“I make sure to get enough sleep, but I still always feel tired. Why could this be?”

—Ariel B., Red Rocks Community College, Colorado

This is a very common dilemma. It can be helpful to determine whether you’re experiencing fatigue, somnolence, or a combination of both.

• Fatigue means that you get tired more easily doing physical activity—even day-to-day activities, such as walking and climbing stairs—and that you just don’t have your usual energy supply.
• Somnolence means that you’re sleepy and can fall asleep readily at times other than bedtime.

These are two different problems with two different sets of possible causes.

Some people can’t really distinguish whether they’re fatigued or somnolent. That’s OK, too. It just makes it less likely that there’s a single identifiable cause.

If you’ve been feeling unusually tired for two weeks or less, the list of possible causes is different than if it’s a long-standing problem.

So what are the possible causes? Sometimes we can identify a single cause, but most often there are a combination of factors. Here are some:

Poor sleep quality

Many students overestimate the amount and quality of sleep they get. If you’re someone who needs nine hours a night and are consistently getting closer to seven, and those seven hours are on a variable schedule (sleeping in or waking early depending on that day’s schedule), you’re accumulating sleep debt.

The more sleep debt you accumulate, the groggier you feel. Chronic sleep debt can lead to poor concentration, decreased capacity for learning, increased risk of getting sick, decreased athletic performance, and more.

Aim for a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, and don’t sleep more than an hour later on weekends. (This is usually easier than going to bed at a consistent, early bedtime, and helps reset your body clock.)

Diet

Taking vitamins or other supplements is unlikely to provide a benefit for your tiredness. Most of us get the nutrients we need from our diet. Rarely, malabsorption (the inability to absorb essential nutrients from foods because of a problem with the function of the gut) can cause fatigue. There are usually accompanying symptoms that a clinician can identify.

Mood

Another common cause of feeling tired all the time is depression. Classic symptoms include anhedonia, the inability to take pleasure in things that used to be enjoyable, and hopelessness or feeling like there’s no point to getting out of bed in the morning. If this seems familiar, make an appointment with your school counseling center.

Illness

One potential cause of increased fatigue among college students is mononucleosis (Epstein Barr virus infection). Mono is usually transmitted by saliva, like colds and many other viral infections. It often causes a terrible sore throat but sometimes presents as fatigue only. People typically complain of feeling drained, of needing to take long naps, and of diminished ability to exercise. Other illnesses, as well as certain medical conditions such as sleep apnea, can also cause fatigue. Sorting through the possibilities may take a few doctor visits and some lab testing

When to seek help

If you feel tired all the time, especially if the symptoms have lasted more than a week or are accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, rash, sore throat, cough, etc., contact your primary care provider or school health center and schedule an evaluation. This is especially important if the symptoms are hampering your academic, athletic, or social pursuits, or are otherwise getting in the way of your life.

“How do you write a good thesis statement?”

—Lauren H., Trent University, Ontario

This is a great question. I’ve been teaching college writing for almost 20 years and have read a lot of essays that haven’t included one of the most important components of good writing: a point!

Each of your professors will have their own idea of what makes a good thesis statement. A thesis for a history paper may look different from that of a science research paper. Regardless of the subject matter, however, most professors agree that a good thesis is always clearly written and makes a point that you support in the rest of your writing. And if you can include it within the first or second paragraph, all the better.

Because every assignment is different, here are some general questions to ask yourself as you draft your thesis statement:

• What is your purpose, or why are you writing your paper? The answer should move beyond “Because my professor said I had to.” Instead, think about whether you’re informing your reader about a topic or persuading your reader to think or act differently. Your answer to this question will influence your thesis.

• What are you arguing? Most college assignments require that you make a claim about a topic and then provide evidence to support that claim. For example, you may argue that a character in a play is responsible for their own demise. If you’re making that claim, then you will find examples within the play to support your thesis.

• What do want your readers to learn? For example, if your answer is “I want them to see Willy Loman as a true hero and not a failed man,” then you can use that to create a thesis such as this: “Willy Loman is often seen as a failed man, but he’s actually a true hero.”

• Can you create a question? Thinking about a question may prompt you to generate a good thesis statement. For example, if you ask yourself, “How were women affected by early 20th-century industrialization?” your answer could end up being a great foundation for a thesis statement.

“Do I really need to get a flu shot?”

—Leah M., Michigan Technological University

Yes.

An emphatic yes if you are in one of these categories:

• You are at higher risk for complications from influenza; for example, asthma or any other chronic lung issue.
• You are at higher risk for complications of infections; for example, if you are immune compromised because of illness (such as immune deficiency or diabetes) or treatment (some people with Crohn’s disease, for example, use medications that suppress the immune system).
• You have sickle cell disease.
• You are pregnant.
• You are of American Indian or Native Alaskan descent.

A strong yes if you are in one of these categories:

• You are a student in a residential setting. Young adults tend to congregate. When they congregate, they tend to share things like food and hugs and kisses. This kind of close interaction, wonderful as it may be in many regards, is very effective at transmitting illnesses.
• If you like the idea of not feeling miserable for a week to 10 days. Influenza can be brutal. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Most students with flu are unable to attend class or even keep up with reading/studying for several days. Complications of influenza can include sinus infections, ear infections, pneumonia, and more serious conditions.

The influenza virus is highly contagious and has three particularly devious traits:

• It can be spread in the day prior to onset of symptoms—before the affected individual feels sick enough to separate themselves from others.
• It can be spread to someone as far as six feet away (cover that cough!). Here’s what the CDC website says: “Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.”
• It can last a long time on surfaces; particles ejected by an uncovered cough or sneeze can land on a counter or tabletop and survive there for a day or two. If an unsuspecting person touches that surface, and then touches a mucus membrane such as the eye or mouth, they can get infected by the virus.

Does the flu shot have a downside?

There aren’t really any significant downsides to influenza vaccination. It is usually covered by insurance, or is inexpensive. It has minimal side effects: sometimes a little soreness in the arm for a day or two, sometimes some fever and mild muscle aches for a day. Each year, a new flu shot is available that provides protection from the influenza viruses that are expected to circulate widely that season. The 2015–16 flu shot was a very good match for the types of flu that were circulating. The match is not always perfect, but even if the flu vaccine doesn’t contain the influenza virus that you are exposed to, it may make an influenza infection less intense and shorter than it would otherwise have been.

Unfortunately, the protection we get from a flu vaccine wanes within a year. An annual vaccination is needed to get the best protection against the flu. On the plus side, young healthy people get a strong, relatively long-lasting immune response from influenza vaccine. Get yours in September before you are at greater risk of exposure and while supplies are plentiful.

+ Find fine flu facts (CDC)