Nearly 72% of Americans Experience Fatigue, New CDC Report Finds

A recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics, the health statistics arm of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals that a significant majority of American adults experience substantial fatigue regularly. The study found that 71.5% of adults aged 18 and older reported feeling physical or mental exhaustion, distinct from mere sleepiness, at least a few times over a three-month span.

The research, which utilized data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey involving over 27,000 adult participants, defined fatigue as a state of "physical or mental tiredness or exhaustion that does not improve with additional sleep or rest." Beyond the prevalence, the study highlights that individuals who regularly experience fatigue are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and cognitive challenges.

"It's not just that fatigue is common; it's that those with fatigue are facing limitations in their daily lives," stated lead author Natalie A.E. Young. The report detailed that over half of respondents experienced fatigue on "some days" during the surveyed period, while 10.7% reported it on "most days," and 5.9% experienced it "every day."

Further findings indicated gender disparities, with women reporting more frequent fatigue than men; approximately 20% of women experienced fatigue symptoms compared to 13% of men. Fatigue prevalence also varied by region and socioeconomic factors, tending to decrease with higher family income and increase in less urbanized areas, particularly in the South and Midwest.

While the report sheds light on the widespread nature of fatigue in the U.S., it did not investigate the underlying causes of the condition.