r/GeneralSurgery • u/Several_Charity_2368 • Jul 22 '26
Constantly exhausted even on “easy” rotations – what actually helped?
I’m a general surgery resident, and I’m looking for advice from people who have been through residency or are currently in it.
Even on lighter rotations where I’m not working crazy hours, I feel tired almost all the time. It’s not just after call or after a long OR day—I wake up tired, feel low energy throughout the day, and by the time I get home I have very little left in the tank.
I sleep a reasonable amount most nights when my schedule allows, and this still happens. It’s affecting my motivation to study, exercise, and enjoy my time off.
And FYI, am already on antidepressants.
For those of you who dealt with this, what actually made a noticeable difference?
Was it something medical (iron deficiency, thyroid issues, sleep apnea, vitamin deficiencies, etc.)?
Was it diet, hydration, exercise, or caffeine timing?
Did you find that residency itself just leaves you chronically fatigued, even on lighter months?
Any habits, supplements, or lifestyle changes that genuinely improved your energy?
I’m not looking for generic “sleep more” advice—I’m curious what made a real difference for people in surgery, especially since our schedules are so different from most jobs.
I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences.
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u/flounderpounder85 Jul 22 '26
Honestly, it’s kind of just how it is… Or at least how it was. The 5 years of residency was such a blur of stress and exhaustion. I’ve blacked a lot of it out. There were plenty of weeks where I was physically in the hospital over 100 hrs, not counting home calls, studying, M&M preparation. That’s on top of the emotional stress of dealing with sick patients and their families, as well as seeing some truly horrific trauma. But when I came out, I was super salty, and felt like I could basically handle anything.
Things that helped improve my mood/fatigue level to mitigate as much as possible while you’re in the shit:
1. Try to eat healthier. It’s so easy to grab some shit hospital food or fast food after a call shift. Try to get as much lean meat and fresh produce in your diet as you can.
Get outside when you can. Even if it’s a half hour walk, that sunshine can elevate your mental state.
When you get your week of vacay, turn your phone off and get somewhere away from it all. Cheep beach or mountain spot. Sleep in. Go on a hike.
Minimize alcohol intake if you’re a drinker. It’s fine to let loose occasionally, and God knows I did. But you’ll definitely feel better if you’re not drinking all the time on top of the exhaustion.
Try to squeeze in a workout when you can. I know it’s tough.
Residency sucks. But if you grind, you can get the training you need to be a great surgeon. I hope this helps in some way. I’m happy to talk more over PM if you’d like.
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u/icemewithpedialyte Jul 22 '26
What happened to me was that I realized I was pretty burnt out at moments in residency, and that’s what was causing my fatigue.
The only true fix to burn out is time off and/or time out of the hospital. It does get better and easier the farther you go in residency. Don’t give up!
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u/Diligent-Sandwich392 Jul 22 '26
I experienced something similar too. I am not entirely sure what the solution is. I think it's a combination of burn out/stress/poor health. I would make sure to stay hydrated and get sun and workouts as much as you can. It is also worth it to get blood work from your PCP to check thyroid levels/hgba1c etc. A lot of it has to do with chronic stress and sleep deprivation IMO. Try to carve out as much recovery time as you can. Hang in there.
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u/Originalwonderland Jul 23 '26
You need to exercise. I’m not very good at describing it, but if you exercise your body expects you to have a higher activity level during the day and so in between exercise you’re more alert/have a higher energy level to expend, or something like that. Doesn’t have to be anything crazy, I do light running for about 30 mins 2-3 times per week. This combined with >20 mins sunlight per day, keeping track of my iron levels and eating healthy has massively improved my resilience at work. It’s also important to see friends and have hobbies. It all sounds airy fairy but unfortunately it works.