5 Natural fixes for more energy

Does your tiredness get in the way of your life?

We all experience tiredness at times, which can be relieved by proper sleep and rest. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 16% of women ages 18-64 report being “very tired” or “exhausted” on most days.

The causes of low energy levels in women have many reasons. Most women don’t consider routine tiredness as a big deal in their busy schedules.

If the condition of drowsiness persists, there might be an underlying health issue. Consult a health care professional, to figure out the reasons and how to manage it.

It’s important to recognize between usual tiredness and excessive fatigue. Fatigue is when the tiredness is often overwhelming and isn't relieved by sleep and rest.

Let’s explore some of the common reasons and natural fixes for increasing energy levels in women.

1. Are you deficient in nutrients?

Iron Deficiency:

Iron is necessary for the formation of hemoglobin and its deficiency results in anemia.

The condition is most common among women especially in their reproductive years and research shows that 75% of women are anemic due to inadequate iron intake & utilization, blood loss, increased demand and poor absorption.

The fatigue caused by anemia is the result of a lack of red blood cells, which bring oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and cells. You may feel weak and experience shortness of breath due to insufficient oxygen supply.

Natural Fixes: Include iron sources with the combo of vitamin C rich foods for better absorption. Green leafy vegetables, dates, figs, raisins, pumpkin seeds, nuts, rice flakes (iron) and chicken, fish and lean cuts of meat.

Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D Deficiency:

Vitamin B12 is essential for brain health, immune and metabolic functions.

As we age, our ability to absorb B12 declines and its deficiency results in tiredness and dizziness. Certain medications also hinder the absorption of Vit-B12 in the body.

Natural Fixes: Include meat, eggs, shellfish, dairy and its products.

If you excessively feel exhausted, you can check out for vitamin D deficiency too. Sunlight exposure for 15-20min (the sunshine vitamin), mushrooms, cod liver oil, salmon, and egg yolk are the natural sources for Vit-D.

Well balanced, nutritious meals according to individual requirements keeps you nourished and hydrated with energy to stay active.

2. Do you get proper sleep?

Many of us do not realize that lack of sleep regularly is associated with long-term health consequences with the sign of tiredness, weakness, exhaustion, lack of concentration and so on.

Therefore, its vital to get sufficient sleep for at least 7-8 hrs to energize and revive the functions of the body. In a nutshell, sleep deprivation is a condition caused by a consistent lack of sleep or reduced quality of sleep.

Irregular sleep time results in drowsiness, so timely sleep is necessary to be energetic and active during the day.

3. Are you stressed?

When sleep is disrupted or inadequate, it can lead to increased tension, vigilance, and irritability.

Lack of sleep caused by any medical illness makes a person more depressed due to disturbed mental health. Depression is a serious health concern that arises due to sleep loss.

Furthermore, you find yourself in a vicious cycle of inactivity and disturbed sleep, which causes both physical and mood-related symptoms. Sleepless nights make us more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted.

Anxiety, stress, depression, mood swings maybe the reasons for your tiredness among your busy schedules.

Natural Fixes: Meditation, yoga, scheduling the routine and sufficient sleep are key factors to prevent stress and tension in the day-to-day routine.

4. Are you active?

A sedentary lifestyle maybe the prime reason for tiredness after the 30’s in females.

Research finds that sedentary people who start to exercise, experience increased blood flow to the muscles and a more efficient cardiovascular system, both of which can result in better energy and more restorative sleep.

Being more active can help boost energy levels.

Walking, jogging, cycling, outdoor activities, using stairs instead of lifts are some of the active forms of exercise to stay fit and active.

5. Are you hydrated?

Are you drinking enough water? Most people ignore the symptoms of thirst and become dehydrated which is the underlying cause of deficiencies.

This makes person a weaker, tired and inactive. Oftentimes we confuse hunger with thirst and end up eating more when we don't need to. Being properly hydrated helps raise energy levels.

Without enough fluids, the volume of your blood goes down, lowering your blood pressure and keeping your brain from getting enough blood, causing light headedness.

Even mild cases of dehydration can cause feelings of tiredness and impact your body's ability to perform essential functions.

Therefore, drinking sufficient water (hydrating yourself) and including more fluids such as buttermilk, tender coconut water, lime juice, green tea, soups help you to stay hydrated and overcome tiredness/dizziness.

Energetic Glimpse:

It's normal to feel tired occasionally when you don't get enough sleep, rest and hydration.

But if the tiredness persists often, then it's time to look for the underlying cause among the mentioned reasons and consult your health care professional to treat accordingly.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Indu Vaishnavi R, Dietician