November 05, 2013
Feeling Drained? 6 Reasons for Your Chronic Fatigue and How to Fix It.
Regardless of how many hours of sleep I get at night, I still wake up feeling exhausted as if I haven’t slept all night. Does this happen to you? I want my caffeine but decided to cold turkey my addiction because of what it does to my body and have been taking Vitamin B instead.
Here are some top causes and tips on how to fix them:
1) Your Diet
You are what you eat. This is completely true and in this case, you will feel the effects of what you eat/don’t eat. It could be that you are eating far below your recommended intake and therefore, there isn’t enough fuel for your body’s engine to run. On the other hand, you may be eating but choosing the wrong foods such as sugar and simple carbs to get that quick energy fix.
Remedy:
Instead, go for nutrient-rich whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean protein that will not only supply you with all the daily essential vitamins and minerals, but it will keep you full longer. Therefore, you will avoid gorging on unhealthy snacks throughout the day to try to keep your energy levels up!
2) Sleep
Of course this factor has to be mentioned! I mean we are talking about fatigue right? Well, let’s delve deeper into the quality of sleep rather than the number of hours. Everyone is different and some can thrive only on 4-6 hours of sleep while others need 8-9 hours every night. For me however, I think it’s more important that I feel refreshed and awake regardless of the number of hours although I would try to aim for at least 6-7!
Remedy:
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, it could be related to your diet so try to avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. Your diet may also be lacking essential vitamins and minerals to help promote sleep such as Magnesium, Potassium, or Vitamin D. You can get more information here on a recent post I did.
I have also tried not watching anything too dramatic on television or doing any stimulating activities that can get my brain going. I’ve also decluttered my bedroom and kept it simple, clean with a cooling temperature and found this really helps. You should really make your bedroom a place for sleeping…. And maybe other things ;) but that’s beyond the scope of this article!
3) Exercise
The amount of exercise you do and the time of the day you do it can affect your sleep. Try not to do any vigorous exercising within 3 hours before your bed time as you get your blood pumping and it would be difficult to fall asleep. You need time after a workout to wind down!
How about the number of hours you exercise? If you do TOO much, you are more likely to feel tired everyday because you are never giving your body a chance to recuperate. Too little exercise is also not ideal. So what should we do?
Remedy:
Contrary to popular beliefs, studies have actually shown that those who lead sedentary lifestyles feel more fatigue than those who have a healthy exercise routine. Exercising can actually boost your energy levels so for now, try 30-40 min at least 4 days a week to get you going. Try sticking this out for at least a month and trust me, you will start noticing a difference.
Some other factors to consider:
4) Depression
There may be something going on deeper than you realize and if you think you may be feeling this emotional disorder, you should speak to a professional as soon as you can. People who suffer from depression tend to feel fatigued as the quality of their sleep could be suffering.
5) Thyroid Problems
The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck that controls your metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism, it can slow down your body’s ability to convert food into energy so an underactive thyroid can make you feel tired and run down. You should see a doctor to test your thyroid and make sure that this isn’t the cause of your fatigue.
6) Anaemia
Being anaemic myself for a few years, I completely understand how the lack of iron is one of the leading causes of fatigue in women. Our menstrual cycles every month causes us to lose too much blood putting us at risk for iron deficiency. Red blood cells carry oxygen to our tissues and therefore, when we lose too much blood, our body isn’t get the fuel it needs to run. I have taken iron supplements but I don’t recommend it as it can cause skin and digestion issues. I would try to incorporate more iron-rich foods such as lean meat, shellfish, beans, and dark green leafy vegetables!
Let's say goodbye to chronic fatigue once and for all!
Good luck guys <3
You are what you eat. This is completely true and in this case, you will feel the effects of what you eat/don’t eat. It could be that you are eating far below your recommended intake and therefore, there isn’t enough fuel for your body’s engine to run. On the other hand, you may be eating but choosing the wrong foods such as sugar and simple carbs to get that quick energy fix.
Remedy:
Instead, go for nutrient-rich whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean protein that will not only supply you with all the daily essential vitamins and minerals, but it will keep you full longer. Therefore, you will avoid gorging on unhealthy snacks throughout the day to try to keep your energy levels up!
2) Sleep
Of course this factor has to be mentioned! I mean we are talking about fatigue right? Well, let’s delve deeper into the quality of sleep rather than the number of hours. Everyone is different and some can thrive only on 4-6 hours of sleep while others need 8-9 hours every night. For me however, I think it’s more important that I feel refreshed and awake regardless of the number of hours although I would try to aim for at least 6-7!
Remedy:
If you find it difficult to fall asleep, it could be related to your diet so try to avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime. Your diet may also be lacking essential vitamins and minerals to help promote sleep such as Magnesium, Potassium, or Vitamin D. You can get more information here on a recent post I did.
I have also tried not watching anything too dramatic on television or doing any stimulating activities that can get my brain going. I’ve also decluttered my bedroom and kept it simple, clean with a cooling temperature and found this really helps. You should really make your bedroom a place for sleeping…. And maybe other things ;) but that’s beyond the scope of this article!
3) Exercise
The amount of exercise you do and the time of the day you do it can affect your sleep. Try not to do any vigorous exercising within 3 hours before your bed time as you get your blood pumping and it would be difficult to fall asleep. You need time after a workout to wind down!
How about the number of hours you exercise? If you do TOO much, you are more likely to feel tired everyday because you are never giving your body a chance to recuperate. Too little exercise is also not ideal. So what should we do?
Remedy:
Contrary to popular beliefs, studies have actually shown that those who lead sedentary lifestyles feel more fatigue than those who have a healthy exercise routine. Exercising can actually boost your energy levels so for now, try 30-40 min at least 4 days a week to get you going. Try sticking this out for at least a month and trust me, you will start noticing a difference.
Some other factors to consider:
4) Depression
There may be something going on deeper than you realize and if you think you may be feeling this emotional disorder, you should speak to a professional as soon as you can. People who suffer from depression tend to feel fatigued as the quality of their sleep could be suffering.
5) Thyroid Problems
The thyroid is a small gland at the base of your neck that controls your metabolism. If you have hypothyroidism, it can slow down your body’s ability to convert food into energy so an underactive thyroid can make you feel tired and run down. You should see a doctor to test your thyroid and make sure that this isn’t the cause of your fatigue.
6) Anaemia
Being anaemic myself for a few years, I completely understand how the lack of iron is one of the leading causes of fatigue in women. Our menstrual cycles every month causes us to lose too much blood putting us at risk for iron deficiency. Red blood cells carry oxygen to our tissues and therefore, when we lose too much blood, our body isn’t get the fuel it needs to run. I have taken iron supplements but I don’t recommend it as it can cause skin and digestion issues. I would try to incorporate more iron-rich foods such as lean meat, shellfish, beans, and dark green leafy vegetables!
Let's say goodbye to chronic fatigue once and for all!
Good luck guys <3