Why am I so tired all the time?

Apparently, one in three of us these days complains feeling constantly worn out.
But don't panic: in many cases there are simple ways to give our bodies and minds a wake-up call!

In our present, hectic world, it is quite a common problem: feeling tired most of the time. And of course we look for a scapegoat, such as our long working hours, and the stress and hustle and bustle of everyday life.... leaving us little or no time for some rest or relaxation. Instead of having a proper breakfast or lunch, we often just have a snack on the go in between appointments; and dinner often ends up in a take-away, processed or high-calorie foods.And we do have all these good intentions of going to the gym, or a regular exercise class, but for some reason, they seem impossible to meet.

Well, reading the above, you won't find it surprising that so many of us end up feeling tired and run down and as though we never have enough time to get everything done. Somebody described the feeling as follows: "It's like being on a train platform, when the train is just leaving. You try to catch it, and you keep on running, but you don't succeed to jump aboard. I feel like I'm constantly running to catch the train and somehow, it's always leaving without me".

But instead of just accepting this exhausting state of affairs, it may be worth taking a step back an examining your diet, lifestyle and working commitments to see how you could improve things for yourself.

When you wake up feeling drained, your cells are struggling to produce the energy needed to sustain your body and mind. In this state, we are more susceptible to colds and other winter bugs that make us feel even worse. Even if we avoid falling ill, we feel so exhausted that even the smallest task can seem overwhelming. Our ability to cope with stress vanished; problems that we would normally solve with relative ease, now seem impossible. A feeling of helplessness and sadness sets in. And as any psychiatrist will tell you, one of the warning signs of depression is chronic, debilitating fatigue.

Of course, stress can be a force of positive energy; for example anticipating a new challenge of looking forward to a change in routine. But it is the negative stresses, such as an overwhelming to-do-list, endless obligations, constant worry, bad news, bereavement or the break-up of a relationship that leave us drained. Achieving balances stress is difficult.

Everyone sets themselves goals they'd like to achieve. There is nothing wrong with this: they give us a sense of purpose and, when reached, great feelings of achievement too. But sometimes we expect too much of ourselves. By doing this, we're less likely to achieve what we feel we should and are more likely to feel frustrated, irritable and tired as a result.

A lack of iron

There are medical explanations for tiredness too, the most common being iron-deficiency anaemia. A befriended dietician, says: "One in 10 women is anaemic in the premenopausal age range and one in three has low iron stores. Iron deficiency is the stage before anaemia, when sufferers can expect to feel vert tired because they don't produce enough haemoglobin (the red blood cells, which carry oxygen). If you suspect iron deficiency, don't hesitate to consult your doctor. With a simple blood test he can check your blood count and iron stores and prescribe a supplement if necessary. You should never self-precribe iron tablets; always seek your doctor's advice first. " A poor diet, heavy periods or an underlying medical condition such as internal bleeding or coelia disease can cause anaemia. Intolerance to gluten, an upset stomach or loose bowels can interfere with your body's ability to absorb iron from food, resulting in a deficiency. If you are tired all the time or losing weight and don't feel well, consult your doctor."

It is important that you make sure your diet contains enough iron; those most at risk of a diet low in iron are those who are slimming or cut out foods such as red meat. Good sources of iron include wholemeal bread, breakfast cereals, red meat and green leafy vegetables.
Tea (and coffee, to a lesser extent) can affect iron absorption; if you drink it with a meal, the tannin in tea binds together the iron in our food so your body cannot use it. Therefore, you really should'nt drink tea in the hour before or after a meal.
Vitamin C, on the other hand, boosts iron absorption. Drinking a glass of orange juice at breakfast or eating fruit after a meal helps your body to make the most of any iron consumed. A glass of wine may also help.

Eating the wrong foods

Apart from iron, there are other vitamins and minerals that can have an effect on your energy levels. Magnesium is needed to help your body release the energy in food and B vitamins are important for unlocking this energy. One in seven women has sub-optimal levels of magnesium, which means they are at risk of a deficiency. In fact, women are more likely to suffer such deficiencies.

You can always contact your GP and ask for blood tests to find out if you have any deficiencies and, if so, which.
But it is of utmost importance to grab control over your body and mind again and become aware of your lifestyle.

more about minerals, food and vitamins in our next issues!

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Add a comment