Beating Fatigue
6 simple steps to help you fight fatigue and get your energy back— backed by science.
Whether it's burnout, sleep deficit, or causes unknown— feeling lethargic can have a major negative impact on our quality of life. Through research (and experience), the depths of sleep in neuroscience are condensed into this guide, providing you with 6 simple steps to help fight fatigue and get your energy back.
I’m sure we’ve all heard of the harmful effects that pulling an all-nighter can have on our health. Pulling three in one week? Borderline detrimental. However, despite the hazardous risks that skipping sleep may inflict on our overall wellness, I am here with you all today, confessing [not proudly] that this harmful habit was approaching routine for me during my time in undergrad as an engineering student. Whether it was due to poor time management, a hungry social heart, or the powerful ambiance of a dark, silent study session at 3 AM, I have endured my fair share of The Fatigue Hangover. So, how did I survive the day after with minimal [noticeable] effects? I’ve listed my 6 most effective hacks for fighting fatigue and how to implement them.
**Note: By the time I entered my senior year of college, I had gotten my priorities in check and tended to my time management (resulting in higher test scores and a much better mood, overall). The “routine” mentioned above is by no means healthy, and getting a healthy amount of sleep should be taken very seriously. However, this is a guide for those not-so-healthy nights that can creep up into our schedules every now and then– where sleep just isn’t an option and for those that want to get their energy back. Try these tips for a little pep in your step.
Incorporate more protein in your diet.
I started working out again after having not for a while, so my body was in shock and became exhausted. By adding more protein, my muscles (including brain) were able to repair and build on themselves more efficiently— without exerting excess physical/ mental strain. The results on my energy levels were noticeably positive. I’m not saying you have to chow down on steaks at dinner, but finding sources of protein to incorporate into your diet every day is essential to your brain’s functionality and body's ability to fight off fatigue. If your diet is lacking this important nutritional asset, check out the link below to find some healthy protein options fit for your lifestyle.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/choosing-healthy-protein.htm
Eat a Breakfast of Champions.
When you wake up, your body has gone [ideally] 7-8 hours with no food or water. Because of this, it is fairly weak and most likely fiending for a source of energy to aid in efficiently starting your morning. If you’re usually eating high-sugar foods, processed foods, or meat, try substituting these with something lighter on your digestive system, such as avocados and dark, leafy greens. Make a smoothie with some protein to get a jumpstart on your day! Everyone’s body is different, but I’ve learned that my brain functions best when I avoid foods that are heavily packed with carbohydrates on the mornings that I wake up feeling lethargic.
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/morning-fatigue#7.-Spinach
Hydration is key.
Drinking enough water is essential to our brain health and ensuring our bodily functions are operating optimally. Not to dish TMI on you, but it’s likely that when you wake up in the morning, your urine is a darkish yellow. Although this is common, it’s actually a sign that your body is dehydrated. As a rule of thumb, drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Additionally, heavily hydrate approximately 2.5 hours before bedtime to ensure a healthy, uninterrupted sleep without the morning parchment. Mayo Clinic recommends the following daily fluid intake amounts:
For men: about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters)
For women: About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters).
https://www.ucihealth.org/blog/2016/03/what-color-is-your-urine
Increase daily physical activity.
It seems counterproductive; however, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day (at a high intensity) can drastically increase your sleep quality and has been proven to improve brain functionality, mood, and mental health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/
Tend to your stress levels.
When you’re stressed, the brain tires more easily as it’s exerting excess energy to break through the blockages that inhibit “happy” chemicals to release. Not only do you reap major benefits from this chemicals, but by not having them at your leisure, you’re already at a defective state in your energy levels. So, your brain’s extra energy exertion actually puts your alertness and physical activity in a negative position. Therefore, stress has a huge impact on your daily energy levels.
Everyone has their personal degrees of stress, and it’s not always easy to simply remove these; however, by practicing simple stress-reducing techniques daily, the effects of your stress factors can be drastically reduced— if not completely removed. The following are some ways to reduce stress levels:
Yoga
Practicing gratitude
Journaling
Saying affirmations
Practicing presence and meditation
Cleaning your living and workspace
Stretching and deep breathing
Practicing intuitive dietary habits
Staying hydrated
Keeping up with your personal hygiene
https://www.tuw.edu/health/how-stress-affects-the-brain/
Sleep 7-8 hours (or close to it).
We’ve all heard this one, and that’s because it really does work. REM sleep is vital for mental recovery and proper brain functionality. This type of sleep occurs later in the sleep cycle, and to acquire the needed amount of this form of rest, 7-8 hours of fairly interrupted sleep is necessary. For the nights that this just isn’t the cards, naps may be the solution. If you’re looking for a power nap, try setting your alarm for 20 minutes (plus approximately 7 minutes to fall asleep, on average). If you have more time, try not to surpass 2 hours, as you may wake up in deep sleep feeling even more groggy than before.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/what-is-healthy-sleep