We all know how horrible it feels waking up to that awful radar alarm blasting aggressively first thing in the morning. It’s definitely not the best part of my day, but I get it. It's the morning and I know the drill: my energy and motivation are slightly off, I have a general sense of weakness, and simple tasks feel harder. This malaise though typically ends as the day gets going.
What I do not get, and am definitely not down for, is my morning following me through the rest of my day. We’ve all had those days, whether while recovering from a sleepless night or adjusting to jet lag. But I found myself constantly feeling fatigued, as if my body was desperately fighting to recover from something. My sleep was fine, I was not doing anything abnormal. I have a fairly healthy lifestyle, so I was confused. Why did I feel so drained all the time? I looked into it, and here’s what I found.
Lack of sleep is an obvious factor that can lead to constant fatigue. You have heard it all your life. But getting 7-8 (8 is better) hours of quality sleep is critical for so many reasons that go beyond just feeling rested. (Check out my post next week on sleep for more information.) Avoiding blue lights at night and any stimulating activity is really important.
What you eat and put in your system is also very important. Your body uses a lot of energy when you eat foods that cause inflammation. Eat a diet based on whole foods, and stop eating all that processed crap. You may also want to try cutting out dairy and grains as they trigger allergic reactions in many people, and even a mild reaction is found to decrease energy. Sugar (fructose, in particular) is also detrimental to your body in countless ways, including in impacting your energy. Avoid sugar at all costs. Other dietary tools include limiting the time you spend eating throughout the day. Your mitochondria have to work constantly if you are eating all the time, giving them no time to repair and rest.
Finally, sunlight is really important, especially in the morning. Even if it's cloudy, take a walk outside and follow your circadian rhythm. Exercise is also a really important factor and one that helped me out with my fatigue. Being tired sucks, and affects mental health negatively. When I’m tired, I am less able to deal with my messed-up head through activities like exercise, connecting with people, and purposeful work. This information was really helpful to me and hopefully will be to you too!
-Emile Beniflah
Source: The Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman, M.D.