If you're feeling low on energy, you'd likely need to ramp up on your stress reduction strategies while also engaging in more regular physical activity. Getting enough sleep and ensuring you prioritize a balanced diet are also healthy and natural energy boosters.
Knowing how to increase daily energy can help you better deal with lethargy (a state of having low energy, mental fogginess, and extreme drowsiness) or fatigue (a general feeling of weariness or exhaustion). Otherwise, feeling tired all the time could affect your overall health, well-being, and enjoyment of life.
You're not alone, either. According to the New York Post, researchers found that the typical American spends 1,460 hours each year feeling tired. Nearly six in ten (58%) of the respondents who felt this way said their tiredness gets in the way of life.
What Can Cause Extreme Fatigue?
Extreme fatigue or feeling tired all the time can result from many different factors, including those affecting your lifestyle and health. Examples include:
- Unmanaged stress
- Sedentariness (lack of exercise or physical activity)
- Lack of sleep or poor sleep habits
- Unhealthy diet
- Medical conditions such as sleep apnea, diabetes, fibromyalgia, heart disease, or anemia
- Lack of specific vitamins and minerals
You don't have control over all those factors (e.g., fibromyalgia, which has a genetic component or tends to "run in the families," according to Mayo Clinic). However, many of them are "modifiable," such as poor sleeping habits, an unhealthy diet, and sedentariness.
Being able to revitalize your tired body and combat fatigue naturally, therefore, usually starts with modifying unhealthy habits and changing them for the better.
What Is My Body Lacking if I Feel Tired?
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, which can result from poor dietary choices, are common culprits behind fatigue or lethargy.
Iron deficiency is an excellent example. According to an NBC News report, a study encompassing over 8,000 U.S. adults suggests that close to a third of Americans have undiagnosed iron deficiency. The article further points out that this problem can result in not just fatigue but also concentration difficulty and brain fog.
Other deficiencies that may be contributing to your being low on energy are:
- Vitamin B12
- Folate
- Vitamin D
- Iodine
- Magnesium
How Do I Increase My Energy Levels?
One of the first steps to addressing your issue of being low on energy is to determine which modifiable factors you have and can change. With proper identification, you can act upon them with a more targeted approach.
Address Stress
Stress is a modifiable factor that, if not addressed, can keep your body in a perpetual "fight-or-flight" mode. If your body is in this state most of the time, it makes sense that you always feel tired, given that it uses a massive amount of energy.
Take control of your stress by identifying triggers (things that "stress" you out), avoiding them, or minimizing your contact with them. You should also try some de-stressing techniques, whether it's:
- Deep breathing
- Yoga
- Meditation
Getting social support, such as by staying in touch with loved ones and friends, can also help.
Get Moving
It may sound counterintuitive to fight fatigue with movement, but regular exercise is one of the most effective energy-boosting techniques, as it helps boost the body's energy production. It also triggers the release of feel-good hormones, including endorphins, which can make you feel more energetic and revitalized.
Exercising regularly helps improve sleep and bust stress, too.
Sleep Well
Sleeping better may require you to change a few things about your sleep environment (e.g., your bedroom), schedule, and before-sleep habits.
If there's a lot of artificial light outside your bedroom window, consider using blackout window coverings. Ideally, your sleep environment's temperature should be dark, quiet, and cool enough to your body's liking.
Try going to sleep around the same time every night to make your body get used to preparing itself for sleep. You should also consider doing something relaxing just before bed that doesn't involve screens (e.g., reading a book, listening to calming music, or taking a warm bath).
Mind Your Diet
Build your meals around energy-boosting, fuel-providing foods like:
- Complex carbs, including whole grains, sweet potatoes, and beans
- Lean proteins, such as skinless poultry, lean pork, and seafood
- Healthy fats from seeds, nuts, and avocados
- Iron-packed foods like fortified cereals, lean meats, and livers
Just as crucial is to stay hydrated. Ideally, you should always opt for plain water whenever possible. However, you can also "spice" things up by flavorizing your water with fresh fruit juices and herbs like peppermint or rosemary.
If you like or rely on energy drinks, consider switching to sugar-free options, such as the energy shots or supplements from 5-Hour Energy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can Being Low on Energy Affect How You Enjoy Life?
When you're always low on energy, you may find it more challenging to engage in stress-busting physical activity and hobbies you like doing. You could end up leading a more sedentary lifestyle and missing out on the many benefits of movement and recreation.
Over time, all those effects can take a toll on your emotional and mental well-being. You may become more irritable and experience mood swings. Your stress levels could also skyrocket, while your cognitive abilities, from thinking skills to concentration, can dip.
When Should You See a Doctor for Low Energy?
Consider seeing a doctor for low energy if you constantly deal with it or it has affected you for more than a few weeks. It could signal a health or medical condition (such as anemia).
The sooner you visit your primary healthcare provider, the sooner they can diagnose the issue and give you the necessary treatment. They can also provide you with tailored advice regarding foods you should increase your intake of or exercises best suited for your skill or ability level.
Don't Let Being Low on Energy Rob You of Enjoyment
Being low on energy can affect your overall health and well-being, so before this happens, get to the bottom of things and identify the culprit. Once you know why you always feel tired, you can then make the appropriate lifestyle modifications, whether it's with your diet, sleep, or exercise.
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