Constantly Tired? Here Are the 5 Best Ways to Beat Fatigue
Of all the things that can feel like unending misery, constant fatigue is one of them.
Whether you’re young or old, the feeling of tiredness can often come knocking at your door. Coupled with the lack of motivation and endless yawns to do anything, fatigue weighs you down.
Especially when seasons change. Some people tend to feel more fatigue in the winter when it gets darker sooner and colder.
Others tend to feel more fatigued in the autumn when the leaves are losing their bright spark and the cold gradually edging in.
Regardless of your kind of fatigue, there are ways you can beat it. Here are a few things you can do to bring the spark back into your day and get rid of the fatigue feeling.
Sleep
Studies show that when we’re sleep-deprived, critical functions of the brain and body functions are all affected.
“What we know is that, if after you’ve tried to learn a task, and you sleep-deprived individuals, the ability to learn that task is smashed,” says Russell Foster, an expert in the sleep cycles of the brain.
“It’s really hugely attenuated. So sleep and memory consolidation is also very important,” Russell says.
When we are awake for long periods of time, there’s pressure from our body’s internal clock to get some sleep.
And when we don’t get enough sleep or still stay awake, our body tends to get into a self-preservation mode. We become less alert, less able to focus, and groggy. Make sure you get enough hours of sleep.
Examples of cognitive functions that suffer if we don’t get enough sleep include:
- Not able to recall words
- Poor attention span and listening
- Slow reaction time to simple things
- Not able to recognize faces
- Poor decision making
Stretch
Often when we are fatigued, it means there’s poor blood circulation in our bodies. Stretches can be a good way to spark some life into our body as it improves fluid circulation.
According to one study in the Journal of Psychology, fluids in our bodies are distributed differently when we lay down. For the most part, gravity pulls our body fluid toward our head, neck or spine.
When we stretch after long periods of sleep, we redistribute these fluids to get back to their original positions.
Consider the morning after your workout. For the most part, gravity pulls our body fluid toward our head, neck or spine.
Doing simple yoga stretches can help beat fatigue.
Breath
While we all breathe subconsciously all the time, many of us make little effort to deep breathly.
One of the many benefits of deep breathing is that provides a refreshing and often healing effect. And at the same time supports our metabolic process.
Our bodies thrive on the energy from oxygen. We breathe in oxygen that helps our red blood cells. And we breathe out carbon dioxide.
When you breathe in deeply, your diaphragm drops down. This allows your rib cage to expand and create more space for the lungs to inflate.
This process increases the flow of oxygen. And this, in turn, enables us to experience a calmed and relaxed sensations.
If you want to beat fatigue, practice deep breathing. Do it as part of your morning exercise or throughout your day.
You can start with the 4-7-8 Breathing. How?
- Part your lips gently. Exhale deeply, which a whoosh sound.
- Inhale through your nose silently, pressing your lips and counting up to 4.
- Hold your breath and count to 7
- Exhale, counting to 8 and whooshing as you go.
- Start with four reps and work your way up to eight reps.
Related: 5 Easy Yoga Poses for More Energy
Smell
If you stay in a stale or stuffed room for a long time, it’s likely you’re going to get tired.
The longer you stay there, the less likely you can beat fatigue. The smell is an important part of feeling energized and refreshed.
Consider going out for a walk in the park and allow your sense of smell to fully embrace the fresh air around you.
In your office or at home, consider using essential oils as a way of aromatherapy.
For example, you can light scented candles (only do this when you are in the room). Or you can use burning oils. Oils like Rosemary are known to help improve alertness and focus.
Related: Tired Muscles? 12 Best Yoga Stretches to Feel Better
Hydrate
Dehydration is a precursor to fatigue. If you want to beat fatigue, you’ll need to drink up.
Studies show that if you’re not drinking enough water, you’re likely to have poor task concentration and become moody.
Yes, sometimes, you need to take a break or go for a walk or even take a nap. But it could also be because you’re dehydrated.
In one study, researchers from Loughborough University investigated how dehydration impacts driving. Driving is one of the tasks that need a high level of concentration.
They found that the dehydrated participants made major driving errors in a driving simulation. These errors include lane drifting, late braking and poor judgment.
So make sure to drink up a lot of water during the day. Drinking water is a good way to help your body circulate nutrients to the other parts of your body.
