Tips From Lexy: How to Overcome Acute Fatigue

These last few weeks for me have been filled with more stress than I can humanely deal with. It's overwhelming. But like most people, I have stress from home, work, friends, and lots of other things. One of the symptoms of extreme fatigue is being completely drained emotionally and physically. Even if you are getting the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep at night, that simply won't overcome extreme fatigue. Here are some other ways to help you deal with this energy drainer:

• Rule out any illness. Sometimes chronic fatigue can be related to some other underlining illness such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid illness, anemia, and other things. You want to be sure check with your doctor and have some blood work done just to be safe.
• Get up, and Get moving! I know the last thing that you want to do when you feel so tired is get up and exercise. But I promise that when you get your blood pumping all those feel good hormones get to moving too! You will feel better!
• Be centered. YOGA. YOGA. YOGA. Doing daily yoga helps keep my mind and my body at ease. I haven't been doing any lately with my new busy schedule and I can already feel the difference in my body...and it's not a good one! You can buy the yoga app on your tablet or phone for free and gain so many benefits from it. After six weeks of once-a-week yoga classes, volunteers in a British study reported improvements in clear-mindedness, energy, and confidence.
• Drink up! I am sure y'all have heard this time and time again, but you can't drink enough water. Studies have proved that staying hydrated improves energy levels and overall health. Your urine should be pale yellow or even clear. The darker your urine is, the more dehydrated you are.
• Go to bed early. This is the one that I struggle with the most. I use to be a bartender and my hours went into the early mornings usually! So trying to adjust to this new daytime schedule has been difficult. Try and sleep as long as you can during the night. If you do fall short on shut-eye, take a brief afternoon nap. Napping restores wakefulness and promotes performance and learning. A 10-minute nap is usually enough to boost energy. Don’t nap longer than 30 minutes, though, or you may have trouble sleeping that night. A nap followed by a cup of coffee may provide an even bigger energy boost, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
• Go fish. Good for your heart, omega-3 oils may also boost alertness. According to a 2009 study by scientists at Italy’s University of Siena, volunteers who took a fish oil capsule for 21 days demonstrated faster mental reaction times. They also reported feeling more vigorous.
• Shed extra weight. Losing extra weight can provide a powerful energy boost, says Stewart, of Johns Hopkins University. Even small reductions in body fat improve mood, vigor, and quality of life.
• Eat healthy, and more often. Some people may benefit by eating smaller meals more frequently during the day. This may help to steady your blood sugar level. Favor whole grains and other complex carbohydrates. These take longer than refined carbohydrates to digest, preventing fluctuations of blood sugar. If you start eating more often, watch your portion sizes to avoid weight gain.

(webmd.com)