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- Hey, Muchies, how are you doing today?
Sleepy, are you always tired, a lot of you are.
I know because a lot of you comment
or send me emails asking, why am I always tired?
Well, it's hard to say without knowing you, of course.
But I did some research, and it turns out
a lot of fatigue and tiredness is relevant
to lifestyle, health, and nutrition.
So I figured out it would fit right in on this channel.
Let's talk about the most obvious
reasons you might be tired.
Sleep-related causes, such as
you're not getting enough sleep.
We live in a stressful time, we're busy, we can't slow down.
And if something has to get cut out
of our schedule it likely will be our sleep.
Sleep needs vary by the individual,
but it's recommended that most adults get
at least seven hours or more per night for optimal health.
When we don't get enough sleep our brain
and body doesn't have the rest it needs
to function and feel refreshed.
And over time that accumulates sleep debt.
Now, we actually can make up for missed hours
and reverse short-term effects of sleep deprivation.
But that's only for recent sleep debt,
over the past few months to a year.
It's not forgotten over long periods of time.
And chronic sleep deprivation does have severe consequences.
The next is poor sleep quality.
It's not just the amount of sleep hours,
but how restful that time in bed is.
The most common environmental disturbances
that disrupt sleep are blue light from screens, TV,
computer, and phones, ambient noise, temperatures
being too warm or too cold, an uncomfortable mattress,
and restless pets or kids sharing your bed.
It is normal to sleep badly sometimes,
even in phases of days or weeks.
Next is sleeping at the wrong times.
So, napping a lot during the day or staying awake
throughout the night can both lead to fatigue.
Yes, napping can help you catch up
on sleep debt, but if it's a part
of your regular schedule it can be damaging.
Sleeping at night is best when possible
because daytime sleep disrupts your body's circadian rhythm,
which is affected by light and darkness throughout the day.
The next reasons you might be tired are diet related causes.
A healthy and balanced diet can make
a huge difference in your fatigue.
First, sugar and refined carbs.
Too much and blood sugar is going to spike,
and crash, and leave you tired.
Less processed carbohydrates
and sugar will mean more energy.
Too few calories, without enough fuel
your metabolism is slowing down trying
to conserve energy, so you end up feeling tired.
Calories are your body's energy for the movement
and basic functions like breathing.
If you aren't getting enough energy
into the body it has nothing to run off of.
Vitamin deficiencies, vitamins and minerals
are essential micronutrients because your body needs them
to perform important functions.
If we're deficient in things like iron and B vitamins,
which are especially important for energy
that can contribute to fatigue.
Not eating enough protein, protein boosts
the metabolic rate more than carbohydrates or fat.
So getting sufficient protein from high-quality sources
can help with your energy levels.
Trying to include protein at ever meal can help.
Dehydration, many studies have shown
that even mild dehydration can lead to lower energy levels,
poor concentration, and reduced alertness.
We know from last week's episode that 75% of Americans
are chronically dehydrated, and most don't realize it.
Check out that video for some tips
on how to drink more water.
Caffeine, things like caffeine, sugar,
energy drinks, amino acids, they all provide
immediate energy boosts that last a few hours.
But after that boost many people become sleepy.
So, then, some people have caffeine
in the afternoon, even if it's a small amount.
But that can also disrupt sleep
and lead to lower energy levels
the next day, so it's a nasty cycle.
Cutting back on caffeine could be worth it
if you're dependent on it for energy.
Food allergies or sensitivities.
These can cause fatigue and low energy levels.
And it's often an overlooked symptom.
But it can be a warning sign
of a food intolerance or allergy.
Leaky gut, you've probably heard of leaky gut by now.
It's when your digestive tract is damaged
and small holes develop in the gut lining.
The inflammation that can be caused
by leaky gut can lead to tiredness and fatigue.
So healing your gut could help with you being tired too.
Also, FYI, I do have a free course
on inflammation, teaching you what it is,
and how to develop your own anti-inflammatory diet.
The link is in the description box.
Following up on diet, we've got
some lifestyle related causes of fatigue.
The first is a sedentary lifestyle.
It sounds backwards, but being inactive can
actually make you feel more fatigue with less energy.
Even a little bit of physical activity
can give you an energy boost.
Regular exercise is of course recommended and great,
but even just a little bit could help with your fatigue.
The other is high stress levels.
Many studies link excessive and chronic stress to fatigue.
Remember, a little bit of stress is normal,
but too much can make you tired.
And if it's prolonged it can lead to physical
and emotional exhaustion, and of course,
affect your overall quality of sleep.
If you're stressed don't avoid dealing with it
because it's only going to make you more tired.
Try to manage it if you can.
Mind-body practices like yoga and meditation
have shown to help relieve stress.
So, if you reduce your stress you'll reduce your fatigue.
Okay, those are the lifestyle related causes,
but there are still more reasons you could be tired,
like mental health related causes.
Anxiety or emotional stress, both of these deplete
your energy levels and leave you fatigued.
They can also lead to sleep disorders.
Depression, common symptoms of depression
are trouble falling asleep, waking up
during the night, or trouble waking up
in the morning, sleeping too much, et cetera.
But untreated depression can also
lead to feeling tired or fatigued.
Then, poor sleep worsens the symptoms of depression,
so it's another tough cycle to break.
If you are dealing with depression
it's likely contributing negatively to your sleep.
And if you suspect that you might need help
I definitely encourage you to reach out
because it's only going to get harder to get through
if you are chronically tired and stuck in that cycle.
(bright instrumental music)
There is also seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.
Some people experience depressive symptoms and fatigue due
to low light exposure during shorter winter days.
If you notice you feel more tired and sad, specifically
during the winter months, this could be affecting you.
And it might be worth looking into.
There are also other physical health conditions
where fatigue is a key symptom.
So if nothing on the list above is resonating,
probably, something is because none of us are perfect,
and could all probably at least tighten up our diet
and lifestyles a little bit as a starting point.
But it's worth noting that other physical conditions
like hormone imbalances, adrenal fatigue,
hypothyroidism, hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease,
fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, pregnancy,
et cetera have fatigue as a key symptom.
Again, I don't think most people need to jump
to those health conditions as the reasons they're tired.
I think we should go down the list of sleep, diet,
lifestyle, and mental health related causes first.
But just be aware and open to listening
to what your body has to say.
I hope you have found these lists helpful,
and that you can start narrowing in
on what might be contributing to your fatigue.
Also, just know that you are powerful.
You have so much to say in how your body functions
based on those lifestyle, diet, and mental health choices.
We, of course, can't always control
what conditions and limitations we're forced
to deal with in our bodies and environments.
But we have a lot of choices we can make
that positively influence our health,
and of course, our sleep quality as well.
Thanks so much for being here today, I appreciate you.
I hope you have an energized rest of your day.
And I will see you tomorrow for our brand new episode.
And, remember, it's all a matter of Mind Over Munch.