Where science, spiritualty & real life collide
Fatigue Part 1: Eat & sleep
Emma Watson
I encounter many women in their 20s/30s/40s who are struggling with tiredness & fatigue. I am one of these women. For me, fatigue is due to a medical condition (endometriosis) plus the demands of everyday life. For others, fatigue may be due to/exacerbated by undiagnosed medical conditions, poor diet, disrupted sleep, nutrient deficiencies, or inadequate self-care.
This blog is split into two parts & aims to examine nutrition, yoga & wellbeing strategies that may help overcome fatigue.
Sleep
Seems obvious right?! But many women don’t realise that they are sleep deprived. My GP had to point it out to me as I proudly announced that I was up at 5am to do yoga; rather than being outstandingly impressed, she responded with: “what time do you go to bed? You are chronically sleep deprived.”
Do you sleep 7-8hrs uninterrupted every night? Do you fall asleep easily & stay asleep? Many peoples sleep is interrupted by children, stress, medical conditions or their partner. Aiming for recommended amounts each night may help as well as examining factors that affect the quality of your sleep (going to sleep, staying asleep & going through all sleep phases).
Top tips
· Assess you sleep environment or ‘sleep hygiene’; is your room dark enough? Cool enough? Have you switched off electronic devices? Is it quiet? Is it tidy?
· Research shows that going to sleep & waking up at a similar time each day can improve your sleep quality.
· Having a bedtime routine can help to switch the brain into “sleep mode”. Try switching off electronic devices/wearing anti-blue-light glasses & keeping the hours leading up to sleep calm.
· I know many Mums whose sleep is affected by their children’s sleep. This is unavoidable at times, especially if you have a small baby, but having a sleep routine for your child could be beneficial for you both. Think bath, massage, story, bed.
· Try an app that monitors your sleep to keep you informed & accountable.
Nutrition
Vitamin & mineral deficiencies can cause symptoms of fatigue. The most common being Vitamin D & iron. Most people do not realise that the advice for the general UK population is to take 10u Vitamin D per day during the winter months. If you are struggling with fatigue it is worth having your vitamin, mineral & iron levels checked via your GP.
Many people lead busy lives & find making time for fuelling with good nutrition difficult. Often food is convenient & highly processed. Some people follow restrictive diets/fad diets that cut out essential macro/micro nutrients; this can affect your energy levels. If you are struggling with fatigue it is worth being aware & accountable for your diet & eating schedule. Try keeping a food & symptom diary to highlight areas for improvement.
Products containing caffeine can affect our sleep quality & therefore lead to fatigue. Research suggests that the “half life” of coffee is 12 hours; this means that the caffeine can be active in the system for up to 12 hours after you have consumed it. Be aware of hidden caffeine in energy drinks & supplements.
There is a lot of information available at present with regards to blood sugar & how this affects your energy levels. Foods high in sugar, low in starch & low in fibre can increase blood sugar quickly leading to a “sugar high”; but the glucose can be utilised quickly by the body which can lead to feelings of fatigue & poor energy shortly afterwards. In healthy individuals the body is very good at stabilising blood sugar & releasing stored glucose when required, but a prolonged high sugar diet could be contributing to symptoms of fatigue.
In terms of utilisation of the energy from the food you consume it doesn’t really matter the timings of when you eat. However, eating later on an evening can affect your digestion & lead to poorer quality sleep.
Top tips
· Get real! Are you being overly restrictive with your diet & cutting out essential nutrients? Try keeping a food, mood & symptom diary to highlight areas you could improve.
· Have a regular meal pattern that suits your job, lifestyle & responsibilities
· Plan when you will eat; put it in your diary/schedule
· Plan what you will eat; this will avoid last minute poor decision making!
· Eat a nutrient-dense diet – convenient foods needn’t be of low nutritional value – choose high protein options with lots of fruits/vegetables/wholegrains
· Consume products containing caffeine at the start of your day & avoid before bed.
· Examine your intake of sugary foods & consider choosing options that are higher in fibre.
· There is no need to monitor your blood glucose levels if you are not diabetic – don’t fall for the fads! Blood sugar levels can be affected by numerous factors, not just your diet.
· Avoid eating heavy meals later on an evening as this can affect the quality of your sleep.
In conclusion to part 1, the quality of your sleep & nutrition can impact your energy levels & symptoms of fatigue. Examine your current lifestyle & habits to identify areas you can make small changes to improve.
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