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.
By Emily Cronkleton on December 3, 2018
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.
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We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
(2013). 5 ways to fight fatigue with food.Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
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By Emily Cronkleton on December 3, 2018
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Everyone has periods when even simple everyday activities - washing dishes, working with mail, playing with a child - become a burden. What can we say about complex projects, creativity and new beginnings. Psychologists in this case say that a person has left the resource state - that is, he has ceased to feel stable, full, rested.
This can happen due to illness or severe fatigue, failures at work and conflicts with loved ones, tragic events, age and personality crises, and so on. Weakness and apathy may disappear after a person has a rest, or they may turn out to be symptoms of an incipient depression and a reason to consult a psychotherapist. Let's figure out what to do to help yourself.
From childhood, we are taught that inaction is always bad. Laziness is a vice, idleness is a sin, procrastination is the lot of losers.
And no matter how bad it is, you need to take your ass off the couch, get out of your comfort zone, work, engage in self-development, be active and productive. It is not surprising that, having fallen out of the resource state, a person first of all begins to blame himself for this.
Next comes attempts to force oneself to work, to punish oneself for inaction, and to stimulate oneself with threats. All of these are forms of negative motivation. HR expert Daniel Pink argues that neither punishment, bullying and pressure, nor the carrot-and-stick approach works in the long run. On the contrary, such an approach leads to the fact that a person no longer sees the meaning in what he does.
The very existence of laziness as a vice or negative character trait in the modern world is questioned.
Some experts claim D. Price. Laziness Does Not Exist / Medium, that laziness does not exist at all. Others believe that it is a defense mechanism that saves us from overworking.
A whole tangle of reasons and feelings can be hidden behind inaction: fear of failure, lack of motivation, fatigue or illness, in the end, a banal unwillingness to do what is needed.
If you have fallen out of the resource state, you should think about taking a break and resting as much as circumstances allow. Or go into a kind of energy saving mode and do only the most necessary things, and postpone all other tasks until better times or delegate to relatives, friends and colleagues.
Find out more 🤔
In 1998, American psychologist Robert Kraut discovered R. Kraut, M. Patterson, et al. internet paradox. A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? / American Psychologist that the more time a person spends on the Web, the higher his risk of falling into a depressive state. About 25% of social media users are affected by C. R. Blease.
Too Many “Friends”, Too Few “Likes”? Evolutionary Psychology and “Facebook Depression” / Review of General Psychology is the so-called Facebook * depression, which occurs due to the fact that a person had to deal with bullying, insults or envy.
According to the American study If Facebook* Use Causes Envy, Depression Could Follow / University of Missouri, 58% of social network users, comparing their lives with the posts of Internet friends, evaluate it negatively and feel like losers. Constantly looking back at others and reading posts about other people's achievements, you can greatly undermine your self-esteem. And this is hardly what a person needs, who already has neither the strength nor the mood.
For a period of rest and restoration of resources, it may be worth giving up social networks. Or limit their use to the necessary minimum. The same applies to any "motivating" literature. Reading about how to earn more and live brighter is better when there is strength for all this.
Try 📱❌
In the pyramid of needs A. H. Maslow. A Theory of Human Motivation / Psychological Review by Abraham Maslow, one of the top tiers is the need for respect and recognition. For a person to feel good, it is very important to know that he is valued and that his deeds are important and meaningful. From school, if not from kindergarten, we get used to expecting praise from other people, and not from ourselves.
And we consider achievements only what can be measured, evaluated and presented to others - promotion at work, buying a car, receiving a diploma. But many, at first glance, small steps that make up our path to great success, go unnoticed.
John Croft, an ecologist who has studied the life and philosophy of the Australian Aborigines for many years, together with his colleagues came up with Dragon Dreaming, a method of planning personal and corporate projects.
He believes that there should be four processes in life - dreaming, planning, acting and celebrating. And without the last - celebration - the cycle remains incomplete, we do not feel pleasure and recognition.
Any steps, even those that seem tiny to us, are worth celebrating, not devaluing.
Preparing a tasty and balanced meal is, at first glance, a trifle. But if you take a closer look, this is one of the elements that make up the health of the whole family. Half a page of text seems to be very little, but in a year at such a pace you can write a whole book.
For those who are tired, confused and unsure of themselves, it is especially important to celebrate achievements - both large and small, everyday. As an option, keep a diary of success and every day write down at least five things in it for which you can praise yourself. Even things that we are accustomed to not noticing are counted - routine household chores and work tasks.
This practice will help you feel important and find a source of recognition and praise within yourself rather than waiting for it from other people.
And of course, no one bothers to indulge in entertainment and pleasant shopping, or make it a rule to regularly celebrate success with family or friends.
Believe in yourself 💪🙂
In difficult times, we look forward to any bright period - a day when the mood will be a little better, and a little more energy. And when it comes, there is immediately a temptation to rush to solve a million tasks and build heroic plans. However, do not rush.
There is a possibility that the next day the energy will dry up again and all these unfulfilled obligations will fall on you like a dead weight.
David Burns in the bestselling book Mood Therapy. A clinically proven way to beat depression without pills ”says that, getting out of the vicious circle of apathy, inactivity and self-flagellation, it is very important not to rush things and start with simple things, gradually increasing the load.
He advises to write down in the diary even such seemingly elementary actions as brushing your teeth, reading or eating, opposite each one noting on a five-point scale how much benefit and / or pleasure they brought. Having coped with the main tasks, a person feels an upsurge in mood and enthusiasm to do something more difficult.
And so, step by step, he gradually gets out of the emotional hole in which he found himself. However, if you still can’t cope with apathy on your own and return to a resourceful state, this is a reason to seek help from a psychotherapist.
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*Activities of Meta Platforms Inc.
and its social networks Facebook and Instagram are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Irina Khakamada guest Verba Mayr
“Energy is always in motion. And in motion should always be both the brain of a person, his soul, and his body, which must be maintained for endless energy. You need to do this consciously, understanding that it is your tool for achieving success. Many work day and night, drive themselves for the sake of any large-scale goals, but in the end this leads to absolute burnout. When the goals are achieved, it turns out that there is no health anymore, depression fills the whole soul and brain, and this is where it all ends. Success is the gymnastics of the brain, on the one hand, and on the other hand, a decent body that does not interfere with the work of the brain. This in no way means a fanatical healthy lifestyle and constant diets and sports.
The secret is in balance and occasional pauses for respite and self-care.”
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Improve sleep patterns
The growing popularity of radical biohacking can cause serious harm to health. Elon Musk-esque characters who advocate 30 minutes of sleep every six hours instead of a full night's rest completely fail to take into account that such dangerous practices are suitable for a small number of people.
Verba Mayr neurologist Svetlana Kovaleva is sure that the circadian rhythms that are responsible for sleep are laid down at the genetic level, and for personal effectiveness, most people need high-quality six to eight hours of sleep at night.
It works like this: with the onset of night and darkness, the production of melatonin, the “sleep hormone”, is activated. In the morning, light enters the retina of the eye through the eyelids, instead of melatonin, serotonin and cortisol begin to be produced - the very ones from which “I want to live and work.
” Moreover, at night, the active production of somatotropin begins, which serves as a natural fat burner, and also starts the anabolic process - the process of energy accumulation in cells. Following this million-year-old program is one of the most effective deep restorative sleep solutions. The degree of fatigue also affects falling asleep: a lack of activity during the day or, conversely, overwork can prevent you from falling asleep at the right time.
Good health and a stable psyche also support an established daily routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time on weekdays and weekends. Thus, the habit will be fixed in the brain, it will be easy for you to fall asleep and it will be pleasant to wake up.
Take care of the work of the stomach and intestines
Dr. Alex Vitasek, President of the International Association of Mayer Therapists, pointed out that the causes of chronic fatigue are often indigestion. The same pursuit of high performance and personal efficiency leads many to skip meals, spend less time on lunch, choose useless foods, overeat, or, conversely, eat too little.
Often the only opportunity to eat well is late in the evening. Accumulated hunger and fatigue make it difficult to control appetite, which increases the risk of overeating, including sweets - the most affordable antidepressant. This overloads the gastrointestinal tract, prevents you from falling asleep and fully resting, worsens your well-being, lowers the protective functions of the body and performance in the future.
According to Vitasek, in order to get rid of chronic fatigue, it is important to normalize your diet: give up sweets and starchy foods, avoid gluten, eat foods rich in amino acids (Omega-3 and Omega-9) and green vegetables. And so that all digestive processes end before going to bed, Alex Vitasek advises to refuse dinner. Of course, such strict restrictions are a temporary measure. When the problem of chronic fatigue is resolved, you can again introduce light and healthy dinners into your daily practice.
Get enough nutrients
Gastroenterologist Anna Borisova, in turn, suggests that you monitor the correctness and balance of the diet.
The problem with our diet is that our eating habits have changed for the worse. The basis of the diet began to be not useful and important microelements for the body, but carbohydrates and “useless” food. Therefore, the first step to replenish energy should be a diet rich in all the necessary elements.
In order to get them, the doctor advises adding the following products to the grocery basket: meat and poultry, fish, dairy products, nuts and, of course, fruits and vegetables. Also, a varied menu is important for good nutrition. Optimizing your diet to some standard buckwheat-chicken-cucumber combo would be a poor choice. It is not enough to eat the same set of useful products: in this case, an excess of some trace elements and a lack of others may form.
Trying new foods, experimenting with recipes, and updating your shopping list regularly is a good way to get everything you need and feel energized.
Dealing with internal conflicts
We can indeed become deficient due to lack of sleep and malnutrition.
But our energy is also spent on resolving internal conflicts. If every day you do what you don’t like, or what seems unnecessary (in a personal or professional field), one day moral exhaustion may occur, a feeling of depression and apathy may arise. This is a psychodynamic state that needs to be corrected with the help of various mental practices, meditation, work with a psychologist or psychotherapist. The body is a system that cannot be fooled. And even if you convince yourself that everything is fine, but in reality it is not, then he will answer you with violations of the internal systems, increased anxiety and other unpleasant signals.
Having resolved internal conflicts, you will be able to prioritize and direct all your energy and motivation to what is really important to you.
Normalize energy exchange
“Energy cannot appear from emptiness and disappear into emptiness” — says the law of conservation of energy. It must be drawn from a variety of sources, and the body, in turn, is able to absorb the best that the environment and food give us.
All the resources it receives are converted into energy, the cells are enriched with oxygen, and the work of mitochondria is accumulated. With a lack or excess of glucose and fatty acids, which produce energy, a failure occurs in the body - energy deficiency develops. It brings constant fatigue, drowsiness, weakened immunity, so it is necessary to solve problems.
It's easy to normalize energy exchange - proper and regular nutrition again comes to the rescue. An effective technique is playing sports: regular training activates the necessary processes, enriches the cells with oxygen and “restarts” the body. As a result, the charge of vivacity increases, the mood improves.
Restart immunity
The health of the immune system also directly affects our general condition and energy reserves: it is impossible to be active if you always suffer from colds and walk around broken. A sedentary lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, and an excess of unnecessary medications weaken the natural barrier against viruses and bacteria.
