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Fatigue is a feeling that you're chronically tired - mentally and physically.
It can be caused by a number of factors, including unhealthy lifestyle choices, workplace problems and stress.
There are many different ways you can boost your energy, but see your health practitioner first to make sure you don't have an underlying medical problem.
Food, which gives us energy, is broken down by the digestive system. Some elements, such as water, are absorbed through the stomach. The rest are absorbed through the small intestine.
The body's preferred energy source is glucose, from carbohydrates , but it can also use fatty acids (from fats) and amino acids (from proteins). Glucose is delivered to virtually every cell in the body by the bloodstream, and is then burned with oxygen to produce energy. Hormones control every step in this process; for example, the pancreas makes the hormone insulin, which helps to control blood sugar levels.
If you want more energy, look at your diet and make sure you're following these basic guidelines:
A common cause of fatigue is not enough sleep, or poor quality sleep. Suggestions include:
Being active has many healthy effects on the body and mind. It reduces blood pressure, helps to maintain a healthy weight, and is an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. A good bout of exercise also helps you sleep better at night.Studies suggest that between 50 and 80% of fatigue cases are mainly due to psychological factors.
Suggestions include:
Most people feel drowsy after lunch.
This mid-afternoon drop in energy levels is linked to the brain's circadian rhythm and is 'hard wired' into the human body. Preventing this drop in energy may be impossible, but there are ways to reduce the slump, including:
**This information was adapted from the 'Go for your life' campaign with permission by the Victorian Government, Melbourne, Australia
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Last Updated: November 4, 2013
Many cases of tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors.
Try these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.
If you feel you're suffering from fatigue, which is an overwhelming tiredness that isn't relieved by rest and sleep, you may have an underlying medical condition. Consult a GP for advice.
A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every 3 to 4 hours, rather than a large meal less often.
Read more about healthy eating.
You might feel that exercise is the last thing on your mind. But, in fact, regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, so you'll have more energy.
Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.
Start with a small amount of exercise. Build it up gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of 2 hours 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.
Read more about starting exercise.
Find out the physical activity guidelines for adults.
If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you'll feel much more energetic.
Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to be more active and do more exercise.
Read more about how to lose weight.
Many people don't get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day.
The website of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has information on sleeping well.
Tips for sleeping well include:
Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be:
Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.
Read more about how to relieve stress.
There's some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue, or tiredness caused by stress, anxiety or low mood.
See a GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS, or for advice on seeing a private therapist.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks over a 3-week period.
Caffeine is found in:
Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.
You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.
Although a couple of glasses of wine in the evening can help you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you'll be tired, even if you sleep a full 8 hours.
Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You'll get a better night's rest and have more energy.
The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Try to have several alcohol-free days each week.
Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.
Sometimes you feel tired simply because you're mildly dehydrated. A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.
Read about healthy drinks.
September 7 Motivation
The right priorities and self-care will help you overcome a difficult life period.
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0Laurie Deschen
Founder of the website Tiny Buddha and co-founder of the Next Creator Up podcast.
I am very tired. I'm having a baby in six weeks, and my pregnancy is going through with complications. At the same time, I continue to work and participate in new projects.
It's hard: for every small victory of this difficult period, there was a moment when I felt destroyed. I recently realized what helps me overcome fatigue. If you are also having a hard time, my tips may come in handy.
More than a year ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer. She quit her job despite the risk of running out of money.
She broke off relationships that were not suitable for her, despite the engagement. And she met cancer with her usual courage. Her feat is not that she was not afraid, but that she overcame a difficult period, despite all the fears.
My conditions are much more pleasant, and sometimes it seems that I really have no reason to be so worried. My experience is nothing compared to what my friend went through. I think I should just come to terms with my stress at the end of a hard day, silently endure any fatigue or discomfort. Just because I'm lucky.
But it's hard for me too. I'm still going through a difficult pregnancy, trying to get everything done, dealing with unpleasant physical symptoms and a lot of fears. There will always be someone who had a harder time, but why blame yourself for it?
People find themselves in different situations and may equally need help and understanding.
Take note 💡
If we spend all our energy on unimportant things, we won't have the energy to do the things that really change our lives. Seven years ago I had an operation to remove uterine fibroids. I knew that for a speedy recovery I should not strain, but the mess in the room haunted me. I'm a fan of order.
A day has passed since the operation. The seam after the incision in the lower abdomen has just begun to tighten. And then I see a casually thrown pair of shoes next to the door. I knew they weren't supposed to be there. I was in pain, but I tried to put these shoes in the closet. Mom said I was crazy and she was right.
Now I remember the shoe incident every time I feel exhausted and want to do something. I ask myself: will it wait until morning? Or maybe I shouldn't do it at all? What if someone helps me? And, most importantly, will it really make my life better?
Crossing things out of your diary is not easy, especially if you, like me, are used to taking everything on yourself.
But sometimes we just need to give up something in order to save strength and save ourselves from a nervous breakdown.
Maybe you used to be more active or productive (I definitely was). Or you were the person you could ask for help at any time of the day. Or a great conversationalist who could listen to a friend, even if it would take all night.
We worry not only that we will no longer be the same, but also that others will not like these changes. But we are inevitably confronted with new challenges and needs that will not go away if we simply ignore them.
I don't romanticize change. Not being able to do what you used to love is a total waste.
I don't go to yoga anymore because I don't have the time or energy. And I don’t do a bunch of other things that used to consist of my every day. But I was lucky: someday I will be able to do it again, even if not soon.
It's okay to worry about things you can't do. But in the end, we still have to accept reality and ask ourselves how to work with what we have. Otherwise, we will be very worried, and these experiences will not change anything.
Many of us make this mistake. We think we can do more: others do! If you feel bad, do not convince yourself that everything is in order. That way you won't be more productive. And to reproach yourself for a forced respite is also pointless.
If you are tired, you need a rest. And if it hurts, compassion. And nothing will change for the better until you get what you need.
We cannot quit everything and do what we want, especially if we have taken responsibility to others. But we can definitely find some time to please ourselves.
Recently, I started to include these moments of rest in my schedule. If I can't afford an hour of naps, I will sleep for 15 minutes. If I don't have time to walk 10,000 steps, then at least walk around the block. If I don't have an hour to write about all my experiences in a diary, I will take the time to note three important problems and three ways to solve them.
We constantly compare ourselves to others and think that we must keep up with them, otherwise we will waste our lives. It is not true.
You don't have to be perfect to be happy. We do not have to be afraid of falling behind someone, because each of us goes our own way. And no matter what is happening in our lives right now, this is a valuable experience.
Many would agree that success is inextricably linked to overcoming challenges. I would never have thought that my decade-long struggle with depression and bulimia would be the reason for a change for the better. I could not imagine how my pain would determine the further trajectory of my life and how this dark stage would lead me to new ones - bright, filled and exciting.
Accept where you are and who you are now, even if it doesn't suit you.
Only in this way can you achieve high goals in the future.
Read also 🧐
Productivity
Do you feel that your strength is at the limit, and the work has not been going well for a long time? Find out why this happens and what to do to correct the situation and enjoy life again.
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0You have a lot to do, but critically little time to complete them. Too many people want you to pay attention to them, but you can't because you're always in a hurry somewhere. You don’t understand how you can do everything on time, and even so that there is time for your personal life. Familiar situation?
At the dawn of the digital era, we firmly believed that gadgets would make our lives easier and less stressful in many ways.
It seems like we've never been so wrong.
We are working much harder than before and we can't stop even if we really want to: smartphones, Skype, instant messengers and e-mail have become an integral part of modern life. Yes, and colleagues from different time zones who want to be in touch around the clock. We are stuck at work. It is not at all surprising that with such a frantic pace of life, we often feel unwell.
Sometimes it can be quite difficult to understand what exactly caused your depression. It seems like it all came crashing down at once. But think about this: fatigue is just a feeling that will pass sooner or later, you just need to identify what caused it and eliminate the cause.
Here is a short list of the most common causes of depression.
When it seems to you that everything in the world is infinitely sad and hopelessly bad, it is quite natural that you begin to feel the same way. Being depressed and tired from time to time is absolutely normal, but if this condition has become your constant companion, then you need to take appropriate measures.
Draft a to-do list with several items that will help solve the problem. Commit changes as you go. Feel free to ask for help. It also happens that you are simply unable to influence the current situation. Then you just need to accept it. Yes, it is not easy, but it makes a valuable contribution to the treasury of your life experience.
Done with the general advice. Let's move on to specific actions that you need to perform daily in order to feel much better.
Only do what you're really good at. Sometimes people take on extra tasks just because they're easy enough, done quickly, and don't require a lot of effort. Sometimes - because of distrust of other people or because they believe that no one else is able to cope with them. Sometimes it's just out of habit.
All these tasks can easily be delegated to someone else so that you no longer feel like a loaded donkey. Ask yourself: Am I really the only person who can do this? In most cases, the answer will be no.
Too often we do things just because we have to, or because we always did them. But are they really necessary? It is quite possible that we regularly spend a lot of time on absolutely useless activities. To stop wasting precious minutes, ask yourself two questions: Do I really have to complete this task? Will anything change if I don't do it? If both answers are negative, feel free to cross this item off your to-do list.
Find time to take a break. No matter how busy your schedule is, it is quite possible to allocate at least 15 minutes in it. This time will be enough for your brain to take a break and start working much more efficiently.
Imagine that these 15 minutes are the kind of mini-vacation you miss so much. Close your eyes for a couple of minutes and allow yourself to relax a little. And then, as if from the outside, try to look at the problem that worries you. We assure you, a solution will definitely be found.
When we feel overwhelmed and overwhelmed, we need support more than ever. For her, we turn to friends, family and even colleagues. Complaining about life within reasonable limits is perfectly acceptable, but know the measure: if you start constantly telling everyone about how difficult it is for you, you will achieve exactly the opposite effect. You don't need a reputation as a whiner, do you?
It is often helpful to look at a situation through the eyes of another person.
Tell someone about your concerns and ask for advice. Ask how your interlocutor would act in a similar situation and what actions he would take. Sometimes a fresh look helps to find rather unexpected ways out of a critical situation. And in general, maybe you are winding yourself up in vain and the problem is not as terrible as it seems?
Assess your abilities adequately: if you cannot cope with a large amount of work on your own, do not burden yourself with things just because you are uncomfortable with refusing.
