Tired of being tired!

There is nothing worse than constantly feeling tired all day! If this is how you feel, then here are a few tips on how you can help yourself.

Visit your doctor if you haven’t already. They will run a host of blood tests to check your blood sugar levels, thyroid function, blood iron levels and tests for inflammation and infection. If all of these are clear, here are some things you can do:

Eat three meals a day on a regular basis. The most important is breakfast. Skipping breakfast means that you are most likely going 12 hours without food. This is the reason you may wake up feeling sickly. Your blood sugar levels are out of balance. Eat every four to five hours and include protein with each meal, along with carbohydrates that release energy slowly like whole oats, wholemeal bread and brown rice and wholemeal pasta. This will keep you fuller for longer and avoid the afternoon tiredness.

Eat good, wholesome food. Avoid processed foods where possible. Aim for two portions of seasonal fruit and five portions of vegetables daily. Eat a rainbow plate of food with a good protein source, such as fish, egg or chicken and include some good red meat once a week for the iron and zinc content. Or beans and pulses and quinoa if you are a vegetarian.

Make sure you have enough vitamin B in your diet. This is the spark plug vitamin for many enzyme reactions for energy metabolism. Good sources are chicken, fish, beef, most vegetables, brewers yeast, chickpeas and lentils. Or, consider taking a supplement such as Berocca or its equivalent, for a couple of weeks to boost your levels.

A course of probiotic supplements will also help your own gut flora to manufacture vitamin B. If you have recently taken a course of antibiotics this is a very good idea. Take for at least three months.

Keep hydrated and drink eight glasses of water daily and cut back on caffeine and energy drinks.

Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep and rest. At least seven to eight hours. The time between 10 pm and 1 am is the most beneficial for your health. Your bedroom must be completely dark, so turn off all the power sources before sleeping. If possible have your bedroom window open slightly to let air circulate in your room. Turn off your TV 30-minutes before sleeping to let your brain slow down and relax. Hot chocolate sounds old fashioned but the calcium in the milk and the magnesium in the good, quality cocoa will help you to relax.

If stress is keeping you awake look at other ways to help you to relax rather than using alcohol and food. Think about using exercise, yoga and meditation, or just listening to uplifting music to calm your mind.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

Share this article with a friend
Show comments
Image

Find the right nutritionist for you

All nutrition professionals are verified

All nutrition professionals are verified