Health and Fitness
Are You Feeling Constantly Exhausted?
If so, here are the practical tips to address common causes of fatigue, and boost energy quickly, naturally, and sustainably.
Introduction and Context
If you are feeling tired, sluggish, and exhausted sometimes, you are not alone. I was one of them and many people who felt tired at all times.
If you are feeling fatigued at all times, you need to see a qualified healthcare professional and understand the underlying causes and find available therapies with their assistance. However, we can improve them by making lifestyle adjustments.
According to Statista, in a report titled “Americans Are Tired Most Of The Week”, 45% of Americans sleeping seven to eight hours a night reported feeling tired or fatigued up to three times a week. Additionally, 27% of people said they wake up exhausted on four or more days per week.
At least 20% of people don’t feel tired. My aim is to be in that group.
Energy is the most critical resource for all living beings. Without energy, it is not possible to survive and thrive in this world. None of us can constantly run with total energy.
But most healthy people can experience abundant energy by implementing healthy habits. To this end, I strive for an abundance of energy and look for practical and natural ways to beat lethargy.
Fatigue and lethargy are complex health topics widely discussed in the medical literature. Many fitness and health communities frequently post articles and fitness blogs on social media. We know that lots of healthy people experience a lack of energy.
There are myriads of known and unknown causes of fatigue. In addition, some reasons may be unique to people stemming from their genetics and even lifestyle choices.
Fatigue may also be caused by many health conditions such as anemia, liver disease, kidney problems, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, and many more complex issues.
“Fatigue, a commonly reported symptom, is defined as an overwhelming, debilitating, and sustained sense of exhaustion that decreases the ability to function and carry out daily activities” as documented in a paper
Purpose of the Article
My purpose in this article is to share my experience highlighting simple points that helped me gain energy when feeling exhausted and weary.
I specifically point out the benefits of unclogging obvious energy blockage. I suffered a lot so have empathy for people living with fatigue.
Some people use unnatural ways to boost energy. However, they are not sustainable solutions. Therefore, we should focus on natural and proven health tips. I share some of my observations stemming from years of experience that helped me boost my energy when I felt down the most.
Tiredness is natural and is a part of our metabolic fluctuations. However, we don’t have to suffer. For example, sometimes, the symptoms I experienced were unbearable and even created depressive thoughts. They were unhealthy thoughts and feelings for me. Thus, I learned not to undermine my lethargic feelings and find out viable solutions.
Many biological, psychological, and environmental factors cause energy blockage. Once we know the root causes of our fatigue, we can take some practical actions to address them.
Each person’s fatigue can be different.
In this article, I exclude those medical conditions and only focus on fatigue in healthy people. My focus is on a few known and not-so-known causes of exhaustion and sluggishness in our daily life.
Mitochondrial Health
Our cellular energy is generated by mitochondria.
These tiny organelles create ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) via cellular respiration by breaking nutrients and creating energy molecules for our cells. The denser mitochondria in our cells, the more energy we can have.
When our mitochondria malfunction, we start feeling sluggish and even exhausted. As a result, we experience low energy at several levels, such as mentally, emotionally, physically, and even spiritually.
Life does not mean much when we are down at multiple levels. Therefore, we need to pay attention to the health of our mitochondria to increase our energy.
Chronic Stress
Emotional, physical, and mental
Physical, mental, and emotional stress adversely affects the health of our mitochondria. We all experience stress. No one is immune to stress as it is an inevitable part of our lives.
While acute stress is good for our growth, chronic stress can be a problem.
Chronic stress can cause energy blockage and many undesirable health issues. It is so bad that chronic stress can even promote cancer development, as mentioned in this recent scientific paper published in Frontiers in Oncology. You can read the paper free from the journal.
Due to known health implications and the impact of chronic stress on fatigue, we need to address it timely using various natural methods and getting advice from our health care professionals.
The way we respond to stress makes the most significant difference. For me, the first step in managing chronic stress was responding to stressful situations mindfully. Being aware of stress-creating conditions and eliminating them methodically is a wise approach.
We can use various methods and techniques to reduce stress and manage it efficiently. These techniques may depend on our lifestyles. For example, some of us enjoy relaxation with friends and family members.
Some of us choose quietness with mindfulness, meditation, reading, listening to music, yoga, and other pastime activities giving us joy. And some of us exercise, dance, and participate in outdoor activities.
I use most of these methods in managing my stress. For example, to overcome mental stress, I remain mindful while performing cognitive tasks, usually staying in a flow state.
As I pointed out previously in a story, emotional stress is the larger part of the iceberg in energy deficiency. Emotional stress and drained energy can prevent us from living a satisfying life. To handle emotional stress, I keep things in perspective and proportion.
Approaching people, especially family members, friends, and colleagues, with empathy and compassion helped me balance my emotions. Meaningful relationships can help us manage emotional stress.
In addition to using several coping mechanisms, an essential aspect is expressing our feelings timely and adequately. This requires increasing our emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.
For managing my physical stress, I pay attention to nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Movement is essential for the body and the brain to balance hormones and neurotransmitters.
Essential Nutrition
Nutrition is a personal topic. Each person needs customized nutrition for his or her requirements. It also relates to lifestyle, culture, and genetic disposition.
Our body needs nutrient-dense food, including protein, healthy fats, minerals, electrolytes, and vitamins. We get these critical elements from different sources as diet is an individual matter, as we all are different.
We all need a customized diet aligned with our body types. Covering all essential amino acids, vitamins, and key minerals like magnesium is vital for energy production. When our diet does not provide adequate nutrients, it may be necessary to consider supplementing with the critical nutrients by obtaining advice from our medical professionals.
Another important point from the nutritional aspect is controlling blood glucose and insulin levels, which can significantly impact our energy levels.
Frequent fluctuations of blood glucose can manifest the symptoms of fatigue. On the other hand, both too low and too high blood glucose can have a detrimental effect on the body. Unstable blood glucose, frequent insulin spikes, and accumulating excess body fat drain our energy levels. They create a vicious circle.
Movement
Nutrition is essential for creating energy. However, mobilizing and balancing energy is maintained by regular exercise. Movement is another non-negotiable requirement for our physical, emotional, and mental health.
Regular motion is also necessary for eliminating toxins and other harmful materials from the body. Exercise activates the lymphatic system to remove bacterial toxins and other harmful cells.
Fitness can be an antidote to fatigue. We don’t have to play sports or do exercises. Moderate and regular exercises have many benefits. Just walking, dancing, jogging, swimming, gardening, or calisthenics can suffice for many of us.
I choose joyful and festive activities, as mentioned in this story. I also have a specific exercise regime to stay fit and in good shape during my travels.
Inflammation and Pain
Inflammation could be one of the hidden causes of fatigue. It is a very broad and complex medical topic spanning many aspects of our health that are beyond the scope of my article. So I briefly mention it in the context of tiredness.
When my body was inflamed by rheumatoid arthritis, I felt awful for many years. The pain and discomfort caused a lot of sluggishness and unnecessary suffering.
Living with inflammation is not fun. I documented my experience in the attached story.
Bloating and Allergies
Bloating can also cause lethargy. When were are bloated, we feel sluggish.
Mainly caused by food not aligning with our body is the culprit for bloating. For example, as a carbs-intolerant person, overeating carbohydrate-containing foods caused bloating for me.
We are unique and have different dietary requirements based on our genetic makeup. However, using an elimination diet can be helpful to address gut issues, allergies, food intolerance, and bloating concerns. For example, some vegetables also caused bloating and allergies for me.
So, I fixed my bloating, allergies, and autoimmune conditions using an elimination diet.
Toxins, Allergens, and Heavy Metals
Environmental factors can also cause bloating, allergies, and autoimmune conditions. In addition, environmental factors affect mitochondrial health.
Some critical environmental factors are toxins, heavy metals, allergens, bad bacteria, and pathogens that adversely affect our health. Eliminating toxins, heavy metals, and pathogens from the body can significantly impact our energy level.
Therefore, living in toxin-free environments is essential. Air pollution in some countries and cities is inevitable; however, a simple air-cleaner in our homes can make a difference in reducing toxins in our environment.
Toxins in our gut cause many issues, including fatigue. Since I had serious concerns related to heavy metals in my gut, I shared my experience and useful tips in this story titled “Why Is Activated Charcoal in My Emergency Bag? Is It Hype or Hope? Scientifically proven benefits of charcoal, testimonials, and personal experience”.
Sunshine
It may sound simple and obvious, but sunshine played an essential role in maintaining my energy levels, especially in the morning. I heard the same testimony from many friends.
Looking at the sun for a few minutes in the morning boosts my energy and removes lethargic feelings. Many times, walking on sunny days bare feet on green grass or sandy beaches increased my energy and brought a lot of joy.
In addition to the mood-boosting and circadian rhythm balancing effects of sunshine, Vitamin D is an important micro-nutrient. This critical vitamin affects several physiologic functions. It is essential for calcium, phosphorus, and bone metabolism.
As pointed out in this scientific paper, “various studies demonstrate low vitamin D levels in non-specific neuromuscular pain disorders and chronic-fatigue syndromes. This observation was supported by significant improvement of these disorders following Vitamin D supplementation. Several studies demonstrate low serum vitamin D levels in healthy adults Ethiopians, despite the availability of abundant sunlight”.
Quality Sleep
Interestingly, when I felt lethargic, most of the time, the root cause has been “sleep deprivation”. According to NIH, everyone feels tired now and then. But, after a good night’s sleep, most people feel refreshed and ready to face a new day.
NIH reminds us that alcohol won’t help people sleep. Sleep is non-negotiable. Amazingly, when I addressed my sleep issues and had quality sleep, life looked brighter and more meaningful to me. My lethargy disappeared and was replaced with abundant energy.
We all may need different amounts of sleep; however, quality sleep is critical for everyone to feel energetic. I shared my sleep quality improvement experience in this story.
I stopped coffee which affected my sleep. However, replaced it in a more effective and natural way. Taking a few minutes of cold showers every morning helps me to get rid of morning fatigue and brings me lots of energy. Cold showers can be used as instant energy boosters. They are also great before going to bed to maintain high-quality sleep.
Bio-Identical Hormones
In addition to these simple points, some mature adults also experience fatigue due to hormonal reasons. From my observations and interactions, some mature male adults have regained their energy after implementing hormone therapy.
I mentioned the importance of hormones in this story titled “Bioidentical Hormones For Longevity and Vitality: What if there is a good solution to hypogonadism”.
Being open-minded and getting advice from our healthcare professionals when needed can create viable solutions for our hidden fatigue issues.
Final Words
Fatigue is a common problem globally. We all experience it sometimes. There are viable solutions. If we are fatigued all the time, we need to get advice from health professionals.
Energy is essential for life. By eliminating the causes and symptoms of fatigue, we can increase our energy. Taking personal responsibility for our health, fitness, and overall well-being is critical. Solving the root causes of our issues may reduce many symptoms. For example, when I reduced symptoms of fatigue, my brain fog symptoms disappeared.
Furthermore, openness, transparency, and collaboration with others can introduce new solutions. We all can learn from our experiences each of other. Asking for help from professionals when needed is a wise approach.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I’d love to obtain your feedback on how you deal with fatigue and maintain your energy.
I documented the case of a friend who suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, which might give some valuable insights.
Disclaimer: Please note that this story is not health advice. I shared my personal experience for information only. If you have symptoms of fatigue, please consult your health care professionals.
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Three Hormonal Factors Preventing Fat Loss & Practical Tips to Solve Them
How a Single-Mum Reversed Her Obesity and Built up a Unicorn Business
Three Practical Tips to Become Fat-Adapted and Shorten Waistline
How Alberto Melted His Potbelly & Doubled Testosterone in a Year
The More Nutritious Fat Consumed the More Belly Fat Got Burned
Sample Health Improvement Articles for New Readers
Besides aiming to increase the hormonal intelligence of my readers and writing about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine, one of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.
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