{"id":299985,"date":"2025-12-05T06:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T06:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/299985\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T06:39:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T06:39:20","slug":"how-to-know-if-youre-run-down-or-actually-getting-sick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/299985\/","title":{"rendered":"How to know if you’re run down or actually getting sick"},"content":{"rendered":"

From norovirus<\/a> to the flu,<\/a> numerous winter bugs are circulating at this time of year. So, if you\u2019re feeling a bit tired or achy, it can be hard to know whether you\u2019re generally run down or you\u2019re coming down with something.<\/p>\n

Being run down is a term that\u2019s often used to describe feeling low in energy and not quite yourself. It can have numerous causes, ranging from stress to hormonal imbalances to insufficient sleep, but the signs can resemble the early symptoms of a virus.<\/p>\n

So, how do you know if you\u2019re run down \u2013 or if you have an illness? We asked two GPs to explain what the differences look like, the symptoms to watch for and when it\u2019s time to visit the doctor.<\/p>\n

What being run down usually looks like<\/p>\n

According to Dr Reem Hasan, chief medical officer at Vista Health<\/a> and an NHS GP, there are signs that differentiate being run down from having a virus.<\/p>\n

“When someone is \u2018run down\u2019, their symptoms tend to be more generalised, milder, and fluctuate across the day, rather than following the pattern of an infectious illness,” she tells Yahoo UK.<\/p>\n

She says common signs can include:<\/p>\n

Low energy and fatigue that improve with rest<\/p>\n

Brain fog or difficulty concentrating<\/p>\n

Mild aches or headaches (without fever)<\/p>\n

Feeling emotionally fragile or irritable<\/p>\n

A sense you\u2019re \u201cnot yourself\u201d<\/p>\n

“These symptoms are often associated with stress<\/a>, overwork, poor sleep, dehydration, or insufficient nutrition and do not usually involve fever, acute pain, or rapidly worsening symptoms, which are more typical of infection,” Dr Hasan explains.<\/p>\n

Dr Kazim Dhanji, a Doctify<\/a>-rated GP, agrees that feelings of tiredness or burnout often show up gradually rather than suddenly.<\/p>\n

“We all have periods where we are just tired, fatigued, a little bit stressed out,” he says. “I think [feeling run down] manifests itself as a bit more tiredness, lacking energy levels, and maybe some reduced concentration \u2013 those are the main signs of fatigue [that can come over time],\u201d he tells Yahoo UK.<\/p>\n

\"Pills,<\/p>\n

Fever and body aches are more likely signs of infection than fatigue. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Signs it may be an actual infection<\/p>\n

When an infection is brewing, your body usually tells you.<\/p>\n

Both GPs and NHS guidance<\/a> say symptoms more likely to point to infection include physical symptoms such as:<\/p>\n

Sudden onset (rather than slow build-up)<\/p>\n

Sore throat, cough, runny nose<\/p>\n

Dr Hasan adds that infections often hit specific parts of the body \u2013 so you might have localised pain (in say the ear, chest, stomach, bladder), whereas burnout or feelings of extreme fatigue or tiredness tend to affect you more generally.<\/p>\n

“Infections tend to affect specific body systems and often cause measurable physical changes mentioned above. In contrast, being run down or burnt out rarely produces high fevers or sudden, severe symptoms,” she says.<\/p>\n

Why you feel like you\u2019re getting sick (and what actually helps)<\/p>\n

Feeling drained, achy or under the weather doesn\u2019t always mean you\u2019re coming down with something. Both GPs say everyday lifestyle pressures can trigger symptoms that feel like an illness, even when you don\u2019t have an infection. These can include:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude34 Not getting enough sleep<\/p>\n

A run of poor nights can take a real physical toll. Dr Hasan explains that lack of sleep can cause \u201cfatigue, low mood, cognitive slowing, headaches, and even mild sore-throat sensations\u201d \u2014 all symptoms that people often mistake for a cold.<\/p>\n

What helps:
Treat sleep as recovery time, not a luxury. Stick to a regular bedtime, keep the bedroom cool and dark, and aim for 7-9 hours a night to let your body reset properly.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udee9 Stress<\/p>\n

Stress won\u2019t give you a virus, but it can make you more vulnerable to one. Dr Dhanji says: \u201cWhen we are a bit more stressed\u2026 we\u2019re a little bit more susceptible to infections.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Hasan adds that stress itself can also produce physical symptoms, even without an illness: \u201cChronic stress activates cortisol pathways that mimic viral symptoms such as aches, tiredness, and low appetite<\/a>.\u201d If things haven\u2019t improved after proper rest, she warns that it can be a sign that something else is going on.<\/p>\n

What helps:
Lowering stress won\u2019t be instant, but building in breaks, getting out in the daylight and moving your body gently \u2014 such as a short walk<\/a> \u2014 can help your nervous system settle.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udeb0 Dehydration<\/p>\n

Not drinking enough can have a big impact on how you feel. \u201cDehydration alone can trigger things<\/a> like headaches, dizziness, reduced concentration, fatigue and dry mouth,\u201d says Dr Hasan.<\/p>\n

What helps:
Drink little and often. Water is best, but teas, soups and diluted juice also help. Pale urine is a good sign you\u2019re hydrated.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc8a Low vitamin levels<\/p>\n

Deficiencies can leave you feeling worn down long before they become apparent on the surface. Dr Dhanji says \u201creduction in vitamin B12 or folic acid can cause persistent tiredness\u201d, often with aches and low energy too.<\/p>\n

He also flags vitamin D as a common issue in winter<\/a>, adding that “low vitamin D can also be associated with fatigue”, particularly in people with darker skin, who absorb less vitamin D from sunlight.<\/p>\n

What helps:
Eat well, get outside in daylight, and don\u2019t ignore ongoing fatigue. A blood test can help determine whether low vitamin levels are contributing to the problem.<\/p>\n

\"Asian<\/p>\n

Persistent tiredness is worth checking, especially if it\u2019s new. (Getty Images)<\/p>\n

When does feeling run down mean seeing your GP?<\/p>\n

Most fatigue should lift with rest over a few days.<\/p>\n

But Dr Hasan says seek medical advice if:<\/p>\n

Fatigue lasts longer than two weeks<\/p>\n

It affects work or daily life<\/p>\n

You lose weight unintentionally<\/p>\n

You have night sweats or a persistent fever<\/p>\n

You get chest pain, dizziness or palpitations<\/p>\n

Your mood changes significantly<\/p>\n

Symptoms worsen with a long-term condition<\/p>\n

If symptoms last beyond 7\u201310 days despite proper rest, that\u2019s a red flag, she says.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, you know your body best and if something feels off, get it checked by your GP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From norovirus to the flu, numerous winter bugs are circulating at this time of year. So, if you\u2019re…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":299986,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[74160,74159,59,1666,102,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-299985","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-dr-hasan","9":"tag-dr-reem-hasan","10":"tag-gb","11":"tag-getty-images","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=299985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/299986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=299985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=299985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=299985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}