In the fast paced world we live in, the amount of tasks we set out to accomplish can leave us exhausted and overwhelmed at the end of the day. The stress of our jobs, the pressure to pay bills, and the difficulties in maintaining real-time relationships in a hyper-connected world all combine to sap our energy and leave us longing for simpler times and a good night sleep. Frazzled and frantic, we fall victim to fatigue which only makes everything we have to do harder.
There are steps you can take to fight off that evening energy slump without loading up on caffeinated drinks. Here are seven tips to help you win the battle.
1. Rule Out Underlying Medical Conditions
There are several serious medical problems including diabetes, lupus, anemia, and thyroid issues that can cause fatigue. If you find that you are tired no matter how much sleep you get, or if the fatigue seems constant for weeks at a time, call your doctor. Make sure there isn’t a medical reason you lack your normal get up and go.
2. Monitor Your Mood
Fatigue is a common symptom of mental health issues like anxiety and depression. If it feels like there is no amount of coffee in the world that would make you feel more awake, check in with a therapist or counselor. Ruling out mental health issues is as important as ruling out a physical health issue.
3. Who is Taking Care of You?
Many people, especially women, spend so much time taking care of other people, they forget to carve out time to take care of themselves. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, eating right, managing stress, and making time to do things that bring you joy, you run the risk of failing to meet your own needs. If you aren’t taking steps to keep yourself going, you won’t have the energy to take care of the people who depend on you.
4. Get Moving
It almost seems counterintuitive that one of the best ways to relieve fatigue is to burn off some energy by exercising, but it is one of the best things you can do in both the long and short term. Exercise improves your overall health helping you to fight other factors that may be increasing your fatigue, alleviates stress, and helps improve your mood by releasing endorphins
5. Check Your Plate
Many of us are focused on eating right and make an effort to limit sugar and fat in our diet. Unfortunately, that can lead to also decreasing the protein and complex carbohydrates we eat which can lower our energy levels. To see if this is the culprit, track your food for a few days and make sure you are meeting the minimum daily requirements for protein and that a good percentage of your carbohydrates come from whole grain sources.
6. Track Your Sleep Patterns
It is common for people to consistently be getting less sleep than they think they are getting and to end up fatigued simply because they are sleep deprived. To find out how many hours of sleep you are getting on average, track your sleep patterns for a week. Jot down when you went to bed, when you woke up, how many times you woke up during the night, and how you felt in the morning after you woke up. By adding a few checkpoints during the day that include how much coffee or other caffeinated beverages you drank and when you felt energy dips, you will have solid clues as to what might be sapping your strength.
7. Put Sleep at the Top of the List
Although fatigue can be caused by a number of factors like an underlying illness, mental health issues, diet, or stress management, often we are dragging because falling asleep tends to fall off our list of important things to do. To protect your health and ensure you have the energy to accomplish all the things you have to do and want to do in your life, make sure getting a good night’s sleep is always at the top of your to do list.
Everyone feels a little over-tired from time to time, but if you seem to be tired all the time, no matter how much sleep you get, it may be time to see the doctor. Don’t risk your health and happiness by downplaying the down turn in your daily energy.
About Valley Sleep Center
Since 2002, Valley Sleep Center has provided Arizona with a diagnostic sleep disorder testing in a home-like atmosphere, ensuring a comfortable, relaxing experience for patients. Their physicians are Board Certified sleep Medicine specialists and are accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. They provide diagnostic testing for a multitude of sleep related disorders including insomnia, sleep apnea, snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, hypertension, sleep walking and pediatric sleep problems. They have five locations in the Phoenix area including Scottsdale, Glendale, Mesa, and Chandler. For more information visit www.valleysleepcenter.com.
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