CDC Survey Finds About 72% of U.S. Adults Report Frequent Fatigue

A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics in 2024 indicates that 71.5 percent of U.S. adults reported feeling fatigued on several days during the previous three months. The study, which included about 27,000 respondents aged 18 and older, defines fatigue as physical or mental tiredness that does not improve with additional sleep or rest.

"Fatigue is one of the most frequently reported health concerns in primary care visits in the U.S.," said Natalie A.E. Young, the report’s author. She added that individuals who experience regular fatigue are at higher risk of activity limitations and disability.

The data show that women and younger adults are more likely to report frequent fatigue than men. Approximately one in six adults said they felt fatigued almost daily, with the highest prevalence—nearly 20 percent—among those aged 18 to 34. Seniors 65 and older reported the lowest rate at 12.9 percent. Twenty percent of women reported regular fatigue compared with 13 percent of men.

Respondents who reported fatigue were also more likely to experience co-occurring difficulties, including cognitive problems, depression and anxiety. The survey found that fatigued adults were more than three times as likely to have symptoms of depression and about twice as likely to report cognitive difficulties or anxiety as those who did not report regular fatigue.

The CDC study did not investigate the underlying causes of fatigue and does not provide a comparison with prior years.