“7 THINGS I’ve learned about fatigue!”

This weeks "7 THINGS"

“7 THINGS I’ve learned about fatigue!”

Tired. Knackered. Exhausted. Done in. Wiped out. Call it what you want, but it seems that when I’m chatting to my family, readers, friends, random strangers in the supermarket or the on the bus, this is a prevailing theme. We are all FATIGUED!!! The reasons for this state of exhaustion are complex and the exploration as to why, takes longer than I have, and more words that this article will allow. But here is a taster: living in a pandemic, worrying about what the future might hold for our families/loved ones/the planet. Physical hangover from our own bouts of Covid. Economic uncertainty. Social media overload. Impending environmental doom and many, many other factors that are like tiny jolts, which individually we can bat off, no more than a gnat of irritation, but when they rush at us constantly and collectively swarming 24/7… is it any wonder we are all tired? So, instead of going heavy on the analytics, I’m going to try and provide a balm for your aching limbs, going to attempt to ease your mental fog, by offering you the “7 THINGS” that get me through…

Yes, the dog is using my face as a foot rest. I woke with little paw prints on my cheek…

Here are my “7 THINGS” this week.

1.     Admit that you are tired. This may sound obvious, but I have seen many of my buddies (and I’m certainly guilty too) denying the fact that they are fatigued. It’s as if to admit to being tired is in some way a failure. As if tiredness is a weakness. How ridiculous is that? We don’t do this if we are thirsty, hungry, sad, happy, excited, and yet very often in answer to the question, “are you tired?” we shrug it off, laugh out loud, and start running, “tired? Me? No way! I’m just getting started! As if I’d be tired?” Why? Because we are “wonder women” who need to keep all the plates spinning and all the cupboards stocked, and all the appointments met, and all the deadlines beaten, and all the sex had, and all the belly’s fed and all the pets walked, and all the rooms cleaned… because God only knows what would happen if we actually gave in to the tiredness… but trust me. Giving in to it, admitting to it is the first thing you need to do if you are going to beat it and not let it get to a point of exhaustion.

2.     Listen to your body. Now, it won’t have escaped your attention that I’m no doctor. And persistent fatigue, menopause fatigue, post covid fatigue etc along with other conditions should all be brought to the attention of your GP. But what I do know is that my body is very good at telling me what I need. I will go through periods of feeling super energised where I am ready to tackle anything! But the harder I work, the more my brain whirs, the longer I go without taking a break and my energy levels start to slump and I begin to ache, and I feel a little weepy and I know it’s time to pull up the drawbridge and invest in rest. Sounds obvious? I refer you to number 1 above!!!!!

3.     Eat Right. Drink Right. There is for me a direct correlation between eating rubbish and feeling rubbish. This should not be a shock. It manifests itself in tiredness. We all know about the sugar high/sugar slump; the energy sapping cycle that comes from this high/low and I manage it by making sure I eat at least some foods which are low on the glycemic index, like brown bread, brown rice, which help stabilize my glucose. Now those of you who know me will know I’m not a paragon of healthy eating, but just including some of these foods makes a huge difference to my energy levels. The same for drinking. Water is like a wonder drug when it comes to fatigue. Being only a little dehydrated can massively impact on your ability to function and your energy levels, so top up that water! Calming herbal teas like Camomile, or Peppermint to settle your tum also help.

4.     Exercise. Now I understand that when you are feeling weary, exercise is the last thing on your mind, but in the long run, it will make you feel less tired and give you more energy. It doesn’t have to be a grueling session in the gym, although fill your boots! But a 15-minute walk can give you a huge energy boost. Increase this gradually, as you feel able, and the benefits will help combat your fatigue like nothing else. I find now that if I don’t walk, I feel sluggish. Good for my mental, physical health and certainly a boost to that tiredness.

5.     Mental detox. Step away from that screen! Reading about the news and current affairs when you are trying to nod off is a no no. Not only are you stimulating your brain, but I find I then worry about all that I have read! Gaming before sleep has also been shown to over stimulate your brain, the very opposite of what we need at bedtime. The same goes for any screen-based activity, whether it be TV, computer, tablet or phone. Swap them out for listening to calm music, a gentle podcast or just trying to order your thoughts…

6.     Sleep routine. The ideal is to go to sleep and wake at the same time, giving your body order and a routine for sleep. I know this is not always possible, and so I make sure my habits around bedtime are the same no matter when or where I go to bed. I always shower or bathe, clean my teeth and step into comfy pj’s. I keep the room cool and the lights low. I read before I fall asleep and it’s now as if my body knows that when that that book is in my palms, it’s nearly sleepy time… (this the reason I avoid weighty tomes that when I doze off might fall on my face, ouch!) and this the only exception to my no screen rule as I read on my Kindle with the lighting low.

7.     Ask for help and help yourself. This harks back to that original thought that to ask for help is somehow like admitting defeat. It isn’t. it takes strength to ask for help when you are feeling overwhelmed or overloaded. Most people are busy living their own lives and might not have noticed that you are struggling or are tired. Let them know! Share the load and allow others to pick up the things that are feeling like a chore/task too far. When you’re fatigued the relief that cancelling something that is too much for you in that moment or not having to perform a task, is immediate, this alone enough to boost your reserves and let you concentrate on restoring your flagging energy. I have started to help myself by prioritising what needs to be done rather than everything on my “to do” list. If somethings have to slip or get cancelled but it means I stay on the right side of energised, then so be it! Saying no to doing more and saying yes to investing in your own rest is the kindest thing you can do for yourself.

Do any of these resonate? I’d love to hear about what strategies you employ to help when fatigue strikes…