Top 10 tips to fight fatigue!

When your energy levels are low, everything you do becomes a big task. Read on for practical tips to fight fatigue.

If you struggle to make it through the day, avoid a social gathering due to the effort it involves or just feel plain tired day after day; it’s time to step back and rethink what’s bringing you down. Eliminate the things that sap your energy and bring in changes that give your energy levels a boost.

Top 10 tips to fight fatigue

Get some exercise: When you find your energy levels dropping, you could either reach for a chocolate bar or take a ten-minute walk. Opt for the walk, research shows it elevates your mood and energy levels for longer while a sugar boost will increase your energy initially but cause a drop a while later.

1. Eat a good breakfast: When we wake up, our body needs nourishment as it has been in fasting mode during the night. It is best to eat a high fibre breakfast full of complex carbohydrates and proteins. Include nuts like almonds, walnuts, dates and raisins. Also, try to include a fruit or a fruit milkshake and switch to whole wheat or multi-grain bread.
2. Cut the caffeine: Research has indicated that caffeine can be an energy sapper when taken in excess. Gradually eliminate caffeine from your diet by avoiding coffee and colas and watch your energy levels increase. You can switch to green tea instead of coffee.
3. Watch out for stress: No matter how healthy your lifestyle, if you’re stressed at work or in other areas of your life, you can be sure of your energy dropping. That’s because of the various effects that stress has on your mind and body which in turn leads to fatigue.
4. Get enough sleep: You have to figure out for yourself how much sleep you need on a daily basis, as it varies from one person to the other. But as a rule, get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep at night, take a short nap in the afternoon if your schedule permits and reduce bedtime television watching to enable you to sleep better.
5. Limit drinking: Although everyone says that a few drinks help you sleep better, the fact is that alcohol depresses the nervous system and interferes with sleep leading to poor quality of the sleep. So if you compare notes on the next day after sleeping for the same amount of time, you will feel more refreshed if you haven’t consumed alcohol the previous evening.
6. Shed those kilos: If you are overweight or obese, remember that lugging around all that extra baggage puts a strain on your heart and joints. You will have less stamina and less physical energy to do everything you need to during the day. So set a goal and put on those running shoes to shed the flab – fast.
7. Break away from the routine: If you are a stickler for routine and find yourself doing the same things in the same order day after day for years together, take a vacation. Being in a different place and at ease can give you a better perspective on things. Make resolutions and tackle them one at a time for best results.
8. Open your energy channels: Meditation, positive thinking and enjoying what you do are great personal motivators. Choose whatever works best for you and make it part of your routine. Surround yourself with positive people, sometimes even having negative people around is enough to drain your energy or even bring on a headache.
9. Stock up on water: About seventy percent of our body is made up of water and we need to keep replenishing the supply. So keep a bottle of water handy with you and take a sip whenever you get a chance. Mild dehydration is one of the most common causes of fatigue.