Why Do I Feel So Tired? And What Can I Do To Feel More Energized?
You hear it multiple times in the office, your co worker will say, “Well I have hit the afternoon slump.” Then you think to yourself, “afternoon slump? I was tired as soon as I woke up.”
Chronic fatigue, or simply feeling tired all the time, is a common issue that people in our society deal with these days. Chronic fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors that are just common practices in our lives that we think have no real effect on our health.
Not getting adequate rest causes a multitude of health issues, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It can cause mood swings, depression, bipolar disorder, diabetes, heart attack, obesity, and much much more. So if you are suffering from chronic fatigue you NEED to get to the root of the issue and address it before your health declines.
The Main Causes Of Chronic Fatigue And How To Fix Them
Below are a list of the main reasons why you may be feeling tired all the time, and then a suggestion on how to fix the issue. Please remember I am not a doctor, so make sure if you feel like any of these may be causing you to suffer from chronic disease you speak with your health care professional and come up with a plan to treat your issues.
Simply Not Getting Enough Quality Sleep
Today we are a GO GO GO society. There is so much to do in a day with work, children, hobbies, households, how could 24 hours ever be enough? Then when you finally get a moment to yourself at night you want to watch TV or scroll through Instagram or TikTok…am I right? This causes us to stay awake until midnight or 1am and then we have to wake up at 6am or 7am and get ready for work and do the song and dance all over again. That leaves most people with anywhere from 4-6hrs of sleep; this just simply is not enough. The average person needs a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night. This is so the body can complete a variety of processes it must undergo to keep your body functioning properly; recycling of blood and regeneration of cells to name a few. If you do not give your body the time to undergo these processes, your body is not operating at an optimal level and it ages you faster than someone who gets more than 7 hours of sleep.
-So how to we fix this issue?
Make sure you give yourself time to fall asleep. Try to get into bed at an hour that is earlier than you intend to fall asleep. For example, if you want to physically be asleep by 10pm try laying in bed by 9pm to give your body and mind time to adjust from the hustle and bustle of the day to relaxing. If you have trouble “turning your thoughts off” try putting a sound machine in your room to help block out unwanted thoughts and help you relax.
Too Much Screen Time
According to the National Institute of Health, along with many other studies preformed on this subject, starring at an electronic screen can directly effect your sleep. “Electronic devices emit blue light that can suppress melatonin production and alter circadian rhythms, leading to disrupted sleep.”
-The Fix
Most people are going to want to come after me with their pitch forks when I say this but it is how you fix this problem…put down the screens! Now I know this is not completely possible for those of us that work on a computer all day, but at least try to break up how much you are starring at the screens. When you take a break at work don’t go from starring at your computer screen to looking at your phone scree. Also, studies show you should stop starring at screens 2 hours before falling asleep to get the bet quality sleep.
Too Little Physical Activity In Your Daily Routine
Humans were made to move, it is in our DNA. Lack of movement causes many issues, from obesity to..you guessed it..fatigue. I know what you are thinking “doesn’t working out make you more tired?” In the short term the answer is yes. However, working out multiple times a week causes your body to increase its level of mitochondria, the part of our cells that produce energy. More mitochondria=higher energy levels.
-The Fix
You guessed it…get moving!!! Try to move 20-30min each day. This could be a brisk walk or a HIIT or strength workout, whatever gets you moving! Try to do small things like sitting on the floor instead of the couch to motivate you to move more. Or if you are a workaholic try getting a treadmill desk combo to get extra steps in.
Too Much Caffeine Or Caffeine Too Late In The Day
I am the person who goes to bed dreaming about waking up to drink my cup of coffee in the morning. I LOVE Coffee. But have you ever noticed that sometimes when you have that extra large coffee or that second cup you actually get more tired?
According to science, consuming caffeine causes something they like to call “sleep pressure.” This basically means that the short term burst of energy and focus you get from coffee you essentially have to “pay back” with a crash.
-The Fix
Try drinking less coffee or swapping your coffee with green tea. Also make sure you are not stacking up the caffeine in your system with other caffeinated beverages or foods such as sodas and chocolate. It’s not just coffee that gets you!
Dehydration
Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Drinking enough waster to help all our organs and cells function properly is vital to our health. According to Dr. HSU in a Forbes magazine issue on this subject, “Dehydration can also make the blood thicker, making it harder for the heart to pump blood throughout the body, which can contribute to fatigue.”
-The Fix
I am sure you guessed the fix on this one! DRINK MORE WATER! According to Harvard Health, you should be consuming 4-6 cups of water per day. But you need to take a lot of other lifestyle choices into consideration when getting enough water. For example, if you are exercising or exerting yourself, you will want to take in more water to help for hydration loss through sweat.
Stress
Stress seems to always make it onto the list of things that wreck our bodies. Stress has been known to interrupt your sleep or cause insomnia for a multitude of reasons. People who are undergoing stress have a problem relaxing their bodies and letting their brain rest in order to fall asleep. Also people who have undergone trauma that causes them to be stressed are known to sleep in a “high alert” state where they don’t fall into REM sleep where our body does the majority of its rejuvenating.
-The Fix
If you are undergoing a large amount of stress, try to pinpoint the reason why you are stressed out. Is it work? School? Finances? Try to address the issue directly. You can also try stress relieving practices such as yoga, meditation, or therapy.
Alcohol Consumption
There have been many studies on how the consumption of alcohol effects our sleep patters. The consensus has shown that if you consume alcohol, your body has a harder time falling into REM sleep, or the depth of sleep that causes us to perform rapid eye movements. When we are in this state of sleep, our bodies are hard at work regenerating blood and cells and making sure our bodies are healing and operating at optimal levels. When you do not reach REM sleep your are essentially putting more wear and tear on your body and not getting a full rest.
-The Fix
Limit your alcohol intake. If you are struggling to sleep or struggling with chronic fatigue try cutting out alcohol consumption completely. If you can not do this, at least try to stop drinking at least 2 hours before trying to go to sleep.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Struggling with fatigue can simply be due to you lacking in certain vitamins and minerals in your body. Some vitamins and minerals that help our bodies sleep include: B12, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Vitamin C, Melatonin, Iron, Calcium, Selenium, and omega 3s.
-The Fix
Try getting your blood work done and get a run down on where your levels on these vitamins are. If you find any deficiencies, try supplementing with supplements or increasing your intake of healthy foods that contain these vitamins.
Fixing Your Fatigue Summary
Try fighting fatigue with the following practices:
Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night
Try looking at electronic screens less & stop screen time 2 hours before going to bed
Exercise at least 20-30min per day
Consume less caffeine. Try swapping out coffee with green tea.
Drink 4-6 cups of water or more per day
Cut down on stress. Try stress relieving habits such as yoga, meditation, or therapy.
Limit or remove alcohol consumption. Do not consume alcohol within 2 hours of going to bed.
Make sure you are not deficient in any vitamins or minerals that aid the body in sleep.
