10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy

10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy

How to get rid of constant fatigue and loss of energy? What are the ways to restore energy? What foods should I add to the diet? How much should I sleep and drink water? Are energy drinks harmful? 10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy.

A constant feeling of fatigue is extremely common. In fact, about a third of healthy adolescents, adults, and the elderly report drowsiness or fatigue. Fatigue is a common symptom of a number of pathological conditions and serious diseases, but in most cases, it is caused by simple lifestyle factors. Fortunately, they are often easy to fix.

1. Eating too many refined carbohydrates. 10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy.

Carbohydrates can be a fast source of energy. When you eat them, the body breaks them down into sugar, which can be used as fuel. However, eating too many refined carbohydrates can actually make you feel tired throughout the day.

Consumed sugar and processed carbohydrates cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. This gives a signal to the pancreas to produce a large amount of insulin to remove sugar from the blood and enter the cells. Such a spike in blood sugar levels – and its subsequent drop makes you feel exhausted. Wanting to get fast energy, you instinctively reach for the next portion of refined carbohydrates, which can lead to a vicious circle.

Fortunately, some products can help to cope with fatigue. To keep your energy supply steady, replace sugar and refined carbohydrates with natural and organic foods rich in fiber, such as vegetables and legumes.

meal
Meal. Photo from pixabay

Conclusion: Eating refined carbohydrates can lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels, which can make you feel tired. Instead, choose natural and organic products that have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels.

2. Sedentary lifestyle

Inactivity can be the cause of your low energy. But many people say that they are too tired to train.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by daily excessive, unexplained fatigue. People suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, as a rule, have a low level of strength and endurance, limiting their ability to work. Physical exercise can reduce the level of fatigue. Moreover, even a minimal increase in physical activity is useful. To increase the energy reserve, replace sedentary modes of operation with active ones. Walk short distances on foot, avoiding transport.

Conclusion: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to fatigue in healthy people, as well as those with chronic fatigue syndrome and other health problems. A more active lifestyle can help increase your energy supply.

3. Lack of sleep

Lack of sleep is one of the most obvious causes of fatigue. Your body performs many functions during sleep, including the preservation of memory and the production of hormones that regulate metabolism and energy supply. After a full sleep, you usually wake up with a feeling of freshness, vigor, and energy. The main thing is that sleep should be calm and continuous so that the brain can go through all five stages of each sleep cycle.

In addition, in order to get a good night’s sleep, it is necessary to observe a constant sleep regime, which will also help prevent fatigue. You need to go to bed at the same time on weekdays and on weekends. It is possible to note less fatigue and less difficulty falling asleep than those who went to bed later and slept fewer hours on weekends.

Full-sleep
Full-sleep. Photo from pixabay

Physical activity during the day can help to have a more restorative sleep at night.

To improve the quantity and quality of your sleep, go to bed at about the same time every evening, relax before going to bed, and be as active as possible during the day. However, if you have difficulty falling asleep or sleeping, and you suspect that you may have a sleep disorder. Talk to your doctor so that he can evaluate the quality of your sleep from a professional point of view.

Conclusion: Inadequate or poor-quality sleep is a common cause of fatigue. A few hours of uninterrupted sleep allows your body and brain to gain strength, allowing you to feel energetic all day.

4. Sensitivity to food products

Food sensitivity or intolerance usually causes symptoms such as a rash, digestive problems, runny nose, or headaches. But fatigue is another frequently observed symptom. The quality of life of people suffering from food sensitivity may be more affected by fatigue. Intolerance to such foods is common: gluten, dairy products, eggs, soy, and corn.

If you suspect that certain foods may cause you fatigue. Consider visiting an allergist or nutritionist who will conduct a study of your sensitivity to food or select a diet to identify problem foods.

Conclusion: Food intolerance can cause fatigue or reduce energy reserve. An elimination diet can help identify foods to which you have a sensitivity.

calorie intake
Calorie intake. Photo from pixabay

5. Insufficient calorie intake

Consuming too few calories can cause a feeling of extreme fatigue. Calories are the units of energy contained in food. Your body uses calories to move and nourish processes such as breathing and maintaining a constant body temperature. When you consume too few calories, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy, which can lead to fatigue.

Your body can function with a certain number of calories, depending on weight, height, age, and other factors. Most people need at least 1,200 calories a day to prevent their metabolism from slowing down.

In addition, it is difficult to meet the need for vitamins and minerals by consuming too few calories. A lack of vitamin D, iron, and other important nutrients can also lead to fatigue. To maintain the energy reserve, you need to avoid a sharp reduction in the number of calories, even if you are trying to lose weight.

Conclusion: Your body requires a minimum number of calories to perform daily functions. Consuming too few calories can lead to fatigue and make it more difficult to meet nutritional needs.

6. Sleeping at the wrong time

In addition to poor sleep, sleeping at the wrong time can reduce your energy. Sleep in the daytime instead of at night disrupts the daily biorhythm of the body, which implies changes that occur under the influence of light and darkness during a 24-hour cycle. When sleep does not coincide with the daily biorhythm, chronic fatigue can develop.

This is a common problem among people who work shifts or at night work. Sleep experts have estimated that 2-5% of all shift workers suffer from a sleep disorder characterized by increased drowsiness or interrupted sleep for one month or more. Moreover, even staying awake for one or two nights can lead to fatigue.

Adjust sleep
Adjust sleep. Photo from pixabay

If you work shifts, there are strategies for adjusting your biological clock that will help improve your energy supply. People working on a shift schedule had less fatigue and a better mood after exposure to bright light pulses, wearing sunglasses outside, and sleeping in complete darkness. The use of glasses that block ultraviolet radiation can also help people working on shifts.

Conclusion: Daytime sleep can disrupt the natural biorhythm of your body and lead to fatigue. Try to sleep at night or adjust your biological clock.

7. Lack of protein. 10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy.

Eating an insufficient amount of protein can be the cause of your fatigue. It has been proven that eating protein increases the metabolic rate more than carbohydrates or fats. It can contribute to weight loss, as well as help prevent fatigue.

Protein-rich food, as a rule, leads to less fatigue in weightlifters and people performing strength exercises.

Fatigue can be reduced with the help of certain amino acids, which are the building material for proteins, known as branched-chain amino acids. To maintain a healthy metabolism and prevent fatigue, aim to consume high-quality sources of protein during each meal.

Conclusion: Eating enough protein is important for maintaining metabolism and preventing fatigue. Include a good source of protein in every meal.

8. Insufficient replenishment of fluid loss

Absorbing enough liquid is essential to maintain a good supply of energy. Many biochemical reactions that occur in your body every day lead to the loss of water, which needs to be replenished.

Dehydration occurs when you do not drink enough liquid to replenish the water excreted in urine, feces, sweat, and breath. Even slight dehydration can lead to a decrease in the energy reserve and reduce the ability to concentrate attention.

In one study, men who exercise on a treadmill and lose 1% of their body weight in fluid reported that they are less tired when they perform the same exercise, maintaining sufficient fluid content in the body.

You may have heard that it is necessary to drink 8 glasses of water a day, you may need more or less, depending on weight, age, gender, and degree of activity.

The basic principle is to drink enough water to maintain a normal level of saturation of the body with water.

Conclusion: Even moderate dehydration can reduce the energy reserve and concentration of attention. Make sure that you drink enough fluids to make up for the fluid lost during the day.

a drink made of flowers
A drink made of flowers. Photo from pixabay

9. Dependence on energy drinks. 10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy.

Now there are many drinks that promise to quickly replenish your energy supply.

Popular energy drinks, as a rule, contain caffeine, sugar, amino acids such as taurine, large doses of B vitamins, and herbs.

Such drinks can really provide a temporary boost of energy, thanks to the high content of caffeine and sugar.

Unfortunately, such energy drinks are also likely to lead to a return of fatigue when the effect of caffeine and sugar ends. Energy drinks increase concentration and improve mood for several hours after their use, the next day there is often excessive daytime sleepiness.

However, even drinking small doses of caffeinated drinks in the afternoon can prevent you from falling asleep and lead to a decrease in your energy reserve the next day. To break this vicious circle, try to reduce and gradually wean yourself off energy drinks. In addition, it is necessary to limit the use of coffee and other beverages containing caffeine in the early morning, especially on an empty stomach.

Conclusion: Energy drinks contain caffeine and other ingredients that can provide a temporary surge of energy, but often lead to recurrent fatigue.

10. High level of stress

Chronic stress can have a huge impact on the energy supply and quality of life. Although a little stress is the norm, a number of studies have linked excessive stress levels to fatigue. In addition, your reaction to stress can affect how tired you feel.

Our withdrawal from the struggle with stress leads to the greatest degree of fatigue. Although you may not be able to avoid stressful situations, developing stress management methods can help you prevent feeling completely exhausted. Yoga and meditation can help relieve stress. Engaging in such or similar psychophysical practices can eventually help you feel more energetic and better cope with stress.

relaxation
Relaxation. Photo from pixabay

Conclusion: Excessive stress can lead to fatigue and reduce the quality of life. Practicing techniques to relieve stress can help increase your energy reserve.

The main conclusion. 10 causes of fatigue and ways to restore energy.

There are many possible causes of chronic fatigue. It is very important to exclude health problems first of all since the disease is often accompanied by fatigue.

However, excessive fatigue may be related to what you eat and drink, how active you are, or how you cope with stress. Fortunately, by making a few changes to your lifestyle, you can significantly increase your energy supply and overall quality of life.