Do you feel tired all the time? Do most days leave you with moments of feeling totally sluggish, even after a good night's sleep?
This can be a frustrating thing to experience as we are all so different and finding the culprit is a bit of a guessing game. Here are some things to think about that might be contributing to why you feel so tired….
Sleep Quality
Let’s start with the most logical reason, your sleep. So many people simply suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. The recommended amount is 7-8 hours per night but so many things can affect the quality of those hours - like hormones. Melatonin and cortisol are the hormones responsible for regulating your sleep cycle.
Things you can do to optimise your melatonin and cortisol levels:
As much as possible, go to bed and wake at the same time each day
Expose yourself to lots of natural light in the morning
Avoid screens and blue light 1-2 hours before bed
Keep your bedroom dark and slightly cooler
Avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially in the afternoon and evening
Consume tryptophan and magnesium rich foods at dinner, eg, nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy, poultry, spinach.
Exercise regularly but keep vigorous exercise in the morning or early afternoon and gentle exercise in the evening.
Try some simple deep breathing before going to bed and/or a hot bath or shower.
Diet
Your energy levels are hugely governed by what you eat, because your body converts the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates from your food into energy. If your diet is regularly less than ideal, it could be a contributor to ongoing fatigue.
A diet that is high in refined carbohydrates, such as pasta, white breads, desserts, and sweetened drinks and fruit juices, can contribute to fatigue. These types of carbohydrates cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, which leads to a surge of insulin to move sugar out of the blood and into the cells, followed by a drop in blood sugar – all of
which can leave you feeling worn out.
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level is associated with better metabolic health and improved energy. Testing both your insulin level and your hemoglobin A1c level (which reflects your average blood sugar levels over the previous three months) are two ways to monitor how well your body is metabolising those carbs.
Tips for supporting balanced blood sugar levels are:
Consume fat and/or protein with your carbohydrates. Eg, and eggs or avocado or salmon to toast. Add protein and veggies to pasta.
Consume plenty of fibre with your carbohydrates. Eg, add leafy greens to a smoothie. Eat a raw salad with pasta or fries.
Eat your sugary foods or drinks after you’ve already had a balanced satisfying meal.
Fatigue can also stem from what you are not eating.
If you are not eating a well-balanced diet, which includes plenty of colorful vegetables, moderate amounts of fruit, lean protein, and sources of healthy fats like olive oil and fish, you could be deficient in essential nutrients, which is another common cause of fatigue.
Common deficiencies linked to fatigue include vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, iron, and zinc. Testing for all of these is a good idea to determine if you need to improve your diet, or supplement for a time.
Hydration
Let’s keep this bit short and sweet. The body is about 60% water. Not enough water will slow down your blood, reducing blood pressure and stopping all the good stuff like nutrients, vitamins and minerals from being moved effectively around your body. End result? Low energy! It can also decrease your cognitive function and mood. Aim for 33mls per kg of body weight and you’ll be on track.
Anemia
Following on from deficiencies in the diet, iron deficiency anemia is a common cause for feeling weak and tired. In fact, it is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world! Deficiencies of folate and vitamin B12 can also cause anemia and fatigue.
The best way to know if your fatigue is a result of anemia is a blood test. You should especially consider getting a complete blood count test if you:
Have a malabsorption syndrome, such as Crohn’s disease or Celiac disease
A woman who has heavy menstrual cycles
Pregnant or a woman of childbearing age
Have low stomach acid
Have poor kidney function
Donate blood regularly
Elderly
Thyroid Problems
Thyroid Problems
The thyroid gland affects virtually every organ in the body. But various health factors can cause your thyroid to make either too much of its T3 and T4 hormones (hyperthyroidism) or too little T3 and T4 (hypothyroidism) – and either extreme can cause sleep problems, fatigue, and muscle weakness.
Not every individual who has abnormal levels of T3 and/or T4 will experience obvious symptoms, so test the thyroid’s key hormones – TSH, T3, and T4 to determine if this is the cause of your fatigue. Signs to look for which might make this relevant for you include:
Have health conditions (such as elevated LDL-cholesterol, fatty liver, or obesity) that can’t be explained by diet and lifestyle or other health-related factors
Are over 40 years old – especially if you are a woman
Experience dry or thinning skin, hair, or nails
A woman with unexplained infertility
Have a sensitivity to cold or heat
Have unexplained weight gain
Have difficulty losing weight
Menopause
Trying to find your reason for fatigue can be exhausting! But keep being your own best advocate, experiment with what works and doesn’t work for YOU and don’t undervalue the small things like staying well hydrated and moving your body.
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