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.
It’s common for people to become tired or even fatigued in our fast-paced modern world. Many times, you may find yourself running from one activity to the next, not pausing to take the time you might need to ground, balance, and soothe your soul.
It’s not always easy to pinpoint the exact reason you’re feeling low in energy. If you’re feeling tired persistently or for reasons that aren’t apparent, make an appointment to see your doctor. It could be the sign of an underlying condition, especially if it’s interfering with your daily life.
Signs that tiredness could be something more serious include unexplained pain, fever, and headaches.
Continue reading to learn about some of the causes of tiredness and simple changes you can make to put a bit more pep in your step.
One reason to follow a healthy, balanced diet is that you’ll boost energy levels.
Ensure you’re getting enough nutrients by eating whole, fresh foods from a variety of food groups. Pair unrefined carbs with protein for sustained energy levels. Include plenty of fiber and anti-inflammatory foods.
Following a balanced diet also promotes healthy digestion, which helps to clear and cleanse your body. In fact, research has linked irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to chronic fatigue. Certain foods might even help to prevent and manage IBS, which could be zapping your energy.
The benefits of regular exercise are widely recognized. Exercise releases endorphins that naturally boosting your energy levels. It can also lead to more high-quality sleep.
A 2008 study found that regular exercise can reduce symptoms of fatigue. In the study, 36 sedentary young adults did either low-intensity or moderate-intensity exercise over a period of six weeks. Both groups saw improvements in energy levels.
Do at least two hours of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
To make it easier to stick to an exercise plan, find a workout buddy or hire a personal trainer.
Stay properly hydrated to keep your body running at optimum levels.
Dehydration can lead to low energy levels. It can also have a negative impact on your sleep by drying out your mouth and nasal passages, and can lead to snoring, hoarseness, and leg cramps. Plus, it can make you less alert and mentally clear the next day.
According to a 2014 study, increasing water intake in people who don’t usually drink enough water was found to have beneficial effects on energy. People who decreased their water intake had fewer feelings of calmness, satisfaction, and positive emotions. Feelings of fatigue and inertia were also reported in this group.
Lowering your caffeine intake can give you more energy in the long run. Though caffeine may give you an initial boost of energy, after it wears off you may be left feeling depleted.
Slowly reducing your caffeine intake will help to reduce feelings of withdrawal as you balance out your natural energy levels.
Avoid caffeine after dinnerso you can naturally wind down for a restful night of sleep.
Proper rest is essential if you want to maintain energy levels throughout the day. Relax before going to bed, possibly doing some gentle stretches. Improve your sleep area by keeping it clean and maintaining an appropriate temperature.
Other tips for better sleep include:
Alcohol throws your body off balance and leads to poor sleep, especially if you’re dehydrated. Even though alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep, you won’t sleep as deeply. When you do have alcohol, drink in moderation, and try to have as many alcohol-free days as possible.
The chemicals released by your body to combat allergic reactions can cause you to feel tired.
They can bring on inflammationof your sinuses, airways, or digestive system. Accompanying head and nose congestion can cause you to sleep poorly.
These factors can contribute to brain fog, making it difficult to concentrate and complete your daily activities.
Avoid known allergens as much as possible. Keep a diary and try an elimination diet to help identify triggers.
See your doctor to determine the cause of your allergies if you’re unsure. They may recommend allergy medications or shots.
Stress can zap you of the mental and physical energy needed to carry out your day with ease. Stress hormonescan have a negative effect on your sleep patterns, bodily systems, and overall health.
Reduce stress in whatever way your heart so desires. Go to the spa for a pampering treatment or having a massage. Mindfulness practices such as tai chi, meditation, and yoga are great options. Or curl up on the couch with your favorite book or television show.
Check in with yourself to establish what mental patterns may be causing low energy levels.
Anxiety symptoms include feeling worried, irritable, and nervous. Symptoms of depression include feeling sad, restless, and hopeless. Both conditions can lead to unhealthy sleep patterns and cause tiredness.
Consider seeing a therapist for talk therapy, known as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This method helps you to get to the root cause of emotional issues so that they can be addressed and overcome.
Get up, get moving, and get your energy flowing. This is especially important if you spend a lot of time sitting.
Include short bursts of activity throughout the day, especially when you’re feeling pressed for time. Get into the habit of exercising regularly. Making simple changes such as parking your car a little bit farther away, taking the stairs, or walking to do errands are easy ways to sneak in a bit of exercise.
Anemia is an iron deficiencythat can lead to tiredness. This is due to low hemoglobin levels, which make it more difficult for oxygen to be carried to your tissues and muscles.
It also weakens your immune system, making you more likely to develop illness and infection.
Anemia is more common in women than in men. Sometimes it occurs due to pregnancy or heavy menstruation. It can be treated through diet or medication.
Here are some iron-rich foods to include in your diet:
In terms of energy levels, eating smaller portions more frequently throughout the day may be more beneficial than eating a few large meals. That’s because it keeps your blood sugar levels stable.
Eating every three to four hours will make it less likely that your energy crashes, and in turn you’ll be less likely to reach for unhealthy food.
Avoid overeating at meals, and stop eating before you are entirely full.
Smoking can deplete your energy by reducing your oxygen levels, and making breathing difficult.
Quitting smoking is an attainable goal, and there are resources to help. Over-the-counter and prescription medicationsare available that may help you quit. These medications are more effective when combined with counseling.
Consider trying one of the many smoking cessation apps available. Discover tips from people who successfully quit smoking. Keep a journal so you can have some type of inner reflection during this time.
Take the time to completely unwind, relax, and let go.
Deep breathing techniques, gentle stretching, and meditation are excellent ways to unwind. Yoga nidra is the perfect way to replenish your energy.
Finding peace in nature is another way to nourish your soul, or you can simply enjoy the beauty of doing nothing.
If you feel your tiredness is unusual in some way or is coupled with other symptoms, it may be time to see your doctor. Feeling low in energy could be the result of an underlying health condition, and it’s best to check out this possibility.
Conditions that can cause fatigue include:
Make lifestyle changes to your routine to increase your vitality. Start with what is most appealing to you, and go from there. You’ll likely start to improve your energy levels so you can feel your best on a daily basis.
Above all, honor your body and how you’re feeling. Take a break and allow yourself time to rest when you need to. Avoid pushing yourself beyond your limits, and commit to a healthy plan of action.
Woke up, but as if you had not slept? If you wake up tired and even broken in the morning, you need to fix it urgently. We have collected 9 working tips that will help you become alert again and wake up full of energy.
Sports are the last thing you want to do when you feel tired. But research shows that the more physical activity you have, the more energy you have. nine0003
Even short workouts will make you more alert and self-confident. And they will improve the work of the heart, lungs and muscles - and improve well-being.
Devices from the pharmacy will help track the state of the body before and after training:
Any exercise is useful in the fight against fatigue, but yoga is especially useful.
There are also several studies on this subject - for example, scientists in the UK conducted an experiment: they gathered a group of volunteers, forced them to do yoga once a week (only once!). Six weeks later, they were interviewed: everyone noted that their thoughts became clearer, and their energy and self-confidence increased.
nine0003
Dehydration robs you of energy and reduces physical performance - if you don't have enough water in your body, you will get tired even with the simplest housework. Dehydration also reduces alertness and concentration.
You can tell if you are drinking enough water by the color of your urine: if it is dark, you need to drink more.
Important: you need to drink exactly water, not juices, compotes or dairy products - everything except water is perceived by the body as food, and this does not save you from dehydration. nine0003
You can also buy water in pharmacies:
The logic is simple: you get more sleep, you get less tired. Try to go to bed before midnight and put your gadgets away at least an hour before bedtime - so their bright light does not interfere with the production of melatonin, and you can fall asleep quickly.
0003
Fluctuations in blood sugar affect how awake you are throughout the day - the more fluctuations, the more tired you are.
To stabilize your sugar levels, you need to increase the number of meals and reduce the amount of servings.
How it works. Sugar is found in almost every product. If we eat a hearty lunch, a lot of sugar enters the body at a time, its concentration rises sharply, and the body absorbs it for a long time. Dividing a heavy meal into at least two small meals will reduce your blood sugar spike and keep you awake for longer. nine0003
Supplement your diet with vitamins for energy:
Fish contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids. They improve metabolism and increase alertness - and this helps to stay alert and alert throughout the day.
If there is not enough fish in your diet, supplement your diet with supplements:
Of course, you need to reduce not the weight itself, but the percentage of fat in the body - just more often one is inseparable from the other.
Scientists from Johns Hopkins University have proven that even a small reduction in body fat improves mood and makes a person more alert.
To start losing weight, experts advise reducing portion sizes, eating a balanced diet, and exercising (or at least walking more often). If you work remotely and are afraid that you won’t be able to lose weight due to sedentary work at home, read this material - in it we told you how to start losing weight even remotely. nine0003
Help in losing weight can be found in pharmacies:
Are you an owl or a lark? The answer to this question will help you not to suffer from fatigue during the day. If you are a morning person and feel energized in the morning, plan all the important things for the first half of the day. If an owl - at the end of the day.
This biological clock, or circadian rhythm, is determined by genetics and brain structure, so changing it can be very difficult.
It's much easier to just adapt to them
And if you have problems with activity and fatigue even when you expect a daily energy peak, help:
Important: constant fatigue is a common symptom of many diseases. These include, for example, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and anemia. If you have been feeling uncharacteristically tired for a long time, talk to your doctor.
Certain medications can also cause fatigue, such as blood pressure medications, antihistamines, diuretics, and other medications. If you start taking something and feel that you are getting tired faster or more often, tell your doctor about it. nine0003
What to drink if everything infuriates you? Five legal remedies to help you get Zen
How to quit smoking with the help of a pharmacy?
How to diversify sex in one trip to the pharmacy?
Are you just tired? Or is there a more serious reason?
What person has not felt tired and tired at least once in his life? In some cases, lethargy, drowsiness and deterioration of well-being are the norm, but sometimes worsening of the condition is a reason to be wary.
How to distinguish ordinary fatigue from illness? nine0003
First, consider the main causes of weakness, loss of strength and poor health.
Short daylight hours
According to research, people often get sick, feel constant lethargy and drowsiness in the autumn-winter period. This is due to the fact that the activity of the body depends on daylight hours. And in autumn and winter, an ordinary office worker hardly sees the sun: he wakes up when it is still dark, makes most of the way underground, and leaves the office after sunset ...
Solution: chase the sun!
The problem is easily solved by a couple of weeks of vacation in warm countries. But if this is not possible, you can get by with a short vacation without going abroad. Do not spend it at home - try to walk more on the street. The body yearning for the sun's rays will be grateful to you.
Lack of vitamins and microelements
Improper nutrition can also be the cause of weakness and loss of strength.
Trendy diets, a passion for fast food, a lack of dietary variety, and a lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet can lead to beriberi and micronutrient deficiencies. nine0003
Solution: Diversify your diet!
Good nutrition is a varied diet. Let your menu include dairy products and cereals, vegetables and fruits, meat and fish. Try to include in the diet vegetable oils with unsaturated fatty acids - olive or linseed. If your menu cannot boast of variety, take a course of vitamins every six months, vitamins of group B are especially useful for combating increased fatigue.
Busy schedule
If your job is stressful, you work irregular hours, you don't get enough sleep, or you sleep in fits and starts - it's no wonder you get tired. Even if at first the reserves of the body are enough to feel healthy and vigorous, over time the tension accumulates, and even after the weekend you do not feel rested.
Solution: Relax!
Treatment of causes such as weakness and loss of strength should begin with rest. If you don't rest properly, you can't work productively. To get rid of fatigue, set aside a few days to rest. Get some sleep, take a walk, unload your brain... Take a break from work and don't rush to solve everyday problems. Devote these few days to what you have long wanted to do, but put off. nine0003
In some cases, fatigue, weakness and loss of strength appear, seemingly out of the blue. But that's just how it seems.
Lethargy and drowsiness can be caused by:
Don't ignore warning signs. Chronic fatigue is a sign that your body cannot cope with the load that you have placed on it. Listen to yourself. The recipe for well-being is a comfortable work schedule, rest as needed, moderate exercise, outdoor walks, good nutrition and healthy sleep.
