From mindbodygreen.com
9 Reasons You’re Exhausted All The Time + What To Do About It
by Dr. Holly Phillips August 7, 2015
Fatigue is one of the most common complaints people bring to their doctors’ attention. And sure, it can simply be a natural response to a busy life.
But feeling exhausted all the time isn’t normal or acceptable. In fact, it's actually your body's cry for help, letting you know that poor lifestyle habits or a hidden medical condition are sabotaging your energy.
After struggling with my own fatigue for nearing twenty years before finding a cure, I wrote my new book The Exhaustion Breakthrough to help others recover their vitality, too. Here, I'm sharing the most common reasons for exhaustion — and how you can remedy your fatigue.
1. You’re sleeping erratically.
If you’re not getting the hours of shut-eye your body needs, or your bedtime and awakening times are wildly different from day to day, you’re depriving yourself of the restorative powers of sleep. Without steady zzz's, you won’t have the opportunity to recover sufficiently from the previous day — or prepare well for the next one.
What to do: Carve out 7 to 9 hours for slumber each night, and follow a consistent sleep schedule every day. Even on weekends, only vary it by an hour at most.
2. You're eating the wrong food.
If your diet consists of lots of simple carbs — think chips, crackers and white bread — or sugary and processed foods, you may experience rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin. This is usually followed by a major drop and then cravings for more carbs.
Similarly, if you're the type to frequently skip meals, you’re sending your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride and depriving your body of the steady flow of nutrients it needs to thrive.
What to do: Plan your meals and snacks so that you're eating something every three to five hours. Ideally, your diet should be made up of a combination of protein (eggs, legumes, beans, seafood and fish, skinless poultry), healthy carbs (whole grains, vegetables, fruits) and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocados, olive and canola oils).
3. You’re sitting still too long.
Spending long hours at your desk or on the couch at home can make you tired, because your body equates stillness with sleep. Plus, when you’re sitting still, your breathing and heart rates slow down, along with your circulation — bringing less oxygen and fewer nutrients to your brain and body tissues.
What to do: Get up! Make it a habit to move around for at least five minutes every hour, whether you stretch, pay a visit to a colleague, or take a short walk. And try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
Read more from mindbodygreen.com >>
9 Reasons You’re Exhausted All The Time + What To Do About It
by Dr. Holly Phillips August 7, 2015
Fatigue is one of the most common complaints people bring to their doctors’ attention. And sure, it can simply be a natural response to a busy life.
But feeling exhausted all the time isn’t normal or acceptable. In fact, it's actually your body's cry for help, letting you know that poor lifestyle habits or a hidden medical condition are sabotaging your energy.
After struggling with my own fatigue for nearing twenty years before finding a cure, I wrote my new book The Exhaustion Breakthrough to help others recover their vitality, too. Here, I'm sharing the most common reasons for exhaustion — and how you can remedy your fatigue.
1. You’re sleeping erratically.
If you’re not getting the hours of shut-eye your body needs, or your bedtime and awakening times are wildly different from day to day, you’re depriving yourself of the restorative powers of sleep. Without steady zzz's, you won’t have the opportunity to recover sufficiently from the previous day — or prepare well for the next one.
What to do: Carve out 7 to 9 hours for slumber each night, and follow a consistent sleep schedule every day. Even on weekends, only vary it by an hour at most.
2. You're eating the wrong food.
If your diet consists of lots of simple carbs — think chips, crackers and white bread — or sugary and processed foods, you may experience rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin. This is usually followed by a major drop and then cravings for more carbs.
Similarly, if you're the type to frequently skip meals, you’re sending your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride and depriving your body of the steady flow of nutrients it needs to thrive.
What to do: Plan your meals and snacks so that you're eating something every three to five hours. Ideally, your diet should be made up of a combination of protein (eggs, legumes, beans, seafood and fish, skinless poultry), healthy carbs (whole grains, vegetables, fruits) and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocados, olive and canola oils).
3. You’re sitting still too long.
Spending long hours at your desk or on the couch at home can make you tired, because your body equates stillness with sleep. Plus, when you’re sitting still, your breathing and heart rates slow down, along with your circulation — bringing less oxygen and fewer nutrients to your brain and body tissues.
What to do: Get up! Make it a habit to move around for at least five minutes every hour, whether you stretch, pay a visit to a colleague, or take a short walk. And try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
Read more from mindbodygreen.com >>
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