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.
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Written by Camille Peri
With more and more of us getting less and less sleep, it’s tempting to reach for an energy drink or an espresso when we feel sleepy at work. But consuming caffeine to combat sleepiness can lead to a vicious cycle.
The java jolt that helps you stay awake can take up to eight hours to wear off. Caffeine can also reduce your sleep time, alter the normal stages of sleep, and decrease the quality of your sleep.
How can you stay awake naturally? The most obvious thing is to get enough sleep and practice good sleep habits, sometimes called "sleep hygiene.
" For instance, you probably know that it's best to go to sleep ad get up at the same time every day, power down your screens ahead of bedtime, keep your bedroom dark and cool. You need to do that for good health, as well as feeling rested. But on the occasional day when that doesn't happen, try some of these 12 jitter-free tips to take the edge off sleepiness.
In one well-known study, Robert Thayer, PhD, a professor at California State University, Long Beach, studied whether people were more energized by eating a candy bar or taking a brisk 10-minute walk. Though the candy bar provided a quick energy boost, participants were actually more tired and had less energy an hour later. The 10-minute walk increased energy for two hours. That’s because walking pumps oxygen through your veins, brain, and muscles.
If you work at a desk, get up frequently for short walks. At meal breaks, walk to a restaurant or, if you bring your lunch, head for a nice spot to eat it.
Whether you take a walk outside or just in the building where you work, it will make you feel more alert and refreshed.
There are two things to remember about naps: Don’t take more than one and don’t take it too close to your bedtime. “Nap between five and 25 minutes,” says Barry Krakow, MD, author of Sound Sleep, Sound Mind: Seven Keys to Sleeping Through the Night. It’s best to nap about six or seven hours before you would normally go to bed. If you must take a late nap close to bedtime, make it a short one.
Napping on the job can be touchy. If you need to nap at work, do it during your break and use a vibrating alarm clock, if necessary, to make sure it doesn’t spill over into your work time. Sleeping at your desk is usually not a good idea, but many companies now provide nap rooms for employees.
“If you can’t nap, even resting quietly with your eyes closed for 10 minutes or so will help,” says Allison T.
Siebern, PhD, a fellow at the Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center in Redwood City, Calif.
Continuous fixation on a computer screen can cause eyestrain and worsen sleepiness and fatigue. Look away from the screen for a few minutes periodically to relax your eyes.
Sugary snacks give you a quick energy boost followed by the sugar “lows,” when low blood sugar produces mental fogginess and lethargy. Snacks such as these will provide better overall energy in the long run:
If you’re fading fast, engaging in conversation can get your mind moving again. “Talk to a colleague about a business idea, politics, or religion,” says Krakow, medical director of Maimonides Sleep Arts and Sciences, Ltd.
in Albuquerque, N.M. “It’s a very strong behavioral stimulator -- especially when it’s a conversation about politics.”
Environments with dim lighting aggravate fatigue. Studies have shown that exposure to bright light can reduce sleepiness and increase alertness. Try increasing the intensity of your light source at work.
Deep breathing raises blood oxygen levels in the body. This slows your heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and improves circulation, ultimately aiding mental performance and energy.
The idea of deep-breathing exercises is to inhale to the abdomen, not the chest. You can do them at your desk. Sitting up straight, try this exercise up to 10 times:
You can use the hand on your belly to help push air out.Another technique, called stimulating breath, is used in yoga for a quick energy boost and increased alertness: Inhale and exhale rapidly through your nose, keeping your mouth closed but relaxed. Make your in-and-out breaths short -- do about three of each cycle in a second. Then breathe normally. You can do this for up to 15 seconds the first time and then add on five seconds each time after until you reach a minute.
“Driving while sleepy is as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol,” says Siebern. Common tricks such as opening the windows and turning on loud music won’t keep you awake for very long behind the wheel. “Have someone else drive or pull off the road and take a nap until you’re no longer sleepy,” Siebern says.
If you’re on an extended trip, change drivers often. Stop at least every two hours to take a walk and get some fresh air.
In 2004 Finnish researchers who studied people working 12-hour night shifts found that monotonous work is as harmful as sleep loss for alertness. At work or home, try to reserve more stimulating tasks for your sleepy times. Or switch to more engaging work responsibilities when you feel yourself nodding off.
Dehydration can cause fatigue. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables.
Our circadian rhythms, which regulate our sleep-wake cycle, are influenced by daylight. Try to spend at least 30 minutes a day outside in natural sunlight. (Sleep experts recommend an hour of morning sunlight a day if you have insomnia.) Even a step outside for a breath of fresh air will revive your senses.
In an analysis of 70 studies involving more than 6,800 people, University of Georgia researchers found that exercise was more effective in increasing energy and reducing daytime fatigue than some medications used to treat sleep problems.
Regular exercise also improves quality of sleep.
Try to exercise 30 minutes a day. If you decide to exercise hard some days, your energy level may drop for a bit and then surge for a few hours. Eating a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours after a heavy workout will lessen the initial energy loss. Be sure to finish your workout a few hours before bedtime so you are not energized when you try to sleep.
If you find that you can’t stop nodding off when you need to be alert, consult a doctor or sleep specialist. You may have an underlying sleep disorder such as excessive sleepiness or narcolepsy, which can be treated. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help you with a sleep disorder. If you have trouble falling asleep because of stress or other reasons, cognitive behavioral therapy can help you develop good sleep habits and relieve sleep anxieties.
How to distinguish ordinary fatigue from chronic fatigue syndrome and what to do about it - in the doctor's recommendations.
Our frantic rhythm of life, unbalanced diet, lack of physical activity, stress lead to disruption of sleep and rest. There is a constant feeling of fatigue, emotional burnout and drowsiness. But if even after a full and high-quality rest, the condition does not improve, your strength does not return, you continue to fall asleep sitting at the table, irritable and lethargic, perhaps it’s not just work stress - the reason for such chronic fatigue is associated with a disease and there is a reason to visit a doctor .
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Chronic fatigue syndrome is manifested by severe weakness and fatigue, lasting at least 6 months, accompanied by memory loss, muscle pain, often sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.
According to statistics, chronic fatigue syndrome occurs four times more often in women than in men, and in people aged 40 to 59 years. Working in a position that involves increased responsibility can provoke the appearance of chronic fatigue syndrome. In addition, studies conducted by geneticists indicate a hereditary predisposition to chronic fatigue syndrome. nine0005
How can you tell if it's overwork or symptoms of a disease? If the duration of the symptoms is more than six months, if during this time the condition does not improve, or maybe even fatigue increases, if you do not feel good spirits and a burst of energy after a good rest, you should seek the advice of a general practitioner or other specialist.
What symptoms of chronic fatigue you should pay attention to first of all - in the Forbes Life tips.
Photo Philips Home Clinical FlickrIron deficiency anemia - a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin (oxygen carrier protein) in the blood. Our red cells - erythrocytes - carry oxygen to all organs and tissues. With a deficiency of hemoglobin, less oxygen enters the organs and tissues, there is a feeling of constant drowsiness, loss of strength, weakness. Even after minimal physical exertion, there is a feeling of heaviness in the whole body, a desire to lie down and relax. First of all, the risk groups for developing anemia include women with prolonged or heavy menstruation, as well as people with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. nine0005
How to detect: clinical blood test
What to do: doctor will prescribe iron supplements, diet and treatment for an iron-wasting disease
Interesting fact: desire to eat chalk, paper, chew ice, clay or other a change in taste is one of the symptoms of anemia.
Hypothyroidism is a condition of reduced thyroid function. Drowsiness, lethargy, decreased memory and performance, apathy are more often the main complaints in patients with a decrease in thyroid function, while edema, weight gain despite diet, decrease in body temperature, hair loss, brittle nails, constipation, menstrual irregularities may also be present. among women. At risk are women, people with a hereditary predisposition to thyroid diseases, as well as those living in regions that are deficient in iodine. Most regions of Russia have some degree of iodine deficiency. According to the Endocrinological Research Center, pronounced iodine deficiency has been found in many regions of Western and Eastern Siberia (Tyumen region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Tyva, Buryatia), in the Tambov and Voronezh regions, near the coast of the White Sea, as well as in a number of regions (Bryansk, Tula, Kaluga, Orel) affected by the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
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How to detect: blood serum hormones (TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), T4 free (thyroxine), ATKTPO (antibodies to thyroperoxidase))
What to do: endocrinologist will prescribe L-thyroxine preparations
90352 Interesting factual 9 : for the prevention of insufficient thyroid function, it is necessary to consume foods rich not only in iodine, but also in selenium. Iodized salt, seafood, spinach, feijoa, kiwi will help fill the need for iodine, and fish, meat, mushrooms, sunflower and sesame seeds, wheat bran, corn grains, tomatoes, yeast, and wholemeal flour products - in selenium. The most dangerous "enemy" of selenium is simple carbohydrates (cakes, pastries and other flour products). They can completely or partially destroy selenium. nine0005 Photo by Camilo Rueda Lopez Flickr Most often, these are infections caused by herpes viruses, as well as bacteria - mycoplasmas, chlamydia and mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Numerous clinical studies have established the relationship between chronic fatigue syndrome and the presence in the blood of specific antibodies to the Epstein-Barr virus, herpes viruses types 6 and 7, Coxsackie virus, HIV. But you should not self-diagnose or donate blood for all these infections. nine0005
How to detect: blood test for specific antibodies
What to do: consult a general practitioner in case of recurring sore throat, tonsillitis, stomatitis, with a significant increase in cervical lymph nodes.
Interesting fact: Epstein-Barr virus is one of the most common herpes viruses. Once infected, it remains in the human body for life. Interestingly, a malignant tumor of the lymph nodes - Burkitt's lymphoma in carriers of the Epstein-Barr virus - occurs mainly in people living in humid tropical climates, in those regions where people suffer from malaria.
nine0005 Photo by JJ Flickr
In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the absorption from food of microelements necessary for our body (iron, magnesium, potassium and others) and vitamins, especially fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, is impaired. For example, vitamin D deficiency in adults can lead to impaired appetite, changes in body weight, sweating, impaired phosphorus-calcium metabolism (dental caries, brittle hair and nails, fractures), weakness and fatigue, irritability. We remember to give vitamin D to children, but we think that it is not so important for adults. This is fundamentally not true! With liver diseases, especially hepatitis, there is also a toxic effect on the nervous system. nine0005
How to detect: a biochemical blood test, for liver diseases a blood test for hepatitis
What to do: if you have frequent abdominal pain, belching, hiccups, feeling of heaviness after eating, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, flatulence, consult a gastroenterologist.
Interesting fact : according to the American Urological Association*, men need vitamin D for testosterone synthesis. Clinical studies have shown a relationship with overweight, increased cholesterol levels in men with vitamin D deficiency.
*American Urological Association (AUA) 2015 Annual Meeting: Abstract MP51-04. Presented May 17, 2015.
Photo by William Brawley FlickrResidents of megacities are most susceptible to chronic rhinosinusitis, especially allergic ones. A constantly stuffy nose is the cause of oxygen deficiency, the level of which greatly affects the performance and daily activities of a person.
How to detect: x-ray or computed tomography.
With hay fever (reaction to flowering plants) - IgE total in the blood, eosinophilic cationic protein, allergy tests outside the period of exacerbation of the disease. With a prolonged runny nose with purulent discharge - sowing on the flora.
What to do: ENT consultation.
Photo William Brawley FlickrSleep apnea syndrome is a sleep apnea that occurs against the background of loud snoring, frequent unconscious nocturnal awakenings. nine0005
The cause is intermittent episodes of airway collapse occurring during deep sleep. This is one of the most common causes of chronic fatigue in adults.
How to recognize: intense snoring during sleep.
What to do: sleep disorders, in particular sleep apnea syndrome, are dealt with by somnologists. Currently, there are sleep pathology departments in many Consultative and Diagnostic Centers and hospitals. nine0005
Interesting fact : there is a proven link between sleep apnea and obesity. Excess body fat, especially in the neck area, contributes to nighttime sleep apnea, which in turn leads to daytime sleepiness, which is a problem for obese people to start a weight loss program. Also, scientists from the University of Chicago found that a lack of sleep for several days can worsen metabolism and disrupt hormone levels. After limiting sleep to 4 hours for 6 days in 11 healthy adults, their ability to process blood glucose (sugar) decreased in some cases to the level of diabetics. nine0005
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Spleen, apathy, depression - that's what many people call it.
Asthenic syndrome - doctors call it.
What is it? There is such a simple life hack: if symptoms of weakness and lethargy appear right in the morning, then you need to ask yourself when do you feel better in the morning or in the evening? If in the morning, everything is ok. If in the evening? For example, you went to bed on time, and it’s very difficult to get up in the morning, you have to persuade yourself for a long, long time, while there may be sleep disturbances, you get up as if you didn’t rest, you feel overwhelmed in the morning and this lasts for a long time, then, of course, you need to suspect depression . And here the help of a specialist may be required, very often this condition is a mask of some kind of chronic disease. 9 should work here0028 is not just a psychologist, but a good practitioner who can see the condition that is masked by depression. The second option is If the asthenic condition has already arisen, then, of course, we will not achieve the desired effect by one change in the diet. You definitely need vitamin supplements. nine0005 Consultation with specialist is required for selection. 
Vitamins themselves are not a source of energy, but they activate numerous metabolic processes. Thanks to vitamins, food is properly digested and gives us strength. The metabolism works exactly the way it is supposed to work. The activity of hormonal glands, the cardiovascular, nervous system is regulated, they are involved in hematopoiesis. Vitamins are involved in all body processes, so the deficiency of each affects the deterioration of well-being. nine0035
So, vitamins and microelements - activators of energy processes: C, B1, H (biotin), folic acid, vitamin D, Copper, Chromium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Iodine.
Let's see why and what vitamins we need.
Why is it necessary in the spring, even if we eat right and include a lot of green and fresh foods in the diet. First of all, of course, vitamin C . He is responsible for immunity, for vitality, for a good mood. Increases the body's resistance to disease. Participates in the exchange of norepinephrine - this is the hormone of courage, thanks to which we kind of internally gather, mobilize, begin to think more clearly, make decisions faster and be effective. Effectively deal with stress. nine0005
The second most important vitamin in this respect is vitamin B1 . It helps the regeneration of the nervous system, which affects the emotional state. Participates in the Kreps cycle, this is the main energy station in the body, so it is essential.
Vitamin B7 (Biotin, Vitamin H, Coenzyme R) controls the absorption of nutrients and their conversion into energy. Eliminates the feeling of eternal fatigue even with prolonged exertion, relieves sleep problems and, along with thiamine, determines the human ability to concentrate and mental work.
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B9 (folic acid), like vitamin C, promotes the production of norepinephrine, protects against stress, awakens optimism and gives us energy. Including sexy!
Vitamin D orchestrates blood flow. How well he copes with his task depends on whether the cells are fully supplied with oxygen and cleared of decay products in a timely manner, as well as how quickly we can restore our strength after rest.
No less than vitamins, we need minerals:
Copper , the presence of which in the body directly affects metabolism, is involved in the formation of norepinephrine and serotonin.
Iron together with vitamin D is responsible for delivering oxygen to cells.
Selenium strengthens the nervous system and performs many other functions.
Potassium , the lack of which results in muscle weakness and heart rhythm disturbances.
In order to avoid potassium deficiency, first of all, it is worth giving up fast food, which contains monosodium glutamate and salts, which are potassium antagonists. nine0005
Iodine saves us from chronic fatigue, shattered immunity and mental decline.
Chromium affects the functioning of the brain and the activity of the nervous system.
Magnesium is the "main power engineer" of cells, participates in more than 300 biochemical reactions and metabolic processes and along the way provides us with healthy sleep. Its deficiency is expressed in a feeling of permanent fatigue, lethargy and dizziness. nine0005
Additionally, we want to say that iron and iodine deficiency also causes a state of apathy and lethargy. Their prescription is recommended by doctors because there are certain restrictions.
If you take vitamins, eat well and properly, but nevertheless you are still covered in spring.
There is an even more advanced level, we can test the genetics of vitamin metabolism . This is a simple and quick test, it is cheaper than constantly testing vitamin levels. nine0270 In genetics and metabolism of vitamins, there can be persistent vitamin-deficiency states, even despite taking medications. There may be features associated with the exchange of vitamins, genetic features in which a person needs higher adjustments than others. Vitamins are coenzymes of many metabolic processes. They are involved in the synthesis of substances-accelerators of metabolic processes. Without them, they are not produced; without them, genomic material cannot be read. We have certain genes that encode all metabolic processes, the synthesis of regulatory proteins, enzymes that ensure the regulation of all metabolic processes. Information from genes may or may not be read due to the fact that there is a deficiency of certain vitamins in the body at the moment. Activation and synthesis of hormones may not occur due to the lack of certain vitamins, there is no reading of genomic material that encode information about the activity of hormones, for example.
