Date PostedMarch 24, 2014

Lifestyle Changes to Boost Energy and Fight Fatigue

Sometimes despite getting enough sleep some people still suffer from unexplained fatigue. According to experts most of these cases of “unexplained” tiredness are due to stress, a poor diet, disturbed sleep or other lifestyle factors which if addressed can be overcome to restore a person’s energy levels and fight fatigue.

  1. Adjust your eating habits

During the day, instead of snacking on high sugar, high fat foods, consider these energy-sustained snacks:

  • wholegrain cereal with reduced-fat milk
  • fruit
  • salad with grilled chicken
  • hard-boiled egg sandwich on wholemeal bread
  • low-fat yoghurt
  • wholemeal toast

Its’ best to eat small meals and snack throughout the day to avoid tiredness.  A healthy eating plan should form part of every person’s daily routine, especially people to whom fatigue can be dangerous, such as long distance truck drivers.

Remember in order to keep up energy levels throughout the day, it is important to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.

  1. Exercise Regularly

In addition to getting exercise along the course of the journey by stopping and stretching your legs, regular exercise even when you’re not on the road is important to staving off fatigue.

In fact even when you feel too tired to exercise, regular exercise makes you feel less tired and you will ultimately benefit from the increase in endorphins and energy promoted by regular exercise.

If you can’t manage strenuous activity at first, even a brisk 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a short walk and gradually build up over time. Within a few months you will be fitter and much more energised if you keep it up. Your ultimate goal should be to work up to two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

  1. Lose weight

If you are overweight, dropping a few kilograms is an important step to gaining energy. According to doctors, carrying excessive weight can be tiring to the body by putting additional strain on your heart. It is often exhausting carrying around extra weight. Losing weight will help you feel more energetic. Obviously the best way of losing weight is to eat more healthily and exercise more.

If you are eating healthy and exercising but still putting on weight, you should seek professional attention.

  1. Get More Sleep or Better Quality Sleep

Experts say most people are over worked and don’t get enough sleep, which is vital to alertness during the day. It is important to get to work on time and get up at the same time every day in order to feel well rested. To help you fall asleep have a hot bath before bed and avoid caffeine or heavy meals. Disrupted sleeping patterns often suffered by people who switch to night shift or those under stress can cause tiredness during the day also making a person less alert and at risk of a crash if they are a long distance driver.

  1. Take the necessary steps to boost energy

Reducing the amount of stress you are under can boost your energy however this is easier said than done unfortunately. Stress causes us to lose a lot of energy so we should try to control it as much as possible. Try to reduce your stress by taking regular breaks and resting, listening to some relaxing music, getting a massage now and then and spending time doing what you love. Things that relax you will help boost your energy levels. Maintaining balance in your life is absolutely necessary.

If you are under pressure at work or some stress caused by personal circumstances, speaking to a therapist or undergoing therapy may help.

  1. Limit your Caffeine Intake

Although in the short term caffeine may seem like a good idea to fight tiredness and fatigue, in the long run, this could be counter-productive.  Gradually wean yourself off caffeinated drinks, particularly high caffeine ones like coffee and soft drinks. Try not to rely on caffeine to keep you awake during the day because this means you aren’t dealing with the problem, just covering it up with caffeine. Caffeine is also bad for your health, so by cutting down you will improve your health in the long run.

  1. Moderate your Alcohol Intake

You may find that a glass of wine before bed helps you sleep better but experts say you actually sleep less deeply when you drink alcohol. Less restorative, deep sleep means you will feel more tired the next day even if you’re getting more hours of sleep. Try cutting down on the alcohol before bed which will help you get a better night’s sleep. Also don’t exceed the daily recommended amount of alcohol for men and women. Men shouldn’t drink more than 3 units a day and women should drink 2 or less daily.

  1. Increase your Water Consumption

It sounds like a cliché but you really should drink 8 glasses or more of water a day because if you become dehydrated you will feel fatigued. You will become dehydrated on hotter days but even on a normal day your body is losing water which needs to be replenished in order to avoid that fatigued feeling.

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