Introduction
Are you feeling tired all the time? When it becomes difficult to wake up in the mornings, carry out usual activities during the day or cope with persistent lethargy, this is often described as ‘fatigue’.
Levels of fatigue are often correlated to dietary and lifestyle habits which have significant influence on our energy levels. Although fatigue can be an underlying symptom of an undiagnosed medical condition requiring a diagnosis, more often than not it is a symptom that can be reversed / reduced by changes to our dietary and lifestyle routine.
This post focuses on ways to reduce fatigue through small dietary changes plus other lifestyle tips to take up alongside. Practicing these practices in tandem can play a crucial part in giving you more energy in daily life. If you’re struggling to feel energised, we’re here to tell you more about fatigue, help you recognise the signs and share some simple ways to help bring back your vitality.
So, what exactly is fatigue?
It’s easy to confuse fatigue with tiredness: the main difference is that tiredness improves with rest, but fatigue persists even after rest or sleep. It’s a daily lack of energy and sometimes an overwhelming tiredness that can have a negative influence on our physical and mental health. It can be triggered by multiple factors and can be more of a continual feeling for some and for others can arise at particular times of the day. In summary, when you are fatigued, you have no or little motivation and energy and it can interfere with daily life. With it being something that most adults experience during their lives, it’s important for all of us to know how to keep fatigue at bay.
Who gets fatigue?
All of us can experience fatigue but there are certain groups of people whom may be more prone to it. Women often experience fatigue more than men because of reasons such as increased hormonal activity (e.g., women’s menstrual cycle, pregnancy) affecting energy levels. Those who undertake prolonged mental activity (workload requires high levels of mental focus for long periods) are also more prone to fatigue. Research suggests that sustained mental concentration leads to a build-up of toxins in the brain resulting in slowed activity to manage the build-up: one simple explanation to ‘brain’ fatigue. In addition, those who lead a largely sedentary lifestyle and don’t move their bodies regularly are very suspectable to often feeling fatigued and this is widely referred to as the top cause.
What causes fatigue?
In addition, other causes of fatigue can be:
● Stress – from personal or work lives, accumulated stress can result in feeling emotionally overwhelmed.
● Lack of sleep / poor quality sleep – a huge contributor to lack of daytime energy.
● Poor eating habits – there are many dietary habits that can cause fatigue.
● Alcohol – alcohol increases drowsiness and welcomes poor-quality sleep.
How do you know if you have fatigue?
As well as increased periods and heightened feelings of drowsiness, fatigue can manifest itself in many other different ways both mentally and physically. Some people may experience symptoms fairly regularly or periodically throughout the day. These can include but, are not limited to;
● Lack of motivation for daily tasks
● Disturbed sleep / trouble sleeping
● Sore or aching muscles
● Blurred vision and headaches
● Slowed reflexes and responses
● Gastrointestinal discomfort including bloating and constipation
● Difficulty concentrating and staying focused
● Impaired decision-making
● Mood fluctuations and feeling irritable
So how can you combat it?
Incorporating these tips into your daily routines is a good place to start to help to revive your energy levels. They will all work in conjunction to help avert fatigue and limit chances of symptoms arising:
Nutrition Tips
✔ Eat a balanced diet. Choosing nutrient-dense foods and appropriate portions is key to reducing fatigue. A mix of fresh fruits and vegetables, proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats will help to give your body the range of nutrients it needs to retain good energy levels.
✔ Cut down on the Caffeine. Insomnia, digestive issues, raised blood pressure and anxiety are just some of the physical and psychological effects of excessive caffeine consumption making fatigue more likely to arise. In short, reducing to a light-to-moderate intake can help sustain more consistent energy levels.
✔ Drink Plenty of Water. Dehydration can plummet energy levels and is a key contributor to fatigue. Drinking more water gives you more energy to do anything from strenuous physical activity to staying awake at your desk after lunch!
✔ Avoid processed foods. Heavily processed foods are often high in fat and sugar which overtime can lead to health problems such as obesity & high blood pressure, both causes of more longer-term fatigue. Choose foods that are minimally processed!
✔ Consider using Supplements. Those who don’t eat meat, fish and dairy can develop a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin 12 is an essential nutrient for maintaining good energy levels so if you don’t eat animal products and often feel weak and tired, a deficiency may be the reason why. Supplementing with B12 each day will help boost energy and provide other health benefits alongside.
✔ Avoid / Reduce Alcohol Intake. One implication of regular alcohol consumption is night time awakenings due to increased heart rate, frequent urination and dehydration are just some effects of drinking too much alcohol. Not relying on a few night caps to send you to sleep and avoiding the binge drinking are important daily habits for a better sleep and reducing fatigue.
✔ Avoid eating before bed. Calories coming from a late-night meal or snack are stored as fat while you sleep which can cause weight gain overtime and decrease energy levels. Keeping a three-hour window between eating and sleeping is optimum to avoid this and also helps ensure a less disruptive sleep to feel more energised the next day.
Other Lifestyle Tips
✔ Prioritise sleep. Having a consistent sleep routine of around 7 hours per night is integral to reducing daytime symptoms of fatigue. It also means you are more likely to choose healthier foods as your body is much less likely to crave sugar as a quick solution to tiredness. Also, adopting the habit of waking up at the same time every day (which over time prompts you to sleep at the same time each night) helps our body to operate efficiently, keeping us strong and energized.
✔ Exercise Regularly / Daily Movement. In short, regular exercise enhances the body’s capacity to circulate oxygen and promotes cardiovascular health. Whether it be a walk, gentle jog or a swim, exercise boosts energy right away, but you’ll also feel less fatigued over time as your physical condition improves.
✔ Take time to relax. Whichever way works best for you to switch off, it’s important to find the time to do just that. Practicing meditation, connecting with friends and family or just taking time out for yourself can make all of the above that little bit easier and help relieve the fatigue caused by those everyday pressures.
When should you get medical help?
If feelings of fatigue persist for more than a couple of weeks and/or you are showing other symptoms such as low-grade fever, loss of appetite or shortness of breath, it may be related to an underlying medical condition and it’s time to see your GP. It’s important for them to carry out examinations to rule out physical and mental health conditions such as anaemia, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), liver inflammation (hepatitis) and depression. In most cases, a medical illness won’t be the cause and instead GPs can help you to reflect on the lifestyle and dietary factors that you might need to address to overcome your fatigue.
Take-home message
It’s important to remember that we all go through periods of low energy, even a week of feeling more fatigued than usual is not uncommon. However, adopting these habits into your daily routine is a simple and great place to start in reducing and preventing regular fatigue. Healthy food, hydration, quality sleep, regular exercise and rest is a combination that will work hand-hand to fight that fatigue.