Are you tired?
A patient came in the other day and said she was tired, so I asked her some questions. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you active throughout the day? Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating enough of the right food? In her case, she wasn’t eating enough good food and drinking enough water. She forgot that her body needs fuel, good fuel to help her going all day long. You also need to stay hydrated with enough water, you have to move and get your blood flowing through your muscles and organs, and have had enough sleep the night before to be fully repaired and rested. So here’s a checklist of what you can do.
First, are you getting too little sleep or too much sleep? Too little sleep means your body never has enough time to rest and repair itself, leading to an increase in inflammation, weight gain and fatigue. Too much sleep makes you sluggish, which you might confuse with tiredness, and it can lead to an increase in muscle aches with too much time lying in bed.
Secondly, don’t sit too long without a break. Muscles are meant to move, not laze around all day. There are many health advantages to exercising and increasing your activity level, and having more energy is one of them. Thirdly, fuel yourself with power foods, not empty calories or no calories. Consider your stomach like a furnace; it’s been quiet since last night’s meal with just ashes left in the bottom. Open up the furnace and throw in a log or some charcoal briquettes in the form of proteins and whole grains, and then continue to “feed the furnace” about every 3 hours all day, eating 5 to 6 small meals. This does not include coffee and donuts. This helps keep up your metabolism by burning more calories and maintaining your energy levels, plus drink water in between your meals.
You have no excuse to be tired all the time, but if you are, taking a nap also helps. Being healthy is a multi-faceted proposition and involves tending to a number of elements. You can do it, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask for answers.
Dr. Ben