Does generalised anxiety disorder cause fatigue?

Ongoing worry can keep the body and mind alert, making it harder to relax or sleep deeply. Repeated muscle tension, restless sleep and the effort of managing anxious thoughts may reduce energy during the day. Fatigue may feel like heaviness, low motivation, poor concentration or needing more recovery after ordinary tasks. It can occur alongside other anxiety symptoms, but it does not identify one diagnosis by itself.

Notice when tiredness appears, how sleep has been, and whether worry or physical symptoms rise at the same time. Keep a regular sleep and waking routine, take gentle movement breaks, eat regularly and limit caffeine late in the day. A clinician can review medicines, sleep problems, mood and physical causes, then discuss treatments for anxiety if appropriate. Explore the condition and symptom pages for more context.

Arrange an appointment if fatigue persists, interferes with work or daily care, or comes with low mood, breathlessness, weight change, fever, unusual bleeding or other new symptoms. Seek urgent help for chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, fainting, sudden confusion or thoughts of harming yourself. A clinician can decide how quickly you need assessment.

Could my sleep, medicines or a physical condition be contributing to this fatigue? How would you assess anxiety alongside other causes? Which treatment or support could improve both worry and daytime energy?