CDC Survey Finds Over 70% of U.S. Adults Experience Fatigue

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey of about 27,000 adults found that 71.5% of U.S. adults felt fatigued at least occasionally during a three-month period, and 16.6% reported frequent fatigue, defined as feeling exhausted most days or every day. The data, drawn from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, identified fatigue as one of the most common health complaints nationwide.

Frequent fatigue was reported by 20% of women compared with 13% of men. Younger adults aged 18 to 34 had the highest prevalence at 19.5%, while the rate fell to 12.9% among those 65 and older. The condition was also more common in lower-income households, rural residents, and people living in the South and Midwest.

More than half of respondents with frequent fatigue said it affected three or more functional areas such as mood, mobility and memory. Over one-third said exhaustion limited their ability to work, and 29% reduced social activities because of fatigue.

"Quality of sleep is very important for restoration of both the mental and physical body," said Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. "The fatigue that results from poor quality of sleep contributes to slower thought processing, decreased concentration, and a less productive and happy workforce."

Dr. Murray added that while medical conditions can cause fatigue, the majority of cases are likely linked to poor sleep and psychosocial stress, often exacerbated by constant digital connectivity. He noted that instant communication technologies make it difficult for many people to disconnect from work, and that late-night expectations and social-media scrolling can reduce sleep quality.

He recommended setting boundaries with electronic devices in the hours before bedtime and seeking medical evaluation if fatigue persists, to rule out underlying health issues.