Are you tired? Don’t have energy to get through the day? Sometimes fatigue is caused by stress or more complex medical conditions so please see your medical practitioner for an evaluation and testing. (Sometimes a thyroid issue like hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s or hyperthyroidism can cause fatigue. Get my free Hashimoto’s symptoms and action steps guide here.) But if you have seen your doctor and nothing definite was determined, often simple lifestyle modifications can be helpful. Here are 5 easy tips:
- Sleep – try to go to bed by 10 pm each night. Many people stay up late to try to squeeze in more things on their to-do list. However, if you aren’t getting enough sleep, it can affect you not only the next day but for many days afterwards. Also, lack of sleep may drive up cortisol levels in some people which can also affect your insulin. This can sometimes lead to weight gain in certain individuals. Plus, it can harm your immune system which can cause you to get sick more frequently. Everyone’s body is different and requires a different amount of sleep. But try being in bed by 10 pm for a week and see how you feel.
- Stress Management – seriously, we talk about it, but often don’t do anything. Insanity is sometimes defined as doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Are you’re still doing the same things and getting the same results? Then something needs to change, right? Some simple stress management tips: listen to music, lie down for 5 minutes, breathe deeply for 5 min, stretch, get outside in nature, hug someone, talk to a family member or friend, pray, read the Bible, or change to a different activity.
- Diet – Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine by thy food.” Your food is often the first and easiest thing to modify to help reduce fatigue and help you handle stress or just life in general. Try eating healthier foods that reduce inflammation including real, unprocessed, whole foods like veggies, fruit, meats, whole grains (brown rice, quinoa) and eggs (if you can tolerate them). Also, most people feel better by a reduction of sugar, others by eliminating gluten and/or dairy. Healthier foods can give you more energy, but junk food often makes you more tired.
- Drink water. When you drink enough for your own body, it helps with fatigue. Click here to see my previous post on the benefits of drinking water.
- Move in some way 3 – 5 times a week. Physical activity of any type is often helpful to reduce fatigue. You don’t have to go to the gym for an hour or more each time for physical activity. I know it sounds counterintuitive (or backwards), but even a 10 minute walk when you get home from work can boost your energy level so you can cook dinner, get the kids or grandkids to bed, and help you relax more so you can rest better at night. Other ways to move include walking or biking even for 15 minutes, stretching, jumping jacks, dancing around the living room to a song, or playing outside with kids, grandkids, or just 5 minutes of lunges and push ups. In the heat of summer go swimming which is easy on your joints. Find something you enjoy and do it.
Often we really know things we can do to help reduce our fatigue, restore energy, and help us handle stress. We just have to make the effort and be consistent. But simply picking one of the above today can help.
Would you like one-on-one help? If you’ve been tired, have brain fog, hair loss, weight issues, hormonal imbalances, and are over 40, I’d love to talk with you to see if we’d be a good fit to work together. I have helped myself and clients over the years using nutrition and lifestyle modifications. Often by working with a health and wellness coach like me, you can achieve more than by yourself. You can schedule a free 20-minute strategy session by clicking here. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
