Holiday-Tired or Truly Exhausted? 7 Overlooked Reasons You’re Wiped Out (That We Can Test For)

If you’re dragging through the season, you’re not alone.

Yes, the holidays are busy. But if you’re relying on caffeine, can’t shake the brain fog, feel heavy or wired-tired at night, and “I’m just stressed” has been your answer for the last 6–12 months… that’s no longer a holiday problem. That’s a systems problem. At Pose Aesthetics & Functional Wellness, this is exactly where our functional + primary care approach turns on: Is this lifestyle—or is your body quietly asking for help? Here are seven places we actually look—using real labs, not guesses.

1. Iron & B12: Oxygen, Energy, and That “I Can’t Get Off the Couch” Feeling

True anemia is only part of the story. You can feel awful before your labs flag as “anemic.” What we look at: • CBC (red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit) • Iron and ferritin (your iron storage) • B12 and sometimes folate

Red flags: • Crushing fatigue • Shortness of breath with simple tasks • Restless legs • Hair shedding • Heavy periods

If your ferritin is crawling at the bottom of “normal,” we won’t pat you on the head and say you’re fine. We’ll talk about why—and fix it.

2. Thyroid: When “Normal” Labs Don’t Match How You Feel

Your thyroid is your internal thermostat for energy, mood, hair, weight, and body temperature. At Pose, we don’t stop at a single TSH when your symptoms are loud. What we may check: • TSH • Free T4 • Often Free T3 • Thyroid antibodies when appropriate

Clues it may be thyroid-related: • Persistent fatigue • Weight changes without big lifestyle shifts • Feeling cold all the time • Constipation • Hair thinning or dry skin

3. Blood Sugar & Insulin Resistance: The Afternoon Crash & Midnight Wide-Awake Club

If your energy falls off a cliff after lunch, or you’re wired at 2 am and craving sugar, your blood sugar control might be involved. What we may check: • Fasting glucose • Hemoglobin A1c • Fasting insulin (when indicated) • Lipids and waist circumference patterns

Why it matters: Even mild insulin resistance can feel like brain fog, cravings, irritability, and “I’m tired all the time… even when I sleep.” We’re not here to scare you—just to catch it early and give you realistic changes that work.

4. Vitamin D & Friends: The Quiet Drains on Your System

Low or suboptimal vitamin D and other micronutrients quietly drain your system. What we may consider: • Vitamin D • Sometimes magnesium, B vitamins, or others based on your story

Possible signs: • Low mood (especially in winter) • Fatigue • Getting sick easily or feeling run-down

Supplements aren’t one-size-fits-all. We tailor based on labs and your real life.

5. Sleep Apnea & Poor Sleep Architecture: Not Just Snoring

If you wake up unrefreshed no matter how early you go to bed, it might not be “just stress.” Clues to consider: • Loud snoring or gasping (or a partner who complains) • Morning headaches • Struggling to stay awake driving or at your desk.

We can screen you, coordinate appropriate sleep testing, and fold results into your broader health plan.

6. Medications, Hormones & Side Effects You’ve Normalized

Some medications and hormone shifts can absolutely hijack your energy, mood, and sleep. Possible contributors: • Birth control, antidepressants, beta blockers, antihistamines, GLP-1s • Perimenopause and menopause • Low testosterone • Chronic stress and cortisol rhythm changes

At Pose, we review your full medication and symptom picture together—and decide when thoughtful testing or adjustments make sense.

7. Burnout, Mood, and the Nervous System

Functional wellness is incomplete if it ignores mental health, chronic stress, grief, trauma, or years of survival-mode living. We: • Screen for depression, anxiety, and burnout without dismissing you • Make sure we’re not missing physical causes of your symptoms • Build realistic strategies beyond “just sleep more” or “just journal” or

"Here is your weekly B12 shot! (UGH! this is not care)

You deserve care that recognizes your brain and body in the same visit.

How Pose Handles “I’m Just So Tired”

At Pose Aesthetics & Functional Wellness, fatigue is never brushed off. A typical evaluation may include:

• A thoughtful, unhurried history (timeline, red flags, patterns)

• Targeted labs instead of random guesswork

• A clear explanation of what we’re looking for—and what we’re ruling out...and WHY

• A stepwise plan that aligns your energy, metabolism, hormones, skin, and long-term goals

Translation: we connect the dots between your labs, your symptoms, and your aesthetics and wellness goals—so your care plan finally makes sense.

SO! If you’re beyond “holiday tired” and starting to wonder if something’s off, this is your sign to stop guessing and have it evaluated properly.

This educational content is not intended to replace medical evaluation or personalized care. Prescription products are supplied only following a suitable assessment in accordance with Tennessee regulations.