There are a number of root causes to tiredness. Simply, you may not be getting enough sleep or the quality of your sleep may be such that it leaves you feeling unrefreshed. Additionally, your diet may be in need of an overhaul. In general, if you are not allergic/intolerant to any particular food groups, all this means is eating sensibly by having regular well balanced meals and eating a good range of fresh, unprocessed foods. This should include lots of vegetables (including leafy green ones, which are rich in iron) and fruit, whole grains, nuts, pulses and if you aren't a vegetarian, some meat, eggs and fish and if you are a vegetarian making sure that your diet has enough protein and B vitamins Try to avoid too much processed food, sugars and where possible, over-refined carbohydrates, such as white flour products that give you a quick energy rush, but do not sustain you over a longer period of time.
There can be other causes as well, a host of medical conditions such as anaemia and thyroid dysfunction, can all cause tiredness. It is of course very important to properly identify what is causing your tiredness, as some underlying conditions can be serious. Although your doctor can can help with these problems, sometimes they can be complex and problematic to treat conventionally. This is especially so in cases where there are chronic fatigue states, where extra help and support may be needed.
In these instances herbs and herbal medicine can usually be used in conjunction with medicine from your doctor and sometimes, depending on your condition, as an alternative to orthodox medicine. With expert advice, herbal medicine can be very effective in managing a range of these 'tired all the time' states. Herbs may help with 'simple' insomnia, although in my experience insomnia can be anything but 'simple', chronic fatigue states such as fibromyalgia and conditions where prolonged stress has lead to 'nervous exhaustion'. Normally a medical herbalist will put together a herbal remedy that can help on a number of fronts, depending on the individual patient. For example, to include herbs to help with sleep, stress and anxiety states, digestion and general fatigue and to help the body's immune system fight infection as well more specific organ and system dysfunctions.
Very effective herbs belonging to a group called 'adaptogens', such as the ginsengs, can also be used to assist the body to adapt and respond better to stressed states. The ultimate aim of herbal therapy (as always) is to support the body, encouraging it to re-set and re-balance. If tiredness is a problem for you, herbal medicine could be your answer.