For many people, fatigue is simply a part of life. They consider it the norm to be perpetually exhausted, coasting through life never fully awake and never achieving that elusive “good night’s sleep”. Are you part of the nearly 50% of Americans who consider themselves too tired to function at work? If so, this article can help. Believe it or not, there are ways to fight fatigue that don’t involve 10 cups of coffee or cutting-edge energy drinks that look questionable and taste even worse! Keep reading for eight surprising ways to kick your chronic fatigue and discover a new lease on life!
1. Adopt Healthy Sleep Habits
Do you go to bed after binging on pizza and ice cream? Or perhaps you fall asleep while scrolling through your Facebook feed. Are work contracts and paperwork strewn all over your bed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re practicing unhealthy sleep habits. Simply climbing into bed and letting your head hit the pillow isn’t enough in your efforts toward achieving a quality night’s sleep and shaking those afternoon slumps. Here are just a few ways you can adopt healthier sleep habits.
Limit Screen Time
It’s true — screen time isn’t just bad for your brain due to hours of scrolling through mindless content — it might actually be hindering your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Why? The blue light emitted by devices like cell phones, tablets, and even television interrupts your brain’s natural ability to release melatonin — the chemical that signals your body it’s time for rest. Try to limit screen time before bed and avoid it all together two hours prior to hitting the rack. Additionally, remove any clocks or other devices from your room that uses this same blue light in its display. You may not realize it, but these powerful blue lights are telling your mind “wake up” when all you really want to do is sleep!
Avoid Certain Food and Drink
We’ve all been there — you’re hankering for a late night snack and grab for the potato chips or ice cream. Or perhaps you don’t feel tired when it comes time for bed and think a glass of wine will help. Wrong, wrong, and wrong! These late night eating habits might be exactly what’s keeping you awake. When you eat foods high in sugar or carbs right before bed, you’re forcing your body and digestive system to work overtime. This not only leads to tossing and turning but could cause gas pains — making sleep impossible! The same goes for alcohol. While the idea that alcohol relaxes you isn’t completely wrong, it can also have the adverse effects by reducing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This often leads to daytime drowsiness.
Create an Oasis
Lastly, creating a relaxing bedroom environment is crucial to achieving quality sleep. Our brains work in fascinating ways, making associations between many things. This means that you need to tell your brain and body that the bedroom is made for sleep and nothing else. Don’t bring work into the bedroom, food, or anything else that doesn’t belong. Invest in comfortable bedding and sheets. You can even splurge on a luxurious set if it means you’ll fall asleep faster. Room darkening shades and a sound machine also make great additions to your restful oasis.
2. Eat Breakfast
It’s not considered the most important meal of the day for nothing. Starting your day with a healthy, wholesome breakfast is the perfect way to prevent a “crash and burn” later. But even more important than eating breakfast is choosing the right foods. Shoveling a donut, pastry, or cookies down your throat before running out the door won’t cut it. Not only are these empty carbs that don’t offer any nutritional value, but they’ll cause a sugar high quickly followed by a crash as your blood sugar levels drop. This is exactly the thing you want to avoid. Instead, opt for a healthy breakfast high in protein. Eggs, a protein shake, oatmeal, yogurt, and whole grains nutritional value plus the protein you need to keep you fuller, longer. This helps curb your appetite throughout the day, leaving you feeling focused and alert.
3. Take a Holistic Approach
If you’re looking for a more holistic approach to sleep, look no further. There are countless natural supplements, teas, and holistic rituals that can help calm your mind and body. When it comes to natural supplements, here are a few of the most popular and effective for battling fatigue:
- Ribose
- Melatonin
- Magnesium
- Carnitine
You can discover more about Kratom here — another popular supplement that offers countless benefits outside of just an energy boost.
Stress is another one of the leading causes of exhaustion in America. Not only can stress take a toll on your body, but your mind as well. Racing thoughts and worry keep thousands of people awake at night. Reducing stress through holistic rituals like meditation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises is growing in popularity. Most likely because it’s a cost-effective and proven way to calm your nerves while relaxing both your mind and body. Try starting and ending your day with a short meditation session. Find a quiet place where you can sit, uninterrupted, for 5-10 minutes. Here, you focus on your breathing and how your entire body is feeling. A body scan helps you identify any areas of tension or stress. Meditation is called a practice for a reason. It takes time and repetition to fully embrace the process and make it work for you. A meditation app, books, or even classes can help put you on the right path toward mental relaxation.
Feeling fatigued is all too common. But don’t let it disrupt your life. You’re not destined to feeling exhausted all the time. Making small adjustments to your lifestyle can help you achieve a better night’s sleep and tackle each day feeling rested and energized!
Article Submitted By Community Writer
