Why do people look at me sometimes and make remarks that I should sleep, or that I look ill?

I just created my new character 2 hours ago and I've reached a town. Sometimes random guards will comment that I look ill, or that I should rest. "You look sick, honey. Do you want to lie down?", isn't uncommon.

Did I unexpectedly get vampirism? I didn't fight any vampires, only a couple of wolves and bandits.

I'm a dark elf, so maybe my race isn't seen much around Skyrim and the remarks are more roleplay than actual illness.

Any ideas?

You might want to double-check your wolf bites. Wolves have a chance of carrying "Rockjoint", a disease which decreases your melee damage dealt. NPCs use those responses for all diseases, not just Porphyric Hemophilia Sanguinare Vampiris (aka, Vampirism).

So the good news: You're probably not accidentally a vampire.

But the NPCs are probably right too - you're suffering from something. The simplest way to fix all this is to cast a Cure Disease spell on yourself, chug a Cure Disease Potion, or the like.

Visiting a temple in any city and praying at their altar will instantly cleanse non-vampire / werewolf diseases from the afflicted, and give you a temporary buff to boot.

Another easy way to check is to go to your "active effects" on magica. If any effects are marked in red, these are negative/hurtful, and the description will tell you if it's a disease.

I made the palest Wood Elf possible and I get told I look sick all the time, but I have no active effects and even after praying I still get told I look sick.

I've never seen a Nord with a tan anyway so I don't know why a pale Elf is something that needs to be commented on.