5 Habits That Leave You Feeling Tired

Do you always feel tired or fatigued even if you shouldn’t?

There are a variety of reasons to feel a lack of energy and while an underlying illness can be the culprit, most of the time, it all goes down to lifestyle factors.

The good news is there are ways to avoid this unexplained tiredness and it all begins by knowing what may be causing them.

Lack of exercise

Living a less active lifestyle is one of the easiest ways to lose energy.

One study showed that engaging in regular, low-intensity exercise can boost the energy levels of sedentary people and effectively decrease their fatigue in the process.

This makes sense considering how exercise can help improve circulation.  When every part of your body is moving, energy will more likely be produced.

Your workouts don’t even have to be high-intensity.  Moderate or low-intensity workouts should be more than enough as long as they’re performed consistently.

Diet 

The food we eat can also affect our energy levels especially if you’re into high sugar foods.

Sweets like soft drinks and cakes aren’t great for energy levels because they tend to create what is called a “post sugar slump.”

Sugars and highly processed carbohydrates require more energy to break down.  This becomes even worse when you consume them in large amounts.

The point is when it comes to food, quality and quantity matters. The food we eat can either be the reason or the solution for unexplained fatigue.

Alcohol Consumption

Drinking alcohol puts the liver to work which requires more energy and nutrients to process.  Imagine how the liver needs to work overtime if you go binge drinking night in and night out.

Another reason why alcohol can affect your energy levels is that it can compromise and disrupt sleep.

You have to keep in mind that the restorative quality of your sleep is what makes you feel rested when you’re awake.

Alcohol consumption can reduce the restorative quality of our sleep which can leave us feeling fatigued throughout the day.

It’s also worth noting that high alcohol consumption during night time can make us visit the toilet several times, effectively disrupting our sleep cycle as well.

Sleep Habits 

Speaking of the sleep cycle, our sleep habits also play a role in how tired we feel during the day.  

The quantity and the quality of our sleep depend on our sleep habits which is why it’s crucial to have very good sleep hygiene.

Try to develop a routine so that you’ll wake up at the same time every day even on weekends.  

Avoiding caffeine and nicotine before sleeping will also help given that both are considered stimulants which will keep you up for hours.

Lastly, try to sleep only when you feel sleepy instead of spending so much time awake in bed doing nothing.

The point is to create an atmosphere that will make you sleep like a baby because your energy the next day depends on it.

Keep your gadgets away 

Some of us believe that playing with our phones and tablets can help us sleep faster but the truth is, their effect is totally the opposite.

While the effects may be different for each individual, the bright light coming from these devices’ screens can cause increased alertness, making you stay up longer than you should.

Studies have also shown that bright laptop and tablet screens can affect the production of the hormone melatonin which makes us go to sleep.

All of this being said, it’s best to put these gadgets away where you can’t reach them if you want to sleep faster and longer.

Final Thoughts

If low energy and a lack of sleep are keeping you from being productive during the day, it’s probably time to make the necessary changes to some of your lifestyle choices.

Because sometimes, a change in routine and habits is all it takes to get your energy back and avoid that fatigued feeling.