“Why Am I Always So Tired?” Here’s What You Can Do to Replenish Your Energy
I feel like I’m already tired tomorrow!
Did you just wake up and are already feeling exhausted? The week is only starting, and you wish it was Friday already. You are probably experiencing fatigue, a form of constant tiredness that is either physical or mental or both.
Although fatigue is a symptom of many health conditions, in most cases, it is caused by lifestyle factors that you can change. In this article, we will go through some reasons why you are always tired and what you can do to replenish your energy.
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Why You Are Always Tired and What to Do to Fix It
- A sedentary lifestyle
You spend your day at home working, eating, watching TV, and just spending too much time sitting, doing little to no physical activities. A sedentary lifestyle poses risks to your health and is also one of the reasons why you are always tired.
If you are sitting all day working at your computer, you will still end up mentally exhausted and drained of energy at the end of the day. You experience unexplainable back pain and aches that can then make you feel less motivated to exercise.
The inactivity makes even performing simple physical tasks seem too tiresome.
What to do to change from a sedentary lifestyle and stop feeling tired all the time
- Include physical activity in your day-to-day life, such as exercising, swimming, walking briskly, and running around the block or parking lot. WHO recommends that adults get between 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.
- Take a 2-minute break every 30 minutes from work to move around.
- Get a standing desk.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Do household chores such as cleaning the house, doing the dishes, and doing laundry (opt to wash by hand if possible).
- Learn some active hobbies such as gardening, playing an instrument, painting, and writing.
2. Too much physical activity
As with doing no activities, being too active can also be the reason why you are always tired. Healthy people who often engage in extended periods of physical or mental exertion can also feel fatigued and experience burnout.
So, as much as we are encouraged to exercise regularly, we must do it in moderation. Don’t push yourself too hard. After long and tough workouts, your body becomes sore, and you are depleted of energy.
What to do to stop feeling tired all the time
- Don’t over-train.
- Take a break and give your body time to recover if fatigued.
- Fuel your body before, during, and after a workout by drinking water and eating enough calories.
- Shorten the time spent working out.
- Choose moderately intense workouts to avoid burnout and always feeling tired.
READ ALSO: 8 Reasons Why You Should Start Slow Living (and How to Practice It)
3. Diet
You have perhaps asked yourself at one time, “Why do I feel tired after eating?” What you eat and when you eat it usually affects your energy levels and could be the reason why you are always tired.
You might notice you have reduced energy after eating lunch or after dinner. The reason for this is that your body directs the energy to digest the food which makes you feel tired.
Taking/not taking particular food classes also determines our energy levels.
Foods such as unrefined carbs help in boosting your energy by increasing blood sugar levels. Eating refined carbs, on the other hand, can make you feel tired. They spike your blood sugar levels and cause a reduction in your insulin level, making you feel exhausted.
Not having enough proteins in your diet can cause fatigue as well. This is because proteins help to maintain your metabolic rate, and thus, vitalize your body and mind.
What to do about your diet in order to stop feeling tired all the time
- Take unrefined carbs such as fruits, whole grains, leafy green vegetables, and legumes
- Opt for lean proteins such as red meat, chicken, and fish.
- Eat small portions of food throughout the day.
- Write down which foods drain your energy and avoid eating them during the day.
- Avoid processed foods that add little in nutrition.
- For vitamins, take chia seeds and moringa.
- Get fats from avocadoes, coconut, and olive oil to boost your brain activity.
READ ALSO: Emotional Eating: Types and How to Stop It Forever
4. Poor sleeping habits
Have you been having trouble sleeping lately? You probably sleep too much, can’t fall asleep at all, or can’t stay asleep when you do.
Poor sleeping habits can make you drowsy during the day and are other reasons why you are always tired.
Some causes of poor sleeping habits include being a night owl who is more productive at night, having an irregular sleeping schedule, chronic pain, eating too late at night, jetlag, daytime sleeping, etc.
However, sleep is vital for the proper functioning of your body. It helps your body conserve energy and this is why you feel tired all the time when you lack sleep.
Other reasons why you always feel tired even when you sleep a lot include having conditions such as anemia, adrenal fatigue, and thyroid disease.
What to do to fix your sleeping habits and stop feeling tired all the time
- Try to keep a regular sleep schedule
- Sleep 8-10 hours each night to allow your body to rest
- Avoid taking caffeinated drinks at night
- Create a comfortable sleeping environment
- Avoid sleeping/napping during the day
- Exercise regularly
- Eat at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Install apps that help you sleep
5. Dehydration
We all know that we need water to live because all the processes in our bodies require it to be properly executed.
Dehydration occurs when your body loses fluids and electrolytes faster than it can replace them. You lose water through urinating, sweating, and breathing.
According to studies, being dehydrated results in lower energy levels because less oxygen is circulating through the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, you will exhibit signs such as thirst, tiredness, headaches, dizziness, or a bad mood.
What to do to stay hydrated and stop feeling tired all the time
- Drink enough water for your individual needs because the recommended 8 glasses of water a day don’t usually work for everyone.
- If the dehydration is due to sweating when working out, drink water before, during, and after exercising to stay hydrated.
- Do not substitute water with an energy drink or beverage.
6. Mental health problems
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of mental health issues such as depression, stress, and anxiety.
- Depression changes your mood and is associated with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness. You have no interest or motivation to do any physical activities. It also affects your sleeping patterns, and thus, most people suffering from depression also have insomnia which then could make them lack energy and feel tired all the time.
READ ALSO: Is It Depression or Just Laziness? How to Know the Difference
- Anxiety keeps your body in a state of overdrive due to worrying and nervousness. It can become overwhelming and zap all your energy.
- Stress leads to emotional exhaustion. The weight of whatever is stressing you out causes you to spend sleepless nights resulting in you feeling tired all the time.
What to do to protect your mental health and stop feeling tired all the time
- Practice meditation and yoga to manage stress and anxiety.
- Try to do some physical activities even if you don’t feel like doing them.
- Do the things you enjoy.
- Join a support group.
- Try aromatherapy to ease your anxiety.
- Seek help from a doctor for medication or recommendation to a therapist.
Final Words
Feeling tired all the time is frustrating because it affects your mood negatively and limits productivity. These are a few of the reasons that explain why you are always tired.
Use the above guidelines on how to beat extreme tiredness and stay energized throughout the day.
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