher at the University of Applied Sciences for Sport and Management Potsdam in Germany, who studies the mechanisms of fatigue and their role in human performance in health and disease. But research in this area is still early, he adds.
Find something fun to do
Dr. David Clarke, President of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms, says he often treats patients with persistent fatigue who struggle to do things for their own enjoyment. For many adults, play may seem frivolous or even irresponsible, but research tells a different story. Play is essential for mental health, and rediscovering it can significantly improve our overall well-being. “Find an activity with no purpose but your own joy,” he says.
This can also mean finding ways to reduce stress in your life, since stress is a huge cause of fatigue. You can lower life stress by cultivating social support—by swapping babysitting services or home-cooked meals with neighbors, for example—or by prioritizing self-care with activities like yoga or meditation. “Fatigue is so complex and so hard, but also easy to ignore,” says Saligan, “even though fatigue is a very global experience.”
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