Fight Your Fatigue
Update from Amy Jan 17, 2017: I wrote this post when my philosophy on wellness was… different. I now live by a gentler, more balanced approach to overall health. Some of the language in this article has been edited to align more closely with my philosophies now, but please know that this article is not reflective of my current views on health and wellness. xo AmyI see people struggling with fatigue every day, especially those of us with depression or other mood disorders. For many of us, it seems like an uphill battle- you just never get enough sleep. Because of this, your level of cognitive functioning is not at its best, your normal work day feels like it takes a tremendous amount of effort, and you may be isolating yourself from friends and loved ones because you're just too tired to give them any more of you.This is a symptom for most depressed people that is often treated with prescription drugs or is simply accepted as something you have to deal with. Well I say FIGHT! There is no reason to let this win over you! Though it seems daunting and maybe even overwhelming, taking the steps to overcome this burden will give you more confidence and energy to face daily life as your best self again. You are stronger than you think- show yourself. Are you in? Good! So let's DO this! I'll go over a few ways that helped (and still help) me feel less tired all the time. Hopefully they can help you too.
Move more
You had to know that I was going to give you this step- this is a fitness-based blog after all! This was the major factor in my healing process. As I started to move more and do things that I love to do, I got rid of a lot of the anxiety and stress that was keeping me from getting quality sleep. Aim to do 30 minutes of moderate to intense activity 5 days a week. If you go with lighter activity, try for 45 minutes 5 days a week. (2017 update: This is far too intense for most people. If this is overwhelming, start with just 15 minutes of walking outside, 5 days a week) If you want some ideas of fun activities to get you excited for your workouts again, read Re-Fun Your Workout!
Get more sleep (or less)
When you don't get quality sleep, your brain and body will definitely be affected. The same thing can happen when you regularly get too much sleep- the mind gets foggy and your ability to process information may become hindered. The goal is to find the right amount of sleep for you, so here are the standards for the amount of sleep one should be getting: If you are getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night, aim to get at least 7, or add a 25-minute nap during the day (preferably before 4 pm, as anything after that may screw up your sleeping patterns at night). If you are getting more than 10 hours of sleep per night, try scaling it back a bit and see how you do with less. If you need tips for getting more quality sleep, read this. Now, everyone is different when it comes down to one's personal requirements for sleep. I recommend you play around with between 7 and 9 hours- this seems to work best for me and most people that I know. If you feel better with more or less, throw away the advice above and go with that! This is all about finding your fit!
Eat whole, natural foods
This is one step that is usually overlooked and underestimated by most people, but it is one of the most important steps to living a more energetic and clear-headed life! In my experience, when I switched my diet from refined, processed foods to a lifestyle that emphasizes whole, natural foods, my mood and energy shifted dramatically. I have seen this happen with my personal training clients and friends, and more and more medical research is pointing to the correlation between a whole-food diet and the improvement of mood and energy. The problem with eating a diet that isn't rich in whole, natural foods is that your body will likely be missing out on some vitamins and nutrients that processed foods and limited diets don't provide. Without necessary B vitamins, for example, your brain will have trouble producing certain chemicals that affect your mood and brain functioning (one of the main symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency is fatigue). Make sure that you have a balanced diet that offers a lot of variety in order to get all your essential nutrients from natural sources!2017 update: I still eat a diet of mostly whole foods, but I found that restricting myself from "bad" foods actually made me obsess over them. To read a current take on my diet philosophy, click here.
Talk it out
I'm a big advocate of therapy- I think it can help everybody, no matter what stage of life you're in or how happy you are. Talking to an un-biased professional to get perspective on any situation can offer you priceless tools to help you cope with anything that life throws your way. By going through cognitive therapy in my most depressed years, I learned how to replace negative thoughts with ones that would better serve me, which gradually implemented a more positive attitude in me. One of the two most popular prescriptions for those with chronic fatigue or depression symptoms is therapy (the other being medication). Even if you're a little wierded out by it, I strongly urge you to go see someone just to talk it out, whatever "it" may be. I regularly see a therapist now just to get an outside view on my situation, even though I'm not currently feeling down. Give it a try and be surprised at how much it can help with easing stress and understanding what may be causing your fatigue. You can find a licensed therapist in your area by talking to your primary care physician and getting a referral, or you can search here.
The Challenge
I CHALLENGE ALL THOSE OUT THERE THAT JUST WANT TO STAY IN BED ALL DAY: try these steps for the next couple of weeks (all of them for best results), and let me know in the comments how you feel! Even if you only feel sluggish sometimes, these tips can help boost your energy and help you think more clearly! I challenge you to feel better every day.If you don't suffer from fatigue, but know someone that does, please pass this on to them. You may help someone overcome what feels like a towering obstacle that stands in their way of feeling whole again.