Low energy levels can have a dramatic effect on your quality of life.
If you feel like your energy levels are low, you may lack motivation, feel tired or depressed.
It prevents you from being the person you want to be and going after what you want.
The result can mean lack of progression, action and achieving your goals which can be incredibly frustrating!
Here are the top 7 reasons you have low energy levels:
1. Lack Of Sleep
Lack of sleep is one of the main causes of low energy levels and according to the Sleep Council 30% of us sleep poorly most nights.
Our bodies need around 6-9 hours of good quality sleep for our brain to process and retain the daily information and for our organ systems to repair and restore themselves.
Lack of sleep can be caused by many things; going to bed too late, too much caffeine, stress, poor sleeping environment and your room being too bright.
If you’re exercising and lifting weights, your body will need more sleep to rest and help repair.
Tips for a better nights sleep:
- Sleep at least 7 hours a night and get in a routine
- Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake
- Improve your sleep environment, dark and cool is recommended.
- Have a bedtime wind down routine.
- Exercise
2. Vitamin Deficiency
One of the most overlooked causes of fatigue and tiredness is a vitamin defficiency. The main vitamins associated with energy levels and fatigue are:
- Iron
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Iron – it’s an incredibly important nutrient because it helps transport oxygen in the blood around our body, giving our cells, muscles and organs oxygen and therefore energy. If you have a deficiency, you may feel weak with poor ability to focus.
- Vitamin B12 – a vitamin B12 deficiency can cause light headedness, weakness, tiredness, shortness of breath and muscle weakness. This vitamin helps with the formation of red blood cells and preventing anaemia. To boost your vitamin B12 levels you can take supplements, or eat the following food: red meat, liver, sardines, tuna, salmon, milk, eggs.
- Vitamin D – a vitamin D deficiency can lead to fatigue, tiredness, bone pain and muscle weakness. Most of us are aware we get Vitamin D from sunlight, so its important to get outside often with the recommended daily dose of sunlight being an hour minimum. We can boost our levels of vitamin D by taking supplements, or the following foods: mackerel, salmon, tuna, egg yolks, beef liver.
3. Stress
The definition of stress is “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances”.
If you have low energy levels, stress could be playing a major role and is extremely common in adults.
One study found a link between fatigue and stress, where the mental and emotional strain quite literally depletes your energy levels.
Stress can also lead to insomnia or poor quality sleep, which will lead to you feeling tired with low energy levels.
Top tips to combat stress include:
- Exercise
- Get outdoors in fresh air
- Eat healthily
- Be assertive
- Have a positive attitude
- Socialise and talk with friends
- Take up a hobby
- Improve your time management
- De-clutter your home and life
4. Lack of Exercise
A sedentary lifestyle can often be a cause of fatigue and low energy levels. This study looked at women who had a sedentary lifestyle and those with a less sedentary lifestyle with higher levels of physical activity.
The results showed those women with less sedentary lifestyles with higher levels of physical activity experienced less fatigue and tiredness.
An example of this can be when you’re at work stuck at your desk in an office.
When you spend long periods of time sat down, you’re likely to finish your day feeling drained and tired.
Compare this to taking regular breaks, walking around or going outside for some fresh air and you’re likely to experience a nice difference to your energy levels.
5. Alcohol
It shouldn’t be news to you that about the effects alcohol can have on your energy levels. In addition to the sedative effects of alcohol, it can also reduce your quality of sleep.
Alcohol consumption can lead to the release of a stress hormone that will increase your heart rate, further increasing the possibility of a poor nights sleep!
If you drink alcohol on a regular basis you’ll likely experience feelings of lethargy and drowsiness.
In addition, you increase the chance of becoming dehydrated.
If you love a drink, try to compensate by drinking more water during and after drinking alcohol.
6. Too Much Sugar
One of the main causes of low energy comes from a diet high in sugar.
Consuming sugary foods will give you a temporary boost of energy due to a spike in blood sugar levels but will inevitably cause a crash in blood sugar.
If you feel you’re getting a good nights sleep but still feel tired during the day, it could be due to your blood sugar levels and consuming too many carbohydrates.
The best snacks for maintaining a healthy blood sugar level are:
- Almonds
- Yoghurt
- Fruit
- Yoghurt
- Tuna
- Chicken
- Protein bar
7. Dehydration
One less well known but extremely common cause of low energy and fatigue, is dehydration!
Most of us are not drinking enough water.
Many people suffering from low energy often work indoors or at desks, and often forget about drinking enough water.
If you work a desk job you’re highly likely to drink coffee to try and perk you up, but this is a leading cause of dehydration and instead could be having the opposite of its intended effect.
According to the National Hydration Council, 1 in 5 GP visits in the UK are due to tiredness and fatigue. 1 in 10 visits are thought to be due to dehydration!
Symptoms of dehydration include:
- fatigue
- tiredness
- headaches
- poor concentration
- dark coloured urine
By drinking more water you should be able in to increase your energy levels, improve your mood and concentration and therefore increase your productivity.
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