Friday, March 22, 2013

The Modern World Disease - Tiredness

Do you feel like you are always tired and functioning below par? Why do you think that is?

In order to understand the answer to those questions, we must first of all look at your lifestyle, (including work life, diet and fluid intake, recreational and exercise habits).

So let's start from the top. How do you start your day? Do you jump up, run around and rush to work or do you stretch gently on waking, getting out of bed to eat a proper, nutritious breakfast?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you skip it or eat insufficient protein your blood sugar will drop quickly and come 11 am or before you will maybe develop a headache, feel exhausted and you could be struggling to concentrate. This is the meal that helps stabilise your blood sugar throughout the whole day. Even if you go on to have a great lunch, you are unlikely to get away with skipping breakfast.

Eggs are good but go for at least two and make them large, fresh and free-range. If you breakfast early, (say 7.00 am - 7.30 am), try to make sure you have a snack come 10.30 am - 11 am to help you last to lunch. Fruit, yoghourt, nuts, seeds or humous with pitta are all good.

Try to avoid too many carbs at lunch, particularly bread. Bread for many people can trigger tiredness by raising blood sugar too quickly so that you get an insulin rush, leaving you feeling like a nap. Try spelt bread, based on the old Roman, unbleached flour recipe. Cheese and spelt crackers can also be good. You could also take a flask of home-made soup and a couple of spelt rolls in for your lunch.

Drink little and often to stay hydrated. Do not wait until you are thirsty or feeling "dry". Always have good quality drinking water with you and avoid sugary drinks.

If you can get out of work at lunchtime, go for a walk in a grassy or tree-lined area if possible to "discharge" environmental stressors from the office and perk yourself up for the afternoon.

When you get home, rehydrate and get changed quickly out of your work clothes to prevent your mind being permanently in"work mode" and unable to switch off at bedtime. Have an unwind routine, whether it's a bath or shower followed by exercise or listening to music. This is vital to "download" the events from the work day, leaving you free to have your own time.

Don't go to bed overtired, hungry or thirsty and make sure you have fresh air coming in to your room. Darken your room for better sleep.

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