Natural Energy Boosters So You Can Feel The Best Youve Ever Felt
What you can do today
Set a timer for 1 minute sit quietly, close your eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply 5 counts in, 5 counts out.
Why it works
Fatigue robs you of the energy you need to keep up with lifes demands, to enjoy life, or even to make important changes to maintain your health. It adds to the pressure you feel at work and at home, and can severely disrupt your personal and social relationships. Of course, these sorts of emotional effects only make you feel more tired and worn out.
But fatigue does not have to be your new normal. Whether you are 20, 50 or even 90 years old theres a lot you can do to increase your energy naturally. We can lead you up and out of fatigue and away from the downward spiral that has you in its grip. Weve had such great success in relieving fatigue in women that an increase in energy is usually the first dramatic improvement women notice after beginning to follow our approach.
Why The Conventional Approach To Fatigue Misses The Mark
So many serious illnesses begin with fatigue, so if you tell your physician thats becoming a concern for you, its very likely theyll run some tests particularly if youre young, like Daniela is. Unfortunately, however, many conventional doctors think that being tired is a natural part of aging, so theyll dismiss fatigue in older patients.
I strongly disagree and rely on test results to guide my approach to treating fatigue. And unlike many conventional tests that are looking only for disease, I pay attention to the big picture. For instance, if you have test results on the very top or bottom of the normal range, I recognize that even though you dont have a specific disease, you probably arent entirely healthy either. I know how quickly those numbers can change, and I also know how important it is to compare results over timewhat is YOUR normal, not just the normal.
This is especially true with fatigue. So many women with fatigue have test results considered normal but are quite far away from ideal results.
Thats why I pay such close attention to clients who complain about consistently feeling tired. If fatigue is constant, their bodies clearly need more support, regardless of what the tests say. Living with exhaustion is not an acceptable way to live long term.
What Are The More Serious Causes Of Unexplained Fatigue In Women
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes patients to suffer frequent interruptions to their normal sleep cycles, only they are completely unaware of the problem. Often the only clue a person is suffering from sleep apnea is the fact that they still feel tired despite believing they have had plenty of sleep. Sleep apnea can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and strokes, and is therefore a serious condition that will require treatment.
An undiagnosed heart condition can also cause unexplained fatigue in women, especially if ordinary activities cause extreme tiredness for no apparent reason. If heart disease runs in the family, or there are other known risk factors such as smoking or weight issues, a checkup will probably be carried out to rule out the possibility of cardiovascular disease.
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How Can I Feel Less Tired
Some changes to your lifestyle can make you feel less tired. Here are some suggestions:
- Keep a fatigue diary to help you find patterns throughout the day when you feel more or less tired.
- Exercise regularly. Almost anyone, at any age, can do some type of physical activity. If you have concerns about starting an exercise program, ask your doctor if there are any activities you should avoid. Moderate exercise may improve your appetite, energy, and outlook. Some people find that exercises combining balance and breathing improve their energy.
- Try to avoid long naps late in the day. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and may make it harder to fall asleep at night. Read A Good Nights Sleep for tips on getting better rest at night.
- Stop smoking.Smoking is linked to many diseases and disorders, such as cancer, heart disease, and breathing problems, which can drain your energy.
- Ask for help if you feel swamped. Some people have so much to do that just thinking about their schedules can make them feel tired. Working with others may help a job go faster and be more fun.
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Home Remedies For Fatigue
If youre having fatigue but arent sure if it warrants a trip to the doctor just yet, Dr. Waters recommends trying to make a few changes at home to see if they help. Those include:
- Take breaks during the day. This can help you refocus.
- Alternate boring tasks with more active ones. That can be as simple as getting up and walking to check your mail after paying your bills online.
- Try to be more physically active. Sometimes fatigue can be due to a lack of activity, Dr. Waters says. Making a point to get the recommended 150 minutes of physical exercise a week may help.
- Make sure you take time for things you enjoy. Stress and even boredom can lead to fatigue, Dr. Waters points out, so trying to get hobbies and other things you like into your day may help.
Fatigue Causes: #4anxiety And Depression
Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, the most common mental health disorders in the United States, either cause or are strongly associated with fatigue and daytime sleepiness. The majority of people with depression suffer from fatigue.
In fact, fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of depression that patients complain to their healthcare providers about. In one recent study, more than 90 percent of patients with major depression had severe fatigue despite the fact that more than 80 percent of these patients were already taking antidepressant medications. Depression-related fatigue is often associated with impaired concentration, irritability, and reduced productivity.
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B12 Deficiency Or Insufficiency
Getting enough vitamin B12 is crucial for brain health, your immune system, and your metabolism. As we age, though, our ability to absorb B12 declines. Fatigue is one of the first signs of B12 deficiency,Lisa Cimperman, RD, told Prevention in a previous interview about B12 deficiency symptoms. Certain diabetes and heartburn medications and digestive disorders like IBS and Crohn’s hinder your body’s ability to absorb B12. And if you follow a plant-based diet, you also have an increased risk, since B12 occurs naturally only in meat, eggs, shellfish, and dairy.
The symptoms: In addition to fatigue, you may be low on B12 if you’re experiencing bouts of tingling in hands and feet, memory lapses, dizziness, anxiety, and vision problems.
The tests: If your doctor expects you’re low on B12, you’ll undergo a simple blood test.
The treatments:Depending on your blood test results, your doctor may suggest working more dietary sources of B12 into your eating plan or taking a vitamin B12 supplement.
Too Much Or Too Little Activity
A person with fatigue may not feel able to exercise, and a lack of exercise can cause further fatigue. A lack of exercise may eventually cause deconditioning, making it harder and more tiring to perform a physical task.
Fatigue can also affect healthy individuals after prolonged, intense mental or physical activity.
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Youre Skimping On Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, you should be getting between seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Definitely getting less? Enter the fatigue.
Minimum seven hours of sleep is required for effective rejuvenation of the body and restfulness of the brain, Dr. Khan says. Heres the thing: Even one night of bad sleep can mess with your circadian rhythm and throw you off for a few days, she says.
How to fix it: At baseline, the solution is simply to get more sleep. But, of course, sometimes thats easier said than done. You need to first figure out whats screwing up your sleepstress? Netflix? Crappy sleep hygiene?and then address the reason for your lack of sleep. If youre still struggling, talk to your doctor about your options. You may need an intervention such as cognitive behavioral therapy to treat insomnia, for example.
Have You Been Doing Everything You Know To Do But Still Feel Tired All The Time
As she navigated her way through the grieving process, Mindy found providing her own self care challenging. Most weeks, taking care of herself fell low on her to-do list. But sometimes, shed have a stretch of several days when she was able to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, go for a long walk, and take a yoga class. All that effort to do the right things didnt seem to make her feel any better. She was still tired all the time.
So, was she doing something wrong?
Why werent these good behaviors making a difference? She was frustrated.
It wasnt menopause.
And it wasnt due to just getting older.
For Mindy, it turned out that she wasnt addressing the attack that her body was mounting against her own tissues. And it took over a year for her to discover what was happening in her body.
You may have heard of Hashimotos Thyroiditis. This was Mindys problem. Heres what transpired.
A full two years after her mom died, Mindys fatigue was no better. But not for lack of trying to get help.
Mindy first saw her general practitioner. After a brief visit in the office, blood work was ordered. According to her doctor, the tests showed nothing wrong. So her general practitioner, a truly caring woman, told her to join a grief share group, and that with time, shed surely feel better.
Mindy returned to her general practitioner. Her doctor said it must be depression. She was offered a prescription for Prozac, an antidepressant, but that advice did not resonate with her.
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What Is The Difference Between Being Tired And Fatigue
Medically speaking, tiredness happens to everyone its an expected feeling after certain activities or at the end of the day. Usually, you know why youre tired, and a good nights sleep solves the problem. Fatigue is a daily lack of energy unusual or excessive whole-body tiredness not relieved by sleep.
What Is Pots And Why Does It Cause Fatigue
POTS is a group of symptoms resulting from dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This branch of the nervous system regulates functions we dont consciously control like sweating and blood circulation.
In people with POTS, more blood collects in the lower body when standing upright. The heart beats faster to pump it up to the brain, but with little success. The causes of POTS are unknown, but the problem is thought to lie in the communication breakdown between the brain and the cardiovascular system.
POTS-related fatigue is physical in nature and the mechanism behind it is not fully understood. It may have several causes, including your body working harder to move the blood.
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Youre Getting Over An Infection
Just because youre on the mend from, say, a virus doesnt mean you should expect to automatically bounce back energy-wise. Recovery can take time. “A viral or bacterial infection can cause dehydration, generalized inflammation, and immense fatigue,” Dr. Khan says.
How to fix it: Dr. Khan recommends simply giving yourself time to recoup. Drink plenty of water and just take it easy, and you should feel less tired and more like yourself in a week or two.
Sleep Disorders And Fatigue
Symptoms: Chronic fatigue, feeling exhausted upon awakening, snoring
Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that disrupt or prevent restful, restorative sleep. That can take a toll on your health and quality of life, so its important to look out for signs and symptoms.
Continued
Sleep apnea is one of the most common sleep disorders. If you or your partner notices loud snoring and you wake up tired and stay that way, you could have sleep apnea. More than one-third of adults in the U.S. snore at least a few nights a week. But if the snoring stops your breathing for seconds at a time, it could be sleep apnea. Learn more about the best sleep positions and see if sleeping on your stomach is bad or not.
Obstructive sleep apnea causes low blood oxygen levels. That’s because blockages prevent air from getting to the lungs. The low oxygen levels also affect how well your heart and brain work. Sometimes, the only clue that you might have sleep apnea is chronic fatigue.
Your doctor may prescribe a medical device called CPAP that helps keep your airways open while you sleep. In severe cases of sleep apnea, surgery may help. The surgeon will remove tissues that are blocking the airways. If left untreated, sleep apnea can increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack.
But sleep apnea is just one of many sleep disorders that cause fatigue. Other common types include:
Continued
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Causes Of Fatigue In Women
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, sluggishness, feeling run-down, depression, cold intolerance, weight gain
The problem may be a slow or underactive thyroid. This is known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck. It helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy.
According to the American Thyroid Foundation, about 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder by age 60. And most wont know it. The most common cause is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimotos thyroiditis. Hashimotos stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.
Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed, and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.
Underactive Thyroid And Fatigue
Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, sluggishness, feeling run-down, depression, cold intolerance, weight gain
The problem may be a slow or underactive thyroid. This is known as hypothyroidism. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck. It helps set the rate of metabolism, which is the rate at which the body uses energy.
According to the American Thyroid Foundation, about 17% of all women will have a thyroid disorder by age 60. And most won’t know it. The most common cause is an autoimmune disorder known as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s stops the gland from making enough thyroid hormones for the body to work the way it should. The result is hypothyroidism, or a slow metabolism.
Blood tests known as T3 and T4 will detect thyroid hormones. If these hormones are low, synthetic hormones can bring you up to speed, and you should begin to feel better fairly rapidly.
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Causes Of Fatigue And Lack Of Energy
Possible causes of fatigue: adrenal imbalance, hormonal imbalance, thyroid imbalance
How is fatigue affecting the way you live? Is it hard for you to get out of bed in the morning? Do you lose steam and feel exhausted by mid-afternoon? Maybe you reach for coffee, soda, or super-caffeinated drinks just to get through the day. These patterns can be connected to internal imbalances that leave you feeling tired all the time and drained of physical and mental energy.
“I feel more energized throughout the whole day, less stressed and more calm, and am sleeping better throughout the night.
Kate, Adrenal Health customer
Fatigue is often attributed to age, but many sufferers are young or middle-aged women who exist day to day under the burden of constant stress. With fatigue, we can often trace the issue back to the adrenal glands and how they respond, especially to ongoing stress. When the adrenals are required to produce cortisol and other stress hormones without pause for long periods, your body inevitably will be denied the rest and recovery it needs. This cycle will leave you feeling tired, perhaps even sluggish and foggy-headed.
Restoring adrenal balance can bring relief from symptoms, and help your body manage additional effects of stress that cause damage “downstream.” However, for some women, fatigue is part of a separate set of symptoms that stem more from hormonal fluctuations. These hormonal imbalances may be significant during PMS, perimenopause, and menopause.
Wrong Foods At The Wrong Time
Now we are moving out of the health and nutrition causes for womens low energy, and were moving into some lifestyle elements. First up, food!
Women lead busy lives. Sometimes one of the first things a woman will let go of is eating a meal. When youre rushing to get out the door on time, breakfast may be the last thing on your mind. Or if youre trying to finish a deadline, you may forego the actual lunch part of lunch hour.
Thats all a big mistake for your energy levels.
What times are you feeling the most sluggish throughout the day? 2 or 3? Youre probably either skipping lunch or youre not choosing filling protein-rich or fiber-rich items. Does late morning force you to have a third cup of coffee ? Then youre probably not getting enough at breakfast.
The goal is to eat regularly and to choose foods that will sustain your energy instead of giving you a sugar crash.
That bowl of cereal may taste delicious at 7am, but how does it make you feel at 10:30am? Probably starving and mentally crashed.
How to Fix It: Eat! Take some extra time to plan out your breakfasts and lunches before the week begins, so busyness doesnt take over. Then choose foods with lots of protein, fiber, and healthy fat for breakfast and lunch. Here are some of my favorite breakfast ideas:
- Berry, spinach, and protein powder smoothie
- Avocado toast with a handful of nuts
- Veggie omelet
- Quinoa salad with a zesty chicken breast
- Black bean burger and side salad
- Dinner leftovers
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