You hear yourself constantly saying, "I'm tired." You feel overworked, chronically fatigued, harried and stressed. Well, you aren't alone. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tells us that nearly a third of all Americans are sleep deprived. If you have a case of the "yawns", it doesn't mean that you're not getting enough rest. To sort it all out, you have to identify your band of fatigue.
Just Plain Sleepy?
After-Lunch Slumps?
Too Wired to Sleep?
Just Plain Sleepy?
Can't keep your eyes open and your brain is in a fog? Check and see if you're getting seven to nine hours of sleep...that's what most people need according to the National Sleep Foundation. When you deprive your body of rest, particularly after 9 p.m when the sleep inducing hormone melatonin is released, your body switches to a slower survival mode. Your metabolism slows down to conserve energy and you're less alert.
Reset your sleep clock. Going to bed and waking at the same time every day is the best way to get your sleep cycle regulated. It's not enough to get more sleep on the nights you're exhausted. Maintaining a regular sleep pattern will regulate melatonin production and allows your brain to be alert when you need it to be. You'll find that you're less groggy during the day.
Emotionally Spent ?
You may think you're tired, but sometimes you'll sense an overall sense of weariness that's distinct from sleepiness, but still leaves you wiped out. My best guess is "stress". When the stress hormone is released, it interferes with the functioning of relaxing neurotransmitters, leaving you dragging. When you're stress, you're stuck in a "fight or flight" mode that will eventually exhaust your whole body, from your brain to your muscles. You'll feel tied up in knots.
Your first thought is crawling under the covers, but resting doesn't help in this case. A better tactic is to do something fun to counteract your anxiety. Call a friend, go for a walk, or engage in any activity that you enjoy. it will divert your mental focus, which can reverse the influx of stress hormones. You'll begin to feel refreshed as your cortisol level normalizes. When you do get into bed, your serotonin levels will have been restored and you'll sleep more soundly.
Energy Zapped?
When you feel inexplicably drained of vigor despite getting enough sleep, you may be suffering from a form of sleep apnea, in which your airway becomes temporarily blocked while you're sleeping. It leads to pauses between breaths, a disrupted sleep cycle, and less time in a deep sleep.
You may have a more serious condition such as thyroid dysfunction. Women are more likely than men to have thyroid. The thyroid controls everything from metabolism to body temperature, so misfires of the gland have wide-reaching effects, including fatigue.
Another potential trigger of this kind of fatigue is anemia, a deficiency in red blood cells or hemoglobin which affects more than three million people. When the body tissues don't get enough oxygen, you feel light-headed, tired, and drained of energy.
Schedule a checkup with your doctor if you feel bone tired after getting enough sleep and sticking to a decent diet. Many people write off fatigue as a by product of working too much, but it can be a symptom of larger, more serious health issues that can usually be resolved quickly once diagnosed.
After-Lunch Slumps?
Most of us have felt a sudden rush of grogginess after lunch. The body may be dealing with the effects of an oversize, carb-heavy meal. Carbs are more likely than fat or protein to prompt swings in insulin and blood sugar levels, as well as spikes in serotonin.
Make sure your mid-day meal is not too big, and avoids added sugars and simple carbs. Aim to fill your plate with vegetables, lean protein, and a bit of healthy fat.
Stress, coupled with fatigue propels your brain into overdrive. Your mind buzzes with activity, making it nearly impossible to fall asleep.
The best strategy is to distract yourself from the scenes of the day. Concentrate on non-emotional tasks to decrease activity in the brain. Example- count backwards from 300 by threes. Bet that your brain can't focus on anything else. It forces you to stop replaying the day and wind down.
Sleep is important, but it' may be only one element in your fatigue. If your fatigue is recurring, don't overlook it. Take the challenge in address it. It may lead to a longer, happier life.
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