Do you sometimes feel as though even when you seem to get more than enough sleep, you’re still fighting off yawns and fatigue throughout the day? Always tired and yet you’ve slept for more than 8 hours.
Poor diet & lack of exercise causes fatigue
The second most common cause of fatigue is from lack of physical activity and a poor diet.
Studies have found that adults who take part in light exercise a few times a week report more energy after six weeks. People who exercise more regularly also report better sleep, even though studies show that they aren’t sleeping for a longer duration.
Relying on coffee can make you sleepy
While many studies show coffee, in adequate amounts, can be good for your health, research shows that depending on it can make you sleepier. People who don’t use caffeine often report feeling less tired in the morning.
You might consider making sure you’re fully hydrated with some water before you hit the coffee.
One study found that a drop up 1.5 percent in our body’s normal water levels can make it difficult for us to concentrate. Less water in your blood makes your blood thicken, which slows down nutrients and oxygen getting to your muscles and organs.
We’re lucky that a 2% drop is enough to make you feel thirsty. So staying hydrated throughout the day will certainly help you.
Know you’re in need of water
Urine should be pale yellow. Anything darker and it’s time for some water.
Lack of rest after binge drinking
Those glasses of wine or beers before bed may also be affecting your day. Studies found that although test subjects would fall asleep faster after getting drunk, their quality of sleep was actually much lower, particularly during the second half of their night’s sleep.
Ultimately alcohol reduces the amount of REM sleep you get.
And for those of you who binge drink and sleep in on the weekends, take note that a consistent sleep schedule is important. You can try waking up close to your normal time on weekends and having short 20-minute naps during the day. It will recharge your body, with no need for going into deep sleep. You’re also more likely to fall asleep at the correct time on Sunday evening making Monday morning easier. If you have trouble sleeping, foods rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 have been shown to have tranquillizing effects. Tryptophan, a constituent of protein, is also advised. Consuming a diet high in these nutrients may be effective in addressing lack of sleep.
If you eat irregularly, in the first six hours of eating all is fairly normal. This refers to those who eat one meal a day, and in the evening.
Your body begins to break down the energy reserves of glucose (glycogen), and your cells use this as fuel, but only about 25% of that is broken down is used as energy. The energy is used for your brain and the rest of it goes to some muscle tissue and red blood cells.
But after about six hours, this method of tapping into your energy reserves stops, because the glycogen stores deplete, which can lead to the notorious hungry angry feeling that we all know too well. At this point, your body is in a state called ketosis, it begins to fast or starve because there’s very little glucose in your blood.
Consumption of complex carbohydrates is key in ensuring fewer bouts of energy depletion.
This is because these foods help to release energy gradually throughout the day. Simple carbohydrates, on the other hand, elevated blood glucose quickly, and this elevated glucose declines equally as fast. These drops in blood glucose are what cause low energy levels.
Worrying makes you lose energy of course, your mental well-being plays a role too. Anxiety is a big one. Worrying about what people think of you, always feeling tense about work or being overly concerned about every day can be physically exhausting. It takes your energy. And fatigue is one of the main symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety also affects your sleep.
