Do you feel physically and
mentally drained everyday? Here are some common bad habits that could be
literally draining your energy!
Skipping exercise when you are tired –
This actually works against you. By taking regular exercise it will improve the
working efficiency of your heart, lungs, and muscles. There have been many
studies proving that physical activity boosts energy levels. A Study at the University of Georgia, showed that healthy adults who
took light exercise for three days a week for just 20 minutes at a time
reported feeling less tired and felt more energized after six weeks.
You don’t drink enough water –
Dehydration zaps energy and effects physical performance, it has also been
shown to decrease alertness and concentration. Amy Goodson, RD, a dietitian for
Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine says “being even slightly
dehydrated, as little as 2% of normal fluid loss, takes a toll on energy
levels”. To calculate how much fluid needs, take your weight in
pounds, divide in half and drink that number of ounces of fluid a day, Goodson
recommends.
Another way to know if
you’re drinking enough water is urine should be pale yellow or straw colored,
if it’s darker than that, you should drink more water.
Iron Deficiency –
A lack of iron will leave you feeling lethargic, irritable, weak and unable to
concentrate. You will feel tired because your body doesn’t have enough red
blood cells to carry oxygen all they way round it. To prevent iron deficiency
eat lots of lean beef, kidney beans, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, eggs
(including the yolk) and peanut butter. If you eat them with foods high in
vitamin C (vitamin C improves iron absorption when eaten together) says
Goodson. Please remember an iron deficiency could be caused by an underlying
health problem, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should visit
your doctor.
You skip breakfast –
You eat to fuel your body! Even when you are sleeping your body is working,
burning the food you have eaten that night. When you wake up in the morning you
need to refuel with breakfast. It will stop you from feeling lethargic! Goodson
says“eating breakfast is like starting a fire in your body by kick
starting your metabolism,”. Goodson recommends a breakfast that
includes whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Great breakfasts such as
oatmeal with protein powder and a dab of peanut butter. A smoothie made with
fruit, protein powder, low-fat milk and almond butter. Eggs with two slices of
whole-wheat toast and low-fat Greek yogurt.
Striving to be perfect —
Irene S. Levine, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the New York University School
of Medicine says that “you set goals that are so unrealistic that they are difficult or
impossible to achieve and in the end, there is no sense of self-satisfaction.” Levine
recommends that you set a time limit for you to spend on your projects and make
sure you stick to it. You will realize that the extra time you were taking
wasn’t actually improving your work.
You make mountains out of molehills –
When your boss calls you into the office do you go into a panic assuming that
you’re going to get fired? Are you too afraid to try things in fear of not
being able to do it? If you do, then you are guilty of “catastrophizing,”
basically always expecting the worst. When you get thoughts like this take a
deep breath and ask yourself how likely it is that the worst really will
happen. Getting outdoors, meditating, exercising, or sharing your concerns with
a friend may help you better cope and become more realistic, says Levine.
People Pleasing
This
often comes at your own expense. If you find yourself agreeing to things and
then finding yourself stressing to meet the deadlines then don’t do it! Train
yourself to say ‘no’ out loud, suggests Susan Albers, a licensed clinical
psychologist with Cleveland Clinic and author of Eat.Q.: Unlock the Weight-Loss
Power of Emotional Intelligence. “Try it alone in your car,” she
says. “Hearing yourself say the word aloud makes it easier to say it
when the next opportunity calls for it.”
You live on junk food –
You know fast food restaurants are loaded with sugar and simple carbs. Its the
processed foods that give blood sugar spikes followed by sharp drops that cause
fatigue over the course of the day, says Goodson. You can keep blood sugar
steady by having a lean protein along with a whole grain at every meal, says
Goodson. Good choices include chicken (baked, not fried) and brown rice, salmon
and sweet potato, or salad with chicken and fruit.
You have a messy office –
A cluttered desk = a cluttered mind. It stops you from focusing and limits your
brain’s ability to process information, according to a Princeton University
study. “At the end of each day, make sure your work and personal items
are organized and put away,”suggests Lombardo. “It will help you have a positive start to your day the next
morning.” If you feel that your work area needs to be
re-organized, start with what you can see then move through your desk, cabinets
etc.
You work through vacation –
Stop! You need to relax and recharge your batteries! “Checking your email when you
should be relaxing by the pool puts you at risk of burnout”, says
Lombardo. By giving yourself time off and allowing yourself to truly unwind
gives your mind and body a chance to recharge and you are able to return to
work stronger. “When you truly take breaks, you will be more creative, productive
and effective when you return,” says Lombardo.
You have a glass of wine (or two) before bed – “Alcohol initially depresses the central nervous system, producing
a sedative effect”, says Allen Towfigh, MD, medical director of New
York Neurology & Sleep Medicine, P.C., in New York City. “But it ultimately sabotages
sleep maintenance.” So while you may have a deep sleep for the
first few hours, it is likely that you will wake in the middle of the night due
to a surge in the adrenaline system. Dr. Towfigh recommends stopping all
alcohol three to four hours before bedtime.
You check e-mails at bedtime –
The bright light of your smartphone, tablet or computer screen can mess with
your sleep and wake cycles. It has been recommended that you turn off all
technology at least 1 or 2 hours before bedtime. Dr Towfigh says, “if you can’t avoid checking your device before your head hits the
pillow? Then hold it at least 14 inches away from your face to reduce the risk
of sleep interference”.
Caffeine hits to get through the day –
Studies have proven that there is nothing wrong with having up to three cups of
coffee a day. But it stops there! If you drink too much caffeine it can
seriously interfere with your sleep cycle. Dr. Towfigh says “caffeine blocks adenosine, the byproduct of active cells that
drives you to sleep as it accumulates”. If you stop drinking
coffee by mid-afternoon you could improve your sleep cycle, just remember to
stop drinking caffeine around 6 hours before bedtime.
You stay up late on weekends –
Sleeping in at the weekend can interfere with your sleep cycle the rest of the
week. Go out and enjoy your weekend but try and wake up close to your everyday
time the following morning and then have a power nap later on. Dr. Towfigh says“napping for 20 minutes or so allows the body to recharge without
entering the deeper stages of sleep, which can cause you to wake up more
tired.”
Take the time and think
about the next few weeks, make the changes to your lifestyle and let us know
how you are feeling.
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