Waking tired – dragging yourself through the day – can’t think straight – no motivation – mid afternoon crash – need coffee to function – feeling the need to nap during the day – exhausted – drained – empty. Not ideal!
In an idea world, we wake feeling ready for the day. We can think straight, we are motivated to exercise and be productive, our energy naturally gradually declines towards the evening and we sleep well. Often not the case.
To re-energise (as with all health concerns), we need to be aware of the causes of energy drainage. Common energy drainers:
- Overworking / overbusy / lack of life balance
- Stress
- Dehydration
- Lack of nutrition. Often when we are tired we make poor food choices which perpetuates the tiredness
- Struggling organs – for example if the digestive system is struggling this will drain energy.
- Lack of quality sleep
- Underlying illness and some medications
- Alcohol – it may feel like it helps at the moment but will leave you feeling more tired the following day
- Excessive or too little exercise
- Mental health concerns including grief
- Hormonal imbalances
To feel energised, we first need to identify and treat the cause(s). For example, finding ways to easily include more nutrition, making an exercise plan, or working to prioritise time for yourself to relax.
We would never expect a computer to keep going and going and going without being plugged in to charge, would we? The human body also needs recharging, otherwise we get burnt out – drained – exhausted.
Here’s some ideas to help recharge:
- Prioritise sleep over work / evening pottering / TV. See last weeks article for more info on sleep
- Schedule in fresh air and exercise daily, even for a short time. Actually putting it in the diary will help make it happen. It takes some energy to exercise, but you will feel much more energised for the day after. Choose a realistic time for you – first thing, lunch break, after work.
- Limit alcohol to just social events, drinking regularly is a huge energy drainer
- Monitor your water intake and aim for at least 1.5L daily. In the grand scheme of things this one is easy. A dehydrated body and brain is like that plant you forgot to water…
- Do some reflection on your work/life balance. Prioritise time to rest, and do the things you enjoy. Getting the mojo going with enjoyable activities is great for energy – get back into things you used to love!
- Stress management – do less, say no. Breathing practices, meditation, exercise, talking it out. If stress is a burden for you there are many things we can do to help alleviate the effect it has on the body.
- Be prepared with healthy meals planned. Take leftovers for lunch. Snack on wholefoods like fruit and nuts. Choosing healthy foods goes a long way to feeling better. Stay tuned for healthy eating ideas in the next few weeks.
A healthy body and brain is energised, right up into old age. Of course we all get tired sometimes, and have ‘off’ days, but relentless fatigue is a sign from the body that something is out of whack. Fatigue isn’t something we need to live with – it’s not just part of ‘getting old’. Wouldn’t it be great to feel energised and motivated? You can, by removing the energy drainers and giving the body and mind what it needs to find balance.
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