Being tired happens to all of us. Long days and early mornings often leave me a bit tired by Friday or Saturday. One good workout or client session, however, and I perk right back up with my second wind. I take my day off, my social media Sabbath, and I am good to go again on Monday.
Too often though I see my friends and clients without energy. They need a lot of naps and energy drinks or coffee to get through the day. Sometimes they can’t get through a workout without extended rest. That is a problem bigger than just being a bit tired.
If you’re so fatigued that normal activities are hard to handle then it’s time to create a fatigue fighting action plan.
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Many studies suggest that this is an ideal minimum for most people to both fight fatigue and support a healthy metabolism via regulation of appetite hormones leptin and ghrelin.
- Eat enough quality foods. Energy levels are directly affected by the amount and quality of food. Starvation and no carb diets will zap your energy and leave you feeling fuzzy and cranky. Fuel your body with quality carbs like oats, beans, fruits and veggies. Pair those with a serving of lean protein at each meal and a variety of healthy fats.
- Drink 8 cups of water a day. Did you know that being as little as 10% dehydrated can effect how you think and feel? We do get some water from the food we eat but we really need plenty of water to make sure we stay at optimum hydration levels. An easy test to check hydration is to check the color of your urine. If it’s dark, you need more water. If it’s clear or pale then your fine.
- Get a physical. When my clients show unusual levels of fatigue I advise them to have 3 things checked out with their physician: iron, vitamin D and thyroid. Each of these plays a role in energy and metabolism. Anemia and vitamin D deficiency are common in women but are easily corrected. Treating hypothyrodism (a slugglish thyroid) can be a bit more challenging but can be managed with medication.
- Ask for help. You aren’t superwoman. If you are trying to do it all I am here to tell you that you can’t. Look at your to-do list and find the activities you can delegate or that really aren’t that important. Hand over the ones that can be and cross off the ones that aren’t going to matter next month or next week.
We all get tired from time to time but it shouldn’t affect your ability to do the things you want to do. If it is, review the list above to help you determine what may be holding you back. Take action, reclaim your zing and live life with energy!
