1. Examine Your Schedule
If your daily schedule is packed without a minute to spare, you are certainly going to feel fatigued. Not only are you exhausting yourself during the day, but when it comes time to sleep, you may be so wound up and overtired that you cannot fall asleep. If you are going 90 miles an hour all day you can not expect your body and mind to just stop and shut off when you lie down. This happens even more these days with all of the technology at our fingertips: We can work from home after hours because we can check and send emails 24 hours a day, and be reached by cell phone and pager any time and anywhere. It is important to have at least some time each day to wind down and have nothing on your schedule.
2. Watch the Caffeine and Sugar
Too much caffeine intake from coffee, tea, soda and foods such as chocolate, can eventually lead to fatigue. You may get an initial burst of energy but later you crash. If you continue to have more caffeine you will eventually get the opposite result and feel fatigued and worn out. Try to substitute flavored water or juice for coffee and soda.
The same holds true for too much sugar in your diet. It provides only an artificial stimulant for the body and when it runs out you will be even more fatigued than before.
3. Get a Good Night's Rest
Most of us really need eight hours of sleep each night. As we sleep, our bodies rest and repair themselves. If you are not giving your body time to restore itself you will become run down and fatigued. If you are getting the number of hours you need and still feel tired, there is a condition called sleep apnea that may be at fault.
Sleep apnea occurs when you momentarily stop breathing during rest, and it can happen several times throughout the night. This disrupts your sleep even though you may not be aware of it. There are doctors and sleep labs that specialize in diagnosing this type of sleep disorder.
4. Check for Anemia
Anemia is a medical condition that occurs when your red blood cells do not deliver enough oxygen to your body. Having heavy menstrual cycles, not getting enough iron, folic acid or vitamin B12, and certain disease can make you prone to anemia. When your body does not get the oxygen it needs you can feel tired, dizzy and irritable. A simple blood test ordered by your doctor can tell you if you have this condition.
5. Get Tested for Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a medical condition where the thyroid gland is under active. The thyroid helps to regulate your metabolism, and when the gland is not functioning properly you can feel sluggish and fatigued. If you are diagnosed with this condition there are medications that can help you to feel better.
