Feeling Tired Through the Day?
As we get older, we tire more easily. We lose mitochondria (energy engines in the cells) and produce less ATP (the energy molecule). Medication, depression, chronic diseases, and lifestyle choices can also hinder our energy. Here are a few activities that zap you of energy.
Inactivity
We tend to start losing muscle mass more quickly after the age of 35. Having less muscle means fewer mitochondria and less ATP. Inactivity compounds the problem by weakening and shrinking muscles and causing them to use energy inefficiently.
Whatever movement you can do will help strengthen muscles. Take a walk, take stairs instead of the elevator, or park farther away in the parking lot.
Stress
Stress can increase cortisol levels. Cortisol reduces ATP and increases inflammation (which also reduces ATP). Reduce stress by doing yoga, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises.
A Poor Diet
Your body needs vitamins and minerals to produce enough ATP. Eating processed food can increase inflammation, reducing ATP. If you’re not eating enough, you’re not giving your body what it needs to function. If you’re eating too much at once, you may spike your blood sugar levels, which leads to fatigue.
Eat whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins like fish, chicken, nuts, and seeds. The fatty acids in protein-rich foods also help boost ATP. And aim for smaller meals with snacks in between to provide your body with a steady supply of nutrients and fewer blood sugar spikes.
Too Little Sleep
A lack of sleep increases cortisol and also promotes inflammation. If sleep issues are caused by sleep apnea, the dips in blood oxygen levels lower ATP and energy.
Check out my blog article for tips on improving sleep hygiene.
Poor Fluid Choices
Drinking sugary sodas can cause blood sugar spikes followed by a drop that causes fatigue. Being dehydrated can also make you feel tired, as can drinking too much alcohol or caffeinated drinks near bedtime (alcohol interrupts sleep in the middle of the night). Healthy people need six to eight cups of fluid per day, and more if they're exercising. Avoid soda and stop drinking caffeine or alcohol within six to eight hours of bed.
Social isolation
Being isolated — not seeing others on a regular basis — is associated with depression, and depression is linked to fatigue. Resolve to get together with others at least once per week. It can be friends, family, neighbors, or even new acquaintances.
A Few Reasons Why Sleep is Important
Have you heard people brag about pulling all-nighters? They’ll say things like “I only need five hours of sleep a night” or “I’ll sleep when I’m dead?” Well, I’m here to tell you that your body needs sleep! Did you know that driving while sleep-deprived can be just as bad as driving while intoxicated?
There are so many benefits to sleep, but I’m just going to give you five of them for now.
You Will Look Better
Isn’t that enough of a reason to get 7-9 hours of sleep, on average? Who wants to walk around with big puffy circles under their eyes every day?
Sleep has a Major Impact on Weight Loss and Maintenance
There are two regulatory hormones in our bodies that sleep deprivation impacts, Ghrelin and Leptin. Ghrelin tells your body when to eat. If you don’t get enough sleep, this hormone increases. Leptin tells you when to stop eating. If you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels decrease.
So imagine that you’re running on 3 hours of sleep, you’ve got ghrelin telling you it’s time to eat all day, and leptin is slacking off, so you’re eating way too much. If you consistently don’t get enough sleep every night, this habit will start to show in your waistline and on the scale!
Getting enough sleep will help you eat the right amount of food. And, eating the right types and amounts of food can also help you sleep better at night.
You Will Think More Clearly
When you’re tired, your brain will not function as it should. If you’re not a morning person and you force yourself to take morning classes, I’m sure you will feel it. If you’re tired in the afternoon, and you’re trying to think, your brain won’t work as well.
You’re More Pleasant to Be Around
Quite frankly, you’re much more pleasant to be around when you’re well-rested. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re just going to be tired and irritable.
Life Sucks When You’re Tired
I don’t know how else to say it. There will be days when you’re more tired than usual, but you don’t want “tired” to be your average running pace through life.
If you are having trouble sleeping, here are five tips to help you sleep better tonight:
1. Meditate or perform deep-breathing exercises before bed. It will clear your head and calm down your whole system.
2. Stop drinking caffeine after Noon. Caffeine blocks your “sleep receptors,” and keeps your brain whirling all night long, so kick that afternoon coffee habit to sleep peacefully.
3. Do not watch TV in bed. Sleep experts say that it’s hard to get to sleep if your television is flashing lights in your face just before bedtime, especially if you’re watching violent or intense programs.
4. Sleep at temperatures between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts say that this is the best temperature range to get the deepest sleep.
5. Buy the best bed you can afford. A good mattress makes all the difference!
If you want to learn more and kickstart your sleep habits, join my free 5-day Sleep Better Challenge. The challenge begins on June 14, 2021. You can learn more at https://www.ntlrx.com/5day-sleep-better-challenge.
