Tired all the time? It’s time to listen to your body, says functional medicine practitioner Elizabeth Sergeant.
Our energy levels are the cornerstone of our wellbeing. They shape the decisions we make, the quality of the relationships we develop and our ambition and motivation to do what we love. In today’s world, we’ve become accustomed to the idea that fatigue is part and parcel of a busy life and a natural side-effect of ageing. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
By accepting low energy levels, we sideline our wellbeing and settle for a dulled-down version of ourselves and the life we could live. So if you’re feeling a bit lacklustre, let’s explore how you can come out of hibernation and put the spring back in your step.
Play detective
Our energy levels are one of the main ways our bodies communicate with us, giving us insight into how smoothly things are running. Excessive fatigue is a signal that something is amiss. It’s important to listen to these signals and ask what they might mean.
This can be hard to do as, from a young age, we are taught to tune out and override these cues. We push through when we feel fatigued. This was certainly my experience, which led me to suffer burnout, adrenal dysfunction and hormone issues as a result.
Of course, it’s natural to experience energy ebbs and flows to a certain extent. And there will be times when it’s necessary to dip into our reserves – mothers know this all too well. Our bodies are incredibly resilient but there’s a limit to this resilience. We can only push past our body’s signals for so long before emergency reserves run thin and symptoms start to get louder.
There are three key signs that we need to take action on our energy levels. The first is struggling to get out of bed in the morning or feeling as though we need caffeine to get going. The second is feeling sleepy throughout the day and/or relying on an afternoon pick-me-up – whether that be caffeinated or something sugary. And finally, if we don’t feel we have enough energy to exercise, or that we’re very tired after exercise, it’s time to take action.
Bolstering energy levels is easier than you might think once you know where to start. Let’s look at some of the most common root causes of fatigue and what can be done to remedy them.
CULPRIT 1Circadian confusion
Our circadian rhythm is our in-built 24-hour body clock. It regulates when we feel sleepy or alert and is the conductor of hormones tha
