Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition And Healthy Living Guide

In other Health Watch articles, we’ve talked about the many energizing benefits of restful sleep . But even if you are getting plenty of sleep and are not feeling drowsy, you may still be suffering from fatigue. There’s a difference – in general, drowsiness is feeling the need to sleep, whereas fatigue is a lack of energy and motivation, often accompanied by apathy (a feeling of indifference or not caring about what happens). Fatigue is disruptive and interferes with all aspects of daily living. In the United States, fatigue results in about 10 million doctor visits each year.

Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical exertion, emotional stress, or boredom. However, it can also be a sign of a more serious psychological or physical disorder. Some of the more common of these are:

• An allergy that leads to hay fever or asthma
• Anemia (including iron deficiency anemia)
• Depression or grief
• Sleep disorders such as ongoing insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, or narcolepsy
• Underactive thyroid or overactive thyroid
• Autoimmune diseases such as lupus
• Chronic liver or kidney disease
• Congestive heart failure
• Diabetes
• Poor nutrition
• Certain medications may also cause drowsiness or fatigue, including antihistamines for allergies, blood pressure medicines, sleeping pills, steroids, and diuretics.

If you have any of these medical problems, please see your doctor. For the rest of you, here are some great lifestyle tips that can really help you to win the fight against fatigue:

• Get adequate, regular, and consistent amounts of sleep each night . It helps to go to bed at the same time each night and to get up at the same time each day, and to sleep in a cool, quiet, and comfortable room.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and don’t skip breakfast . When you first wake up, your blood sugar is low, and eating a healthy breakfast can serve as an energy booster that will start your day off right.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day . You may be surprised to learn that nothing can tire you out faster than dehydration, so keep a bottle of water by your side whenever possible.
• Exercise regularly . Moderate aerobic exercise, 3 or 4 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes, will help increase your energy level. The key is consistency, if you want to see consistent results.
• Learn how to relax . When you’re under excessive stress, your breathing becomes shallower, limiting the flow of vital oxygen to the cells of your body and brain. Whenever you’re feeling worn down by stress, try taking 5 to 10 deep breaths to help regain control. Breathing exercises, Yoga, and meditation are techniques you can practice any time, and they’re great tools for managing stress and fatigue.
• Keep a reasonable and realistic schedule . Prioritize your daily to-do list and pace yourself as you work your way through your day. And make sure to schedule time for yourself. Even a half hour a day spent doing something that you enjoy will pay big dividends in reducing fatigue.
• Change your stressfull circumstances , if possible. For example, take a vacation, and deal directly with problems in a relationship or with your boss.
• Take a multivitamin to help your body’s natural defenses against fatigue .

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