Do you feel exhausted since the morning at the idea of facing the day? Don't feel like doing the things you've always enjoyed anymore? Do you find it hard to stay focused on work and only the idea of having to apply yourself more makes you lose your energy? Do you happen to experience sudden bouts of fatigue during the day? Sometimes, in some periods of our life, it can happen that we feel exhausted, without energy and do not know what to do to get out of it. Often the cause is due to a very stressful moment we are experiencing, a sleep problem or an unbalanced diet. Today we will see how to deal with physical and mental fatigue with small tricks and lifestyle changes. In this article, however, we will not discuss fatigue caused by drugs or diseases, conditions that should be discussed with your doctor.
Just breathe
Start with the simplest remedy, breathing. Open the window or go out to the balcony and breathe. Take an inhale for 4 seconds, then exhale for 6 seconds, hold the breath for 4 seconds and repeat, with inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds and pause for another 4 seconds, and so on. Breathing exercises, since they improve oxygen supply, help counteract the sense of fatigue (Zakerimoghadam et al, Acta Med Indones, 2011).
With rosemary and guarana you find concentration
Guarana is a remedy obtained by grinding the seeds of the Paullinia Capuana plant. This powder can be found in specialized stores and online and can be added to water to obtain a drink useful for the proper functioning of the brain. In fact, this remedy has been shown to improve concentration, attention and cognitive function. Not only that, guarana has been able to counteract mental fatigue even in the case of a greater demand for concentration (Kennedy et al, Appetite, 2008). But rosemary is also a great brain tonic. This aromatic plant is, in fact, capable of increasing mental energy and counteracting the feeling of tiredness when we have to do a job that engages us from a mental point of view (Araki et al, Nutrients, 2020). You can pour 4-5 drops of rosemary essential oil in a spoonful of a vegetable oil of your choice, such as sunflower, olive or jojoba oil, dip your fingers and massage on your temples. Alternatively, you can bring a cup of water to a boil, remove from heat and add a teaspoon of rosemary needles, steep for ten minutes, then filter and drink.
Vitamins and minerals
Sometimes a poorly varied diet or a lifestyle that does not involve moderate sun exposure can cause a deficiency in some vitamins or minerals. For example, a vitamin D deficiency has been observed to be associated with a feeling of fatigue (Nowak et al, Medicine, 2016). The main source of vitamin D for our body is the sun, so moderate exposure to the sun, without exaggerating and with due care, is certainly an excellent anti-fatigue choice. Some foods also contain vitamin D, such as cheese, mushrooms, nuts, fatty fish. Even a reduction in the intake of vitamin B can cause a lack of energy. In fact, all the B vitamins, with the exception of folic acid, are involved in the energy production processes. B vitamins are found in eggs, whole grains, legumes, brewer's yeast and fish. Not only that, it is also necessary to take into consideration the role of vitamin C, contained in citrus fruits, kiwis, berries and green leafy vegetables, of magnesium, which is found in dried fruit, cocoa, whole grains and bananas, and of iron, contained in oats and millet, dried fruit, such as pistachios and sesame, legumes and shellfish. In fact, these substances are also involved in processes aimed at energy production and their deficiency can cause weakness (Tardy et al, Nutrients, 2020).
Breakfast and regular meals, here's the secret
To combat fatigue it is important to eat at regular times and ensure a healthy breakfast rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Indeed, skipping breakfast and eating at irregular hours have been found to increase feelings of fatigue and tiredness (Tanaka et al, Nutrition, 2008).
Exercise
While the opposite may seem true, exercising increases the feeling of being full of energy. Studies have actually observed that practicing physical activity regularly counteracts the feeling of fatigue and instead increases the feeling of being pervaded by energy (O'Connor et al, Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2005).
Sleeping neither too much nor too little, here is the medicine against fatigue
Sleeping for too many hours, such as 9-10 hours, can make us wake up even more tired than when we went to sleep, as scientists from Harvard University say. But insomnia and sleep disturbances can also cause fatigue during the day. To try to ensure a good quality of sleep it is important to do relaxing evening activities, avoid working late hours, go to sleep about three hours after the last meal and not earlier, but it is also possible to resort to some remedies that promote a restful sleep. For example, essential oils, such as lavender, bergamot and ylang ylang, promote deep sleep, which is the part of sleep that regenerates us and makes us wake up refreshed. This is the result of scientific research conducted by a group of American scientists (McDonnell et al, J Altern Complement Med, 2019).
