23 Apr Why Are You Feeling So Damn Tired and How Can You Liven up?
It really is a very good question and one that I will endeavor to answer so you can get to the bottom of your tiredness once and for all – spoiler alert; it is not all about bedtime routines!
On my daily commute to London, it seems that half the passengers sleep, whilst the other half are hard at work. I find it troubling to see people sleeping on the morning commute, as they must have only been up a few hours if that! And for those who are working, are they heading for burnout?
I must admit I wrote half of my book, Feeding Good Habits, on my daily commute. I found it enlivening because I am so passionate about nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset, however on the way home it was futile, there was very little drive or motivation after a full day at work, although I never slept and still don’t.
Not enough restful sleep
The first thing we must ask ourselves is if we are getting enough restful sleep and then work backwards. It is all well and good spending hours in bed, but if the sleep is not restful it will not feel great at all. To start with it is advisable to figure out what an optimal amount of sleep is for you; one size does not fit all.
To find this out go to bed when you are tired and sleep until you wake up naturally – no alarm. Try this for a few days and then assess how many hours you got on average. Don’t be tempted to hit snooze or doze off for another hour, get yourself up when you wake up naturally. Most sleep cycles run for 90 minutes, but they can vary from person to person. Personally, I need around 7 ¼ to – 7 ½ hours, any less and I’m still tired, any more and I feel groggy.
Set a bedtime alarm
Once you have determined your optimum sleep needs, set an alarm for bedtime, rather than for the morning. Should you naturally need eight hours of sleep and you need to be up by 6ish, you must get yourself into bed by 10, that way you should wake up refreshed before your alarm.
If you are worried you won’t wake up naturally of course you can set an alarm, but definitely not the sort that really ‘alarms’ you out of a peaceful sleep. Anything that dings, buzzes or rings is not good, instead think trickling water, tweeting birds, and gentle piano music. Basically, choose sounds that float softly into your head and wake you gently from sleep. You are likely to be on the edge of wakefulness if not awake already if you have slept well.
Be aware of the treadmill
So once you have figured out your morning and evening routines you need to work on the other areas of your day that could be affecting your sleep, because there are many.
Life is pretty full these days, there are jobs to be done, books to be balanced, family to take care of, decisions to be made, friends to stay in touch with, and a myriad of things vying for our attention every second of every day, we barely get a minute to think and often go to bed with a busy head or a troubled mind.
Include into that mix our brain-stimulating devices, tense dramas or films and the daily news – these all create anxiety and disturb our peace – nhealthy midnight snacks and the inability to wind down properly after our day are all factors.
You always have a choice
The busyness of life takes its toll on all of us at times and can leave us feeling stuck in an endless cycle of nonfulfillment, we can become resentful, frustrated, and angry even, and we may not know we have a choice, but we do. If you feel like this then ask yourself ‘What are my options here?” “How can I find time for myself?’
When we put all of our energy into our jobs, our families, our friends, we often find there is nothing left for us. We need to carve out time in our busy schedules to fill our own spiritual needs, be creative, be in nature or follow a hobby, all of which can energise us and leave us feeling happier and more satisfied with life – therefore we sleep better because we are more at peace.
Unplugging the blockage
If we don’t find time for ourselves and our passions, our energy is often taken in the wrong direction or is trapped; we can become spent and blocked thus creating fatigue that is hard to overcome.
Emotional trauma can have the exact same effect so needs to be dealt with through self-help books, counselling or deep reflection. Also, a gratitude practice done morning and night can help us to focus on the good things in life rather than the problems as we drift off and wake up. We all have lots to be thankful for, even on a seemingly bad day.
Eat well to sleep well
As a naturopathic nutritionist, I believe good nutrition is the cornerstone for most things, including a good night’s sleep. When you think about it, if your eating habits are not great, your sleep won’t be either which will lead you into a vicious cycle, when you feel tired you reach for the ‘so-called’ instant energy snacks and then you sleep badly again.
Try to cut down on sugar – yeah I know the age-old story, but it works – eat more fruit and vegetables, more wholegrain, and less ultra-processed foods. Foods like bananas, oats, and lean meat work, plus anything with high magnesium levels, leafy greens for instance – include some of these in your evening meal.
Don’t over-stimulate!
Over-stimulating with caffeine and alcohol can be used in an effort to replace the energy we lack, but this is never the answer. Stimulants are exactly that, they stimulate the brain, and even though we may feel we have had a good night’s sleep after a few glasses of wine, we rarely have.
The same goes for caffeine. If you find you can barely function without that first cuppa, the addiction is affecting your life and your sleep patterns by giving you fake energy. Try to avoid drinking too late in the day as it can keep your brain active even if you think you have had plenty of hours in the sack.
Take a revitalising nap
As I’ve already said, our lives are usually hectic and we are very often over-stimulated by food and drink, adverts, news, to-do lists, work, and a demanding family. Having a nap means we can shut down for a short while and give our brains a well-needed break. Twenty minutes is enough, any longer and you will end up feeling groggy.
I have a friend who makes it his Bright Line Rule to have a power nap every afternoon, he swears by it. I too succumb to a nap when I’m flagging and in the sun is even better. I can tell you now, much greater people than you and I have sworn by them, they are pure magic.
Make time to wind down
Before bed try to find time to include a wind-down sequence that gets you prepared for sleep. Have a relaxing bath, get into your PJs, make a night-time tea, rub some lavender oil onto your wrists, crack open a window, and then take a good book to bed with you.
We can’t go from full speed to stop without taking a bit of time to get there, if you don’t have any wind-down time you will find that you struggle to get to sleep to start with and that is never good.
Sleep is imperative for our physical and mental health so is well worth investing some time in.
Feed Good Habits
Kathy Mac
xx
Kathy Mac – author of Feeding Good Habits – 12 weeks to rewire your mind, reset your habits and renew your relationship with food for improved health and sustained weight loss.