We seem to hugely underestimate our energy expenditure. So, I thought it might be useful to start by reminding you ladies about some of the many things on which we spend a great amount of energy: moving, breathing, eating, sleeping, exercising, digesting food, absorbing nutrients, creating hormones, regulating various bodily functions, fighting off disease, etc, etc, etc!
So, whether we consider our lifestyles to be very busy, quasi busy, or not busy at all. We really should be paying more attention to restoring those energy levels. Get started by pondering these 6 questions below.
WHEN DID YOU LAST GO FOR A FULL CHECK-UP?
Often feel fatigued? Start by checking your iron and thyroid levels, B12, vitamin D, and blood sugar levels.
An imbalance in any of these bodily functions is possibly why you’ve been feeling low on energy. Use of supplements to correct any deficiencies is recommended.
WATCHING YOUR DIET?
If your blood tests show no abnormalities, take a closer look at your diet, and consider the following:
Does it include foods rich in vitamin B such as fatty acids and protein from lean meat like chicken, fish, salmon, and nuts?
Are you supplementing a vegan diet with B12?
Is there enough fiber in your diet to stabilize your blood sugar levels?
Consuming too many simple carbs and white sugar leads to an energy crash.
Are your meals too big?
Are you including enough antioxidant-rich foods to help support detoxification like dark leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables?
Have you been consuming too much alcohol or caffeine?
If you’re not pleased with how you’ve responded to the questions above, rest assured that there are plenty of ways to tweak your eating habits to help improve energy levels.
SLEEPING WELL?
Are you getting around 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily?
Deep sleep is when the body renews and repairs itself. Without high-quality sleep, we start our day on a low fuel tank which compromises all our bodily functions including immunity.
Make sure to fill up your tank by sleeping well!
DRINKING ENOUGH WATER?
Water, a main component of the bloodstream, carries nutrients to our cells and removes waste from the body. When the body is low on fluids, we immediately feel tired.
There is no standard water consumption amount for everyone. Drink more water on days of exercise and sweat, and less water on days of rest.
Remember to monitor your daily intake and to listen to your body when it tries to signal thirst!
ARE YOU MOVING REGULARLY ENOUGH?
“Laziness brings laziness” (Al Kasal Beygeeb Kasal) – Ever noticed how lethargic you end up feeling when you spend all day sleeping or lazing around?
Movement can help improve blood flow and circulation. It can therefore leave you feeling energized. When we move and exercise, the body starts to release endorphins: one of the happiness hormones!
Improve your energy levels and your mood throughout the day by exercising in the morning.
FEELING STRESSED OR EMOTIONALLY DRAINED?
Stress leads to chronic fatigue and sleep disruption which may result in decreased energy levels.
Just as we work hard on improving our physical appearance, we need to also work on maintaining our mental and emotional well-being.
We’ll never be full of energy or productive if we’re feeling stressed and anxious.
Remember also that it really does help to reach out to friends, family, and therapists. Engage in activities that motivate and inspire you. Don’t underestimate the impact of stress on your energy levels.
I hope this article has helped you ladies highlight some factors that can contribute to fatigue. It is common for more than one problem to surface at the same time given the intertwined nature of our bodies: stress affects sleep, which affects movement and exercise. This means that when one area is out of sync, it then becomes quite likely for imbalances to occur within other areas as well.
As always, I cannot stress enough the importance of addressing the core issues in order to gradually rebalance the body and improve your overall wellbeing and energy levels.
Look to the core, always!!
