Your fatigue might be a symptom of a much deeper issue!
By Carolyn Mein and M. Najjar — Written on Jul 02, 2018
Experiencing constant fatigue because stress is impacting your energy levels can be exhausting! Your emotions might feel like they're out of control, your anxiety feels like it's getting worse, and you simply don't feel good anymore.
High cortisol levels — aka stress — affect more aspects of your life and happiness than you realize, which is why learning how to boost your energy levels naturally can help. It's possible to improve your health and happiness through diet, exercise, self care, and eating healthy foods.
You don't have to be constantly exhausted — and better yet, the "fix" for this is easy!
It seems like it doesn’t matter if you go to bed at 7:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m.; you know in the morning you’re going to be exhausted and that feeling is likely to stay with you most of the day. Some days you feel like you’re a perpetual zombie, and you’ve probably wondered more than once, “Why am I always so tired?”
Going through your day with these “weights” on you can make concentrating, working, relaxing, and of course, sleeping very difficult.
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If getting out of bed in the morning one of the biggest struggles you face in the day, then there's hope! You don't have to settle for being exhausted and drinking cup after cup of coffee, tea, or even grabbing energy drinks, sugary snacks, or sodas in a desperate attempt to boost your energy levels and overcome exhaustion.
According to YourTango Expert Dr. Carolyn Mein, a chiropractic physician, fatigue is one of the most common complaints that people have, and it’s also one of the most frustrating ones. Not having the energy level you need to make it through your day is difficult, especially if you’re trying to juggle work, kids, pets, your social life, or any other big “need” area.
So just how can you stop this sluggishness and learn how to increase your energy levels naturally?
One of the ways you can address these issues is by removing stress from your body, says Dr. Mein, because stress plays a larger part in your fatigue than you might realize.
Here are 4 ways to reduce your physical symptoms of stress and fatigue naturally, so you can stop feeling so exhausted all the time:
1. Get more sleep.
Taking the stress from your shoulders can be a freeing experience. And physically, there’s a lot that you can focus on to decrease these areas. Monitoring your sleep levels is an important part of stress relief. If you’re going to be at a reasonable hour — but then spending two hours playing on your phone — you’re not reaching the quality of rest that you need, which will definitely make itself known the following day.
Eliminate screens from your bedroom, make it as dark as possible, and use white noise if you need to, but make sure that you’re consistently getting enough sleep and the quality is also good.
2. Fit in some exercise daily.
Getting a good amount of exercise on a daily basis, even if it’s just minor cardio or a quick walk around the office at lunch, can help reduce stress and sluggishness. Exercise naturally boosts your endorphins and energy level, so a 15-minute walk might actually do more for you than a 30-minute nap.
Plus, those endorphins will also make sure to combat your cortisol levels and keep them in check naturally, so that you feel empowered, calm, and healthier to boot!
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3. Eat food that's good for you.
Food is our body’s fuel, and it’s insanely important that we understand what we’re putting into it. It’s easy to reach for a sugary snack when we’re feeling fatigued or depressed, but it’s important to understand your body type and what kind of food would be beneficial for you instead of eating your emotions ... along with the break room doughnuts.
But how do you know what you should be eating instead of sweets or bad-for-you snacks? Finding out your ideal body type can help you reduce your stress and fatigue levels by finding a diet best suited for you.
4. Let go of anger.
Anger is an emotion we all experience from time to time, but when we internalize our rage, it can lead to lasting long-term effects, says Dr. Mein. Finding helpful ways to release that anger is not only good for you, it can actually improve your health. Holding on to anger can have some nasty side-effects, and being fatigued due to the raised cortisol levels is certainly a contributing factor.
Try using essential oils at your pressure points to help calm and soothe you, and learn breathing or meditation techniques to help you eliminate the stored anger in your body.
You can’t stop yourself from being tired when life gets crazy, but no one should to be exhausted all the time. With a little effort and know-how, you can learn to mitigate the worst of your stress symptoms, improve your energy levels naturally, and get rid of the constant fatigue that’s been plaguing you!
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Dr. Carolyn L. Mein is a chiropractic physician with an active practice in Rancho Santa Fe, CA who developed the 25-body type system as a way to help her patients attain and maintain their ideal weight and energy levels by eating the foods that best support their bodies. She is the author of “Different Bodies, Different Diets.” To learn more about the 25-body type system and determine your body type, go to Bodytype.com.