Does the daylight savings time change make you feel more tired than normal? Feeling tired can affect almost every day to day activity and put extra strain on your body. Feelings of fatigue not only affect mental power, but also physical aspects of the body as well. Trouble focusing, low coordination and just pure exhaustion are all negative side effects being tired has on your body. Aside from getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night, there are many other ways to feel less tired during the day to ensure you can feel your best and perform your best.
1. Exercise
When you are feeling exhausted, exercise is probably the last thing on your mind. It sounds contradictory that exercise can make you less tired, however this is far from the case. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that reduce feelings of stress and improve mood. Your mindset will take a turn to be more positive which can give you the extra boost of energy you were lacking before. Exercise can also improve sleep quality by making it easier to fall asleep during the night because of the energy burned during the workout. A Certified Personal Trainer here at Western Racquet can put together a great workout tailored just for you and the needs of your body.
2. Yoga
Stress uses up a lot of the body’s energy during the day and also impairs your ability to get a good night's sleep. When your body is under stress it releases the hormone cortisol to maintain natural body functions. When you are under constant stress the body may release too much cortisol, resulting in feeling more tired. Yoga is a great way to naturally reduce stress and also get a great mind and body workout in. Yoga sessions promote relaxation both mentally and physically. The practice of yoga can also lower blood pressure and heart rate, both symptoms of stress. Check out our many yoga classes offered here at Western Racquet to help fight constant stress and fatigue.
3. Nutrition
The food we intake has a major effect on how our mind and body function. When feeling symptoms of fatigue it may be helpful to turn to your diet to see how you can improve your mental and physical function and increase your energy. The first thing to analyze when trying to increase energy is to look at if you are eating at normal times. Getting on an eating “schedule” may benefit you greatly as your body will be used to taking in food at a certain time and can learn how long it has to sustain energy afterwards. There are many foods that benefit energy levels and some that also can be detrimental to your energy. Refined carbohydrates are not great for the body as they raise blood sugar levels quickly, making the body release more insulin in order to get it down to a normal level again. This can cause the feeling of fatigue as the body is working on overdrive. Try to eliminate refined carbohydrates and make the switch over to unrefined carbohydrates which are more rich in natural fiber. Increasing protein intake is another great way to increase energy. Protein takes longer to digest making it a longer source of energy for the body. Another great perk of protein is that when consumed with a carbohydrate, it can actually slow down the rapid spike of sugar into the bloodstream causing blood sugar levels to rise much less rapidly. If you have more questions regarding great nutritional strategies to reclaim your energy, don’t hesitate to meet with one of our great wellness coaches here at Western!
To conclude, living a healthy lifestyle has a great impact on your energy levels. Exercising increases endorphin release, improving your mood and increasing energy. Exercise also helps getting a good night's sleep because while increasing energy during the day, it also burns off energy making it easier to fall asleep at night. Managing stress through a class such as yoga is a great way to improve energy levels as stress uses a lot of your energy during the day. Yoga promotes the relaxation of the mind and the body and lowers cortisol levels to keep the body from working on overdrive due to stress. Eating a balanced and healthy diet and at the right time during the day also lowers that tired feeling and keeps you performing at your best. At Western Racquet, we have resources and certified staff to assist with all of these lifestyle changes so be sure to check out these resources to help your body get to it’s optimal state of wellness.