Tired? Lacking energy? Without drive? That could be the reason!

Posted: May 23, 2024

Do you sometimes ask yourself: "Why am I so tired?"

Do you have the feeling that no matter how much you sleep, you are still exhausted? Do you lack the energy for the day and regularly find yourself in an afternoon slump after lunch?

Then you should urgently take action and replenish your energy stores!

 

➤ People who are tired often drink coffee!

 

Coffee helps to get rid of tiredness in the short term. However, it is not a long-term solution. Instead, look for the cause of your tiredness. 

The first thing you might hear is: "Just get more sleep!"

Of course, a good night's sleep is important in order to have enough energy for the day. But there is much more to it than just getting a good night's sleep. If you constantly find it difficult to maintain your energy levels, there are other factors at play that are draining your energy.

Possible reasons for your lack of energy

  • Thyroid disease: Thyroid diseases occur in a wide variety of forms and trigger symptoms such as fatigue, moodiness, impaired work performance and more. Causes include hormonal imbalances, food intolerances or exposure to toxins. 
  • Adrenal insufficiency and chronic fatigue syndrome: Here too, the disease is caused by hormonal imbalances. For example, the adrenal glands release the energy-regulating hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Symptoms include tiredness, problems falling asleep and staying asleep, difficulty concentrating and more. 
  • Emotional stress: Self-doubt and the desire for calm and stress can have a direct impact on your energy levels, especially if the stress brings you to the brink of an anxiety disorder, sleep disorder or depression. 
  • Poor sleep: There are many reasons for poor sleep. These include stress, an unbalanced diet, hormonal fluctuations or staying up too late. Studies show that a lack of sleep has a negative impact on our mood, cognitive performance and motor skills.
  • Disturbances in blood sugar levels: If you consume a lot of added sugar and carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels can get really messed up. You experience a brief sugar high and then a low. As a result, you often feel tired, have cravings and your mood resembles April weather. 
  • Poor eating habits: Almost everything is linked to our diet, including our energy levels. Our diet has a direct impact on our hormonal balance, sleep cycle, mood and motivation. Many people no longer eat a balanced diet out of habit or convenience, which has far-reaching consequences for us. With a simple change in diet and the consumption of energy-boosting foods, you can recharge your batteries for the long term.

Our top 4 recommendations for you to replenish your energy stores!

1. change your diet:

Change your habits and avoid excessive sugar, hydrogenated fats and industrially processed foods. Instead, opt for healthy fats, proteins and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, such as the ketogenic diet or the alkaline diet.

2. fill up on energy nutrients:

  • Magnesium: Our body cells need magnesium to produce energy. A deficiency leads to tiredness and weakness. Magnesium ensures an increased ability to concentrate, restful sleep and reduces stress symptoms.
  • B vitamins: Together, the eight water-soluble B vitamins ensure that the cells are supplied with energy and important nutrients. This is because they play a key role in converting food into energy. The B vitamins also strengthen stress resistance and the ability to concentrate.

3. Adaptogens - your energy kick:

Adaptogens are natural foods that give your body energy and improve cortisol levels.

  • Ashwagandha: helps the body to reduce stress, ensures restful sleep and more energy, strengthens the immune system and has an anti-inflammatory effect. 
  • Rhodiola Rosea: reduces symptoms of stress, tiredness and fatigue. It also stimulates the memory and promotes mental and athletic performance.
  • Cordyceps: the mushroom gives strength and increases energy levels. It also helps to cope with stress and combats fatigue.

4. Become active:

Exercise gets our metabolism going. Especially if we lead a sedentary lifestyle, we should make sure we get enough exercise. You can do sport indoors just as well as outdoors. 

Experts generally agree that physically active people are less susceptible to illness than those who do not exercise. The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of sport per week in addition to everyday exercise.

Studies show that regular exercise and therefore good stamina and fitness can reduce the risk of heart attack by almost 50% in people with a hereditary predisposition!

Another study shows that sport can prevent various types of cancer. For example, the risk of bowel cancer is 20-30% lower in people who exercise than in people who do not exercise.

 

➤ Just 20-30 minutes of daily exercise makes a difference to your health!

Conclusion

Constant tiredness and exhaustion should not be a permanent condition. If you make sure you get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and exercise (e.g. aerobics or walks), you have already taken a first step. Make sure you get enough nutrients and use the power of adaptogens to maintain your energy levels.

 

Sources (in English):

Allen, L. V. Jr. (2013, January-February). Adrenal fatigue, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, 17(1):39-44 

Puetz, T. W., Flowers, S. S. & O'Connor, P. J. (2008). A randomized controlled trial of the effect of aerobic exercise training on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 77(3):167-74, doi: 10.1159/000116610

Boyle, N. B., Lawton, C. & Dye, L. (2017, April). The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(5), doi: 10.3390/nu9050429