Help! I Feel Tired All the Time

If you feel chronically tired and low on energy, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans feel sluggish and overworked. While you may not be able to control how much is required of you while you’re on the job, many other factors contribute to your fatigue that is within your control.

You might find that combining some or all of the following energy-boosting ideas could make you feel younger and more energetic than you have in years. Dr. Daniel Rieders of Peninsula Integrative Cardiology in San Ramon, California, explains the secrets.

Symptoms of fatigue

You might be surprised by the number of ways being fatigued can affect your health. It’s not just about feeling tired. Many of the symptoms of fatigue include the following:

• Feeling like you could fall asleep right now, no matter the time of day
• Difficulty concentrating or focusing
• Low motivation or energy
• Anxiety, nervousness, or irritability
• Depression 
• Muscle weakness
• Having pain in your shoulders
• Malaise (general discomfort or sense of uneasiness)

As you can see, the effects of fatigue can be far-reaching. Fortunately, there are easy solutions.

How to resolve fatigue

Very often, blood testing or making a few lifestyle changes can easily resolve fatigue. 

At your first appointment for fatigue, we want to do some blood tests. Sometimes, the reasons for your fatigue are due to a nutritional deficiency. Among those nutrients are the following:

• Iron 
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Vitamin B12 (particularly essential for vegans)
• Calcium
• General B vitamins, such as in a B-complex supplement

While you could theoretically take a multivitamin supplement to cover all your bases, it’s better to get your nutrients from food.

Your diet, in general

Whether you do or don’t have a specific deficiency in your blood, most of us can benefit from paying more attention to our diets. Here are a few thoughts to consider:

Sugar

Your sugar intake is a big deal. While you need some sugar to fuel your brain, you only need the amount you would get from fruits and vegetables. The American diet makes it far too easy to overdo it on sugar, especially considering all the processed foods with added sugar.

Caffeine

This one might seem like a Catch-22: How are you supposed to stay awake without caffeine? The more caffeine you consume, the more unhealthy it makes your sleep. If you currently consume a lot of caffeine, you can gradually reduce the amount.

Move your body

Yes, this means you’re going to get nagged again about exercise. But the important thing to know is that once you start moving, you find it easier to keep moving. You just need to get started. 

Most of us lead sedentary lives, such as working at a desk in an office. You can undo some of those effects by intentionally getting up and walking around at least once per hour.

In addition, aim to get 150 minutes of exercise each week, which is only 30 minutes for five days per week. Do any activity that gets you moving your body around, whether you want to jog or play Pickleball. Most people find that regular exercise helps them sleep better at night.

Manage your stress

It’s easy to get stressed out in modern America, often seemingly on several fronts at the same time. This can disrupt your sleep at night and puts your body in an unhealthy state.

One of the best gifts you can give yourself is a stress-proofing program. Many people find that meditation works very well to manage their stress. Other positive habits that can yield similar results include doing yoga or tai chi, writing in a journal, or developing a prayer habit.

If you have tried all these things and still feel tired, you may have an additional health issue that we need to investigate further. Request an appointment online with Dr. Daniel Rieders at Peninsula Integrative Cardiology today.