7 Ways to Reduce Fatigue Naturally

Fatigue is different from just being tired. When you are tired, you can sleep and the feeling goes away. But fatigue runs deeper and begins to interfere with a person’s daily activities. “Fatigue is a 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 with chronic illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, or long COVID, fatigue can be a common experience. If it persists for weeks, you should see a doctor to rule out medical problems like anemia or heart problems.

But many people will also experience short-term fatigue over the course of their lives, for physical, mental or psychological reasons. Here’s what you can do if something goes wrong.

Get moving

Regular exercise like walking, light strength training, and yoga is one of the most powerful ways to combat fatigue, says Saligan. “Exercise has been shown to be very effective in reducing the severity and impact of fatigue,” he says. But there is a catch: if you are tired, it is really difficult to want to push yourself physically.

Starting small can help. A 2008 study published in the journal Psychotherapy and psychosomatics found that low-intensity exercise reduced fatigue symptoms by 65% ​​in people who did not exercise, a greater reduction than with medium-intensity exercise. Experts advise avoiding exercising late in the day because it can keep you awake until late at night.

Fill your water bottle

Drinking enough water can improve concentration and blood circulation, while making it easier for your body to move. Aim for at least a liter per day, says Jodi Stookey, a nutritional epidemiologist who studies hydration. It’s especially important to drink water in the morning, as you need to rehydrate after a long night’s rest.

Learn more: Why you should warm your feet before bed

Even mild dehydration can cause you to feel lethargic and tired. In a 2019 study, dehydrated college students improved their short-term memory, attention, and reaction times one hour after drinking 1.5 liters of water.

Get regular rest – at night

Paradoxically, rest can be a challenge for people who are truly tired. In fact, resting too much can make fatigue worse. Instead of taking naps during the day, which can disrupt sleep at night, aim for a regular sleep schedule. In order to have good sleep hygiene, make your bedroom cool and dark. Try to limit screens before bed and use a calming routine to help you wind down. Also keep alcohol and caffeine a few hours after bedtime.

Make a coffee

Most people are aware that Java can give them a boost. But studies have also shown that consuming caffeine before a mentally tiring task reduces the feeling of cognitive fatigue. Different studies have found effects of between 40 and 300 milligrams per day, or between half a cup and four cups of coffee. Caffeine can also help combat physical fatigue, but too much can also cause low energy levels and more fatigue, which is why experts recommend drinking no more than four cups per day.

Get into nature

Green spaces are restorative and calming, but they can also combat fatigue. Several studies have demonstrated how exposure to nature can help reduce cognitive fatigue. Indeed, being in natural places improves working memory, attention control and cognitive flexibility. Other studies show that people tend to recover from fatigue more quickly when exposed to natural environments like forests or parks.

Learn 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 cognitively fatigued people listened to music during memory tasks, they were less likely to make errors than people who performed the task without listening to music. Researchers believe this is because music activates the brain’s dopamine system: the network of neurons that produces and releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, says Martin Behrens, a researcher at the Potsdam University of Applied Sport and Management Sciences 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 in its early stages, he adds.