Sometimes, even if you get enough sleep, you will feel tired. Because sleep deprivation isn’t the only thing that makes you feel tired.
The following habits can explain why you feel tired all the time.
- Don’t exercise
Regular exercise improves your metabolism and endurance, and provides oxygen and nutrients to your body’s systems. This will make you feel more alive!
- To drink less
Even if you only lose 2% of your fluid, that alone can have an impact on your energy levels. Not drinking enough water lowers your blood volume and makes your blood more dense. This causes your heart to circulate less efficiently, preventing oxygen and nutrients from reaching your muscles and organs as they normally would. This is sure to make you tired.
- Lack of iron
Iron deficiency can make you feel listless, weak, tired, irritable, and unable to concentrate. This is because less oxygen is delivered to the muscles and cells. Iron deficiency can also put you at risk for anemia, so it’s important to get enough iron. You can boost your iron content by eating more lean beef, beans, tofu, eggs, nuts and peanut butter.
- Being too perfect
Here’s what Irene Levine, a professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, says about perfectionism: “Of course it’s impossible to be perfect because then you have to work harder than necessary. You set goals that are difficult or impossible to achieve, so ultimately there is no satisfaction.” So, Levine suggests setting a time limit for everything you start doing, and sticking to it. After a while, you’ll realize that spending more time in the past won’t necessarily improve your work.
- Irrational fear
Are you afraid of getting on your bike and having an accident, or do you automatically think that when your boss suddenly calls you into his office, you will be fired? Be careful! Fear can paralyze and exhaust you. When you have this thought, take a deep breath and ask yourself how likely it is that the thing you fear will actually happen. Another helpful tip is to talk to a friend about your fears.
Skip breakfast
During sleep, your body burns the food you ate just before bed. In order for your body to continue working properly, it’s important to absorb new energy in the morning. Therefore, normal functioning prevents you from feeling tired. In addition, eating breakfast can jump-start your metabolism.
Eat fast food for a living
Foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates cause your blood sugar levels to spike. These high blood sugar levels can lead to fatigue. So eating right can keep your blood sugar levels stable. Good choices include brown rice, salmon, sweet potatoes and chicken.
- It’s hard to say no
Always busy pleasing others may sacrifice your own energy and happiness. It can also leave you feeling exhausted and angry. So remember, you don’t always have to say “yes” when someone asks you to do something. “Train yourself to say ‘no’ out loud,” advises psychologist Susan Alberts. “Practice when you’re alone in the car. If you hear yourself saying it, it will be easier to use it next time.”
The table is in a mess
A messy desk can easily leave you mentally exhausted. Why is that? It distracts you from processing information. So make sure you clear your desk at the end of the day. Clearing your desk means you’re also clearing your mind, ensuring a positive start to the next day!
- Work on weekends or vacations
Checking email when you should be relaxing, or working late at night, can increase your risk of burnout. It’s important to give yourself a moment of peace. This will keep your mind and body young, and you’ll be more likely to return to work in a fresher and more productive way.
- Drinking too much before bed
A glass of wine before bed may sound like a great way to relax and fall asleep quickly, but it’s not. Alcohol affects the central nervous system and can keep you awake. You’re also more likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
Use your cell phone before bed
The bright light from a phone or tablet suppresses melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Sensitivity to digital devices varies from person to person, but, in general, it’s best not to use technology an hour or two before bed. Get your smartphone out of your bedroom! (Or, at least, keep it out of your bed.)
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