You've fallen asleep on the job yet again. You've yawned your way through the movie that you really wanted to watch. You feel exhausted at the thought of doing any physical activity, even if it's something that you really enjoy. If your fatigue has been lingering in spite of adequate hours of sleep, and your doctor has ruled out any other physical reason for this degree of exhaustion, then it's possible that constant unchecked stress can be the cause of that persistent dragging feeling. Follow the alphabet from A-G to help get control of your energy level the holistic way.
AWARENESS: First things first. Schedule some time with yourself to think about your life and what may be causing this stress. If the answer is obvious and you know where your stress source lies, then you can begin to create strategies to manage those stressful areas of your life. Awareness is the first step to create changes in your lifestyle that will lead to less stress and more energy. For example, if you are aware that you are stressed out from always running late and needing to apologize for your tardiness, begin by deciding to implement steps that work for you to keep you on time or even ahead of time. There are countless strategies to overcome this habit. Choose one or two and begin to work them into your daily routine. Don't try to change too much at once or this will become a new source of stress.
Stress Management
BREATHE: While we do this unconsciously every minute of every day, becoming aware of our breath and slowing down our breathing in a mindful fashion is a great stress reliever. By just focusing on the mechanics of slow, deep inhalations and slow exhalations from diaphragmatic breathing, you increase your oxygen flow to all cells of your body. Do mindful breathing regularly as a form of meditation. As your oxygen increases to your cells, your energy levels will elevate as well.
CAFFEINE: Be aware that reaching for the caffeine fix to increase your energy levels is not the long-term answer. This may lead to sleep disturbances which can create a domino effect. The more caffeine you consume, the quality of your sleep suffers which then leads to fatigue during the day and the perceived need for more caffeine and the cycle continues. If you have been regularly relying on caffeine as an energy booster, consider weaning yourself off this drug as you implement a holistic approach to raising your energy levels.
DIET: Much has been written recently about the effects of food on our energy. Consuming foods that are high in simple carbohydrates and sugars will cause an initial outpouring of insulin and then a subsequent drop in our glucose levels along with a drop in our energy levels as this glucose declines. To gain the upper edge on energy, choose foods with a low glycemic index, fruits and vegetables especially green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes, seeds, and nuts. Do a trial for one week and see if your energy level increases when you trade your highly processed foods, sweets and sugars for real whole foods.
EXERCISE: When you feel tired and drained, the last thing you want to do is expend more energy by exercising. However, this is exactly how you will get more energy, defeat stress and feel better. Moving your body will elevate your endorphins, those 'feel good' chemicals in your body and the effects last longer than your exercise time. So go for a walk, jog around the block, climb the stairs during your lunch hour or do something that increases your heart rate and causes you to sweat. If you are not exercising at all right now, begin with 10 or 15 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. Your goal would be to increase your time to 30-45 minutes 5 times per week. Experts disagree on the ideal amount of weekly physical activity, so just move your body and let the endorphins guide you.
FEELINGS: Suppressed feelings account for a lot of stress-related symptoms including fatigue. Get in tune with your feelings and emotions by journaling about them. When they are expressed in writing, whether it is in a pretty journal, on a notebook with a crayon, or written on a computer program, your emotions have an outlet and you gain insight and clarity by re-reading what you wrote.
GRATITUDE: Gratitude or thankfulness is one of the highest vibrations in the universe. When you are in the state of gratitude, your mind and body are in tune and you feel sheer joy. When you feel gratitude, you focus on what you love and have. By focusing on this joyful state of gratitude, you attract more of what you love and have into your life. Conversely, focus on how miserable you feel and you will bring more misery into your life. To raise your consciousness of gratitude, write a brief list of the 5 things that you are grateful for each night before going to bed. In the morning, read this list first thing upon awakening. Later in the day if you are feeling low, consciously recall this list and watch a smile spread across your face along with a warm glow of energy in your body.
If might sound tempting to begin to implement everything on this list at once. Changing too many things at once is a recipe for more stress, though. Pick one or two strategies to begin now and once they are fully integrated into your lifestyle, choose another to implement. Before you know it, you will be able to breeze through the day, full of energy and vitality, wondering what it ever felt like to feel tired.
Stress Management - How to Stop Feeling Exhausted
Dr. Melissa M. Brown, MD is the founder of Green Light Coaching, with a mission to help women prevent, modify or cure lifestyle illnesses with safe, simple habit changes. To get your free healthy lifestyle report, as well as Dr. Brown's newsletter, The Doctor Is In, visit http://www.greenlightcoaching.com.
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