Do you sometimes ask yourself: "Why am I so tired?"

Do you have the feeling that no matter how much you sleep, you're still exhausted? Do you lack the energy for the day and are you regularly in the afternoon low after lunch?

Then you should urgently do something and replenish your energy reserves!

➤ If you are tired, you often drink coffee!

Coffee helps to get rid of tiredness in the short term. In the long run, however, it is not a solution. Instead, try to find the cause of your tiredness.

The first thing you might hear is: "Why don't you sleep more?"

Of course, good sleep is important to have enough energy for the day. But there is much more to it than just sleeping well and getting plenty of sleep. If you constantly find it difficult to maintain your energy level, there are other factors that can rob you of energy.

Possible reasons for your lack of energy

• Thyroid gland disease: Thyroid gland disorders occur in many different forms and trigger symptoms such as fatigue, moodiness, impaired work performance and more. Causes include hormonal imbalances, food intolerances or exposure to toxins.
• Adrenal weakness and chronic fatigue syndrome: Here too, the disease is caused by hormonal imbalances. For example, the adrenal glands release the energy-regulating hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Symptoms include fatigue, problems falling asleep and sleeping through the night, concentration problems and more.
• Emotional stress: Self-doubt and the desire for rest and stress can have a direct effect on your energy level, especially if the stress brings you to the edge of an anxiety disorder, sleep disorder or depression.
• Poor sleep: There are many reasons for poor sleep. These include stress, an unbalanced diet, hormonal fluctuations or staying up too late. Studies show that lack of sleep has a negative effect on our mood, cognitive performance and motor skills.
• Blood sugar level disorders: Consuming a lot of added sugar and carbohydrates can make your blood sugar level go haywire. You get into a temporary high in sugar and then into a hole. As a result, you often feel tired, have ravenous hunger pangs and your mood resembles April weather.
• Bad eating habits: Almost everything is related to our diet, including our energy levels. Our diet has a direct effect on our hormone balance, sleep cycle, mood and motivation. Many people no longer eat a balanced diet out of habit or convenience, which has far-reaching consequences for us. With a simple change of diet and the consumption of energy-promoting foods, you can regain long-term energy.

➤ You don't forget to fill up your car with energy - so why do you do this for yourself?

Our top 4 recommendations for you to replenish your energy reserves!

1) Change your diet:

Change your habits and avoid excessive sugar, hydrogenated fats and industrially processed foods. Instead, resort to healthy fats, proteins and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, such as with the ketogenic or alkaline diet.

2) Stock up on energy nutrients:

• Magnesium: Our body cells need magnesium to produce energy. A deficiency leads to tiredness and weakness. Magnesium ensures increased concentration, restful sleep and reduces stress symptoms.
• B vitamins: The eight water-soluble B vitamins together ensure that the cells are supplied with energy and important nutrients. This is because they play a key role in the conversion of food into energy. The B vitamins also strengthen stress resistance and concentration.

3) Adaptogens - your energy kick:

Adaptogens are natural foods that give your body energy and improve cortisol levels.

• Ashwagandha: helps the body to reduce stress, provides restful sleep and more energy, strengthens the immune system and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
• Rhodiola Rosea: reduces symptoms of stress, tiredness and exhaustion. It also stimulates memory and promotes mental and athletic performance.
• Cordyceps: the fungus gives strength and increases energy levels. It also helps in stress management and fights fatigue.

4) Get active:

Movement gets our metabolism going. Especially if we follow a sedentary lifestyle, we should make sure that we get enough exercise. You can do sports indoors as well as outdoors.

In general, experts agree that people who are active in sports are less prone to illness than those who are not. The WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of sport per week in addition to everyday exercise.

Studies show that regular exercise and thus good stamina and fitness can reduce the risk of heart attack by almost 50% in hereditarily preloaded test persons!

Another study proves that sport can prevent various types of cancer. For example, the risk of colorectal cancer is 20-30% lower in athletically active people than in non-active people.

➤ Just 20-30 minutes of daily exercise can make a difference to your health!

Conclusion:

Constant fatigue and exhaustion should not be a permanent condition. If you make sure you get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and exercise (e.g. aerobics or walking), you have already taken the first step. Make sure you take in enough nutrients and use the power of adaptogens to maintain your energy level.

Sources:

Allen, L. V. Jr. (2013, January-February). Adrenal fatigue, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, 17(1):39-44 

Puetz, T. W., Flowers, S. S. & O'Connor, P. J. (2008). A randomized controlled trial of the effect of aerobic exercise training on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 77(3):167-74, doi: 10.1159/000116610

Boyle, N. B., Lawton, C. & Dye, L. (2017, April). The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress-A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 9(5), doi: 10.3390/nu9050429