Many women report feeling persistently exhausted even when they follow healthy lifestyles, according to recent research. A 2026 survey found that around 67% of women feel exhausted within a typical month, despite getting adequate sleep and maintaining normal routines. This highlights a growing gap between the amount of rest people get and how rested they actually feel.
Immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi explains that this may be linked to a near-constant state of 'physiological vigilance', where the brain and body continuously scan for safety. Factors such as poor sleep, emotional strain, financial pressure, information overload, and constant notifications all register as stress signals. 'For many women, there’s no real off-switch anymore,' she says, meaning the body may remain in a low-grade activated state even during rest.
Through psychoneuroimmunology, experts now understand that perceived stress alone can keep the body in an 'energy triage' state, where resources are diverted toward coping rather than repairing. This helps explain why women can tick all the 'energy-supporting' boxes—such as exercise, good nutrition, and supplements—yet still feel depleted.
GP and women’s health specialist Dr Raj Arora notes that fatigue can also be 'one of the earliest signs that something deeper in the body needs attention.' While work, stress, hormones, and poor sleep are common culprits, persistent exhaustion should not be dismissed as a normal part of womanhood.
