Feeling Tired? You are Not Alone.

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Most of us have such busy lives and with so much to do, we feel pull in all directions, stressed out and exhausted all the time. The lack of energy affects our work, our home life and increases risk of accidents on the road. We will explore why people feel tired and how to increase your energy. 

According to a July 2017 National Safety Council survey-based report, 43 percent of Americans say they do not get enough sleep to diminish critical risks that can jeopardize safety at work and on the roads, including the ability to think clearly, make informed decisions and be productive.

Causes of Fatigue

There are many things that cause fatigue – some we can work on improving (quality or quantity of sleep, quality or quantity nutrition, regular movement, stop or reduce substance use, stress management) and some we cannot (health conditions). Fatigue is a tricky complaint because there is not one reason for it. It’s also hard to measure because there’s not a single test or lab to define if it exists. It’s best to work with your primary care physician to uncover what might be contributing to fatigue and work on improving it. 

Not Enough Sleep

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Only 1 in 7 Americans wake up feeling fresh every day of the week, according to a poll conducted by YouGov. Experts have traditionally recommended eight hours sleep, though seven hours should also be sufficient. 45% of Americans sleeping 7- 8 hours a night reported feeling tired or fatigued up to 3x/week. 27% of people said they wake up tired on 4+ days per week. Those only managing 6 hours sleep or less each night are the most tired. 54% of people getting 6 or less hours sleep wake up tired 4+ days a week. 

Improve Quality and Quantity of Sleep

The best sleep environment is cool (60s), dark, and quiet (as well as clean and safe).  These variables can be tough to achieve, particularly if someone works the night shift. Light is naturally alerting to the body (whether it’s from a phone, tv, or sunshine) making it hard to get enough quality sleep. Using black out curtains and/or a sleep mask can be helpful. Additionally, there’s a setting on most smart phones that dims the screen if you must check your phone while trying to sleep. Turning off all electronics is the best policy when trying to get a good night sleep. Similarly, a quiet sleep environment can be hard to come by in the city or when trying to sleep during the day. Soothing noise machines or low drone fans can be helpful to calm the noise level. 

Stress and Sleep

Many people when asked why they wake up during the night do not remember or attribute it to the wrong reason. That is because memory is not fully engaged during sleep and at the time you wake up. Worries or stress can decrease your chances of a full night of good quality sleep. Worrying thoughts can keep us from falling asleep and can also prevent us from staying asleep. Creating the best sleep environment can help but destressing will be key. Use of meditation or yoga to decrease stress can help.

There is something called the “default mechanism” in the brain. The theory is that our default worries play like a broken record when distractions stop. Activities like focusing on your breath or coloring books occupy your brain and override the default mechanism. But when trying to fall asleep, distractions stop so the default mechanism can come on full force making it difficult to fall asleep. Alcohol is not an effective sleep aid. While it may make you drowsy at first, it prevents the body from getting into deep enough sleep (e.g. REM sleep) leading to reduced quality of rest. If you find yourself needing a distraction from your default mechanism, the best choice is one without light such as listening to a podcast, radio, or simple meditation. 

Feeling Tired, Take a Nap

The safest way to wake up is to take a short nap or do something to raise your heart rate like exercise or laughter. But if that’s not possible caffeine can perk you up short term – it’s a stimulant. But you can also become dependent on it, so the lack of caffeine can lead to withdrawal symptoms and leave you tired if used chronically. Don’t need much to get an effect (100 mg) which is a small, 6-8 oz cup of coffee. Products like Red Bull are not ideal because in addition to sugar / artificial sweeteners, they contain ingredients and unregulated caffeine levels that may not be safe. 

What’s the ideal nap duration to wake up feeling refreshed? 

Short naps of 20-30 minutes OR longer naps of a full sleep cycle (90 minutes) are more likely to allow for awakening without sleep inertia 

A small cup of coffee is preferred to a B-Vitamin supplements, 5 Hour Energy, or pre-workout supplement because it’s more tightly regulated, safer, and less expensive. “Energy supplements” can contain un-tested stimulants in addition to caffeine which can increase blood pressure and increase risk of stroke, anxiety, and headaches 

What is the 1/2 life of caffeine (e.g., how long does it take for 50% of the caffeine you consume to be out of your body)? 

The 1/2 life for caffeine is 5 hours. That means if you consume 100 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee at 12pm, by 5 pm, there will still be 50 mg of caffeine in your body. Some people can fall asleep with caffeine in their system, but the quality and depth of sleep may be affected.  For that reason, most doctors recommend that the last caffeine you consume is 5 hours or more before trying to fall asleep. 

For a good night sleep, create a night routine, make sure you go to sleep around the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Eat healthy and nutritious foods, exercise daily and create the perfect sleep environment. And don’t forget to practice yoga or meditation to decrease stress. Wishing you a good night sleep!

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