Tired, lathargic 16 year old

[pharaohmum]

My 16 year old DS is constantly tired, to the point that he points it out to me. He says that he always feels tired and has no energy. He eve tries going to bed early (8pm) but then says he feels worse because he's overslept. Is this normal? I'm thinking maybe diet related, although he's always ate well and doesn't eat snacks/chocolate etc. He used to go to kick boxing but hasn't been for the last six months because of this change in hours at college. Can anyone shed any light on why this is? TYIA

I'd take him to gp tbh if it's going on six months. hopefully rule out physical cause. increase exercise.

Thanks, yes I did think that maybe he could do with doing some exercise, although he does walk a lot to and from college. I think I will see GP just to rule out anything else

Sounds about normal for a 16yo to me. Their bodies are developing quite quickly at that age, and school is pretty full on. My girls rarely surface before lunchtime at weekends.
He may benefit from doing some sport though - is there anything he could fit around school?

Thanks, yeah he probably could and I think he would benefit form doing something. I'll have a chat with him and see what happens. Thanks, it's nice to know it's quite normal!

My DS2 is like this, also 16.
Just started sixth form and works very hard but is constantly tired. He has also grown about a foot 4" in a year. He flops into bed at 930 on school nights and struggles to get up.
He doesn't do enough exercise apart from a couple of gym sessions a week.

Get it checked at GP, I was like this at that age and diagnosed with glandular fever. Though it may well just be a result of growing and being a teenager.

Thanks, I think I will get it checked out and hope that it's nothing but growing pains!! thanks again

Hiya, when I was 16 I was just the same. All I wanted to do was sleep, sleep and sleep some more. Even when I got up, all I wanted to do was go back to bed!

I was diagnosed with depression but even after councillors and anti depressants I was still exhausted. So eventually they did a blood test when I was 18 (nearly 19) because I was so tired I couldn't get up or do college work and it turned out I was severely anemic. It means low iron in your blood, which means low energy. I had to switch my diet to meat (which was hard as I was a vegetarian) and took 4 iron tablets a day. After about 3 weeks I felt MUCH better. I had energy, I wasn't so pale anymore and was so much more happy.

Sorry I'm rambling but it might be worth a look in?

Thank you starodyssey, I'm thinking it might be diet related. We have a Drs appt on Friday morning so I will ask about that. He always look very pale and I think he's showing signs of being depressed too (I have depression and anxiety myself). He says he always falls asleep on the bus from college too, which isn't good! I hope we get some answers soon.

Been to the Dr's and they are doing blood tests next week for coeliac disease, glandular fever, anemia, and a whole host of other things. Hopefully we will get some answers soon.