Find yourself sleeping until the last possible second before dragging yourself out of bed, or maybe you just don't have the energy to get things done?
You’re tired. You’re exhausted from the moment you get up in the morning. It feels like you’ve been ploughing the field with a fork. You’re working but not getting enough done. This can get a person down. Fatigue can trigger sadness and vice versa.
Feeling tired or fatigued is a common experience. Yet health-care providers often dismiss complaints about tiredness - both because the symptom is universal and because it can be challenging to evaluate medically.
Awareness starts by knowing what you’re looking for. In the case of being tired, it’s both signs and symptoms.
Emotional
Signs: irritability, increased sensitivity, and anxiety or depression
Symptoms: anxiety or depression
Mental
Signs: forgetfulness
Symptoms: lack of focus or concentration, and mental fogginess
Physical
Signs: frequent yawning or unintentional dozing
Symptoms: headaches or muscle fatigue
While these might seem obvious, there will be unique signs and symptoms for every individual. As you become more fatigued, you may exhibit more emotional than physical signs of tiredness.
Perhaps you lash out and immediately realize your overreaction. Maybe, you become more easily stressed or upset by day-to-day hiccups than you normally would. Or, you cry at something touching when that’s not your usual nature.
Check you habits and routines
Not enough sleep – sleep is needed to replenish our body and internal systems so that we are refreshed, able to think and feel energized to deal with the day.
Too much caffeine – feeling tired may trigger you to drink more caffeine and that becomes a cycle where the caffeine keeps you from getting quality sleep which promotes the desire to ingest more caffeine the next day and so forth.
Too much alcohol (or other substances) – taxes the body’s filtering systems, liver, kidneys and also changes the way one thinks and acts, all of which can be tiring.
Excessive junk food – empty calories makes the body crave for nutrients and also hinders the body’s absorption of the very nutrients that can replenish the body.
Not enough movement - moving our bodies might sound exhausting when we are tired but it will inevitably help the body relax and help you feel energized just by simply going for a walk.
Re-boot your system
Try something new. One of the most effective ways to feel less tired is to do something new, break out of your routine.
Even small changes like walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator or trying out new cuisines can help. When monotony sets in, it oftentimes drains our enthusiasm for life, which results in a feeling of fatigue.
Physical Exercise. The positive endorphins that are created and released in the body from exercise make us feel good and less tired. Endorphins block pain receptors and also produce the same positive feelings in the body like morphine.
Go outside. Being in nature can be very healing and improve one’s mood. You can combine exercise with being in nature by going for a walk in a park or by doing some other kind of outdoor activity.
Connect with others. Human beings are social animals and we can thrive when we have positive social interactions. Sharing your concerns with a trusted person may also result in assistance and solutions.
Have a meal with others, hike with a friend, or anything you find fun to make you feel better.
Reassess your priorities. Review the total demands on your time. Maybe there's a clear reason why you feel tired? If you have too much on your plate, decide what you can eliminate, delegate or postpone.
Just the very act of assessing your commitments may help you relieve some of the tension and stress that comes from having too much to do.
Prioritize your tasks based on what is important to you and let go of the ones that are just busy work.
Ask for help. Seek professional and/or spiritual guidance from qualified people. Ask for assistance to help you get some of your tasks done.
You can always choose different ways to improve your health and wellbeing. Just by acknowledging the possibility that you can be less tired, you have already started your journey.
Here’s to your health, vitality and happiness!
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