10 Reasons Why You Feel Tired With No Energy and Natural, DIY Remedies
10 minute read
Do you ever have those mornings when you wake up and just cannot get going or afternoons where all your energy is gone, and you could use a nap?
Always feeling tired results from an assortment of factors, including diet, lifestyle, illness, and not getting the right amount of quality sleep. The good news is that you are not alone if you always feel tired, and there are natural treatment options that can restore your energy levels in no time.
The most obvious answer to being tired is a lack of sleep. While sleep is important for health, there is more to the story when it comes to being tired.
Apart from a lack of sleep, you may be tired because of stress, genetics, dietary problems, and hormonal imbalances. Many of these contribute to an inability to sleep and cause tiredness in their own ways too.
The key is to identify the underlying reason as to why you are tired, so you can fix it and get back to being energized.
1. Anemia
This is a condition that causes lower-than-normal levels of red blood cells and is related to an inadequate supply of oxygen to your blood.
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Being anemic results in feeling tired all the time, weak, and unable to concentrate. Insufficient iron levels prevent your red blood cells from making enough of the hemoglobin needed to transport oxygen through your body.
The Remedy: Increasing iron, vitamin B12, and folate intake is the most natural and efficient way to prevent anemia. Red meats and green leafy vegetables need to be on the menu along with foods rich in vitamin C, as this nutrient is essential for the proper absorption of iron.
2. Thyroid Disease
Over 20 million Americans suffer from thyroid disease, and, unfortunately, most of these individuals are not even aware they have it. Your thyroid is one of the most important glands in your body and is responsible for regulating hormones that control vital functions, including metabolism and energy levels.
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Repeated exposure to stress and poor diets increase your risk for developing thyroid disease as well as food intolerances.
The Remedy: Switch to a gluten- and dairy-free diet to remove the likely culprits of your food intolerance. Monitor your selenium and iodine levels, too, as these both play a role in thyroid function.
Finally, detox your body from toxic metals with turmeric, cilantro, or milk thistle. The best thyroid diet includes lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
3. Leaky Gut Syndrome
When your intestinal wall is damaged, small holes form, which allows particles to pass through them that shouldn’t. Undigested food and bacteria can pass into your bloodstream, causing bloating, fatigue, headaches, weight gain, and mood changes.
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The main culprit is an unbalanced gut microbiome. Antibiotics and poor diets allow beneficial bacteria to become minimized and harmful strains can take over the gut.
The Remedy: The key to repairing the damage done by leaky gut syndrome is to restore balance to your gut bacteria. Correcting nutrient deficiencies in your diet, removing foods you are intolerant to, and adding a probiotic supplement will naturally increase your levels of good bacteria.
Once a healthy balance is restored, inflammation ceases, and your gut can repair itself.
4. Blood Sugar Imbalance
Blood sugar levels have a lot to do with energy and feeling tired. Diabetes takes time to develop, but fatigue can be an immediate symptom of irregular sugar levels.
Poor diet is typically the cause, and too much sugar in your blood leads to mood swings. Elevated levels can give you a burst of energy, but these will be followed by dangerous “crashes” as your blood sugar levels drop to unhealthy levels.
The Remedy: The only way to control blood sugar levels is to remove or limit your intake of refined sugars. Packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and even natural sweeteners need to be removed.
Watch out for hidden sugars, too. These can be found in sauces, salad dressings, and white bread.
5. Poor Diet
As mentioned in the other sections, your diet has a lot to do with energy levels. Diet impacts hormone production, mood, sleep patterns, neurotransmitter function, and motivation levels.
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With all the carbohydrates, sugar-laden and processed foods, and a reliance on convenience foods, diets in America are full of unhealthy ingredients.
The Remedy: A diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients is the best way to provide sustained energy. Sugars and carbohydrates may give you a burst, but they will also give you a crash.
Protein-rich foods and B vitamins help to restore energy levels. Keeping your intake of omega-3 fatty acids up will protect your brain, stabilize mood and hormones, and prevent thyroid disease.
Finally, you want to include plenty of calcium, magnesium, and zinc because these work to reduce stress and promote sleep.
6. Not Moving Enough
A sedentary lifestyle contributes to a lack of energy as well as numerous aches and pains. Many of us work in offices and sit all day at a desk, so movement at work is limited.
Being still causes fatigue and makes you want to move less, prolonging the negative cycle.
The Remedy: Get up and get moving. Exercise is the best way to boost energy, increase blood flow, improve insulin resistance, promote sleep, and balance hormones.
Besides producing beneficial effects for most of your body, exercise releases endorphins, the“feel-good” hormones; the more you move, the more motivated you become.
Even if you work at a desk all day, you can take breaks to go for walks, sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair, and take the stairs rather than the elevator.
7. Depression
As one of the most common mental health disorders, depression is also the number one reason people lack energy and motivation. Depression can be caused by stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, emotional issues or trauma, and alcohol to name a few.
Most people think depression can only be treated with medications, which can come with unpleasant side effects, but there are natural alternatives that are simple and less dangerous.
The Remedy: Dietary changes are a great and natural way to help alleviate depression. Reducing sugar-laden fast foods, processed foods, and alcohol is the place to start.
Next, increase your intake of energy-boosting proteins and healthy fats. Exercise and relaxation also help with depression and are a great way to prep your body for restful sleep.
8. Emotional Stress
Like depression, stress drains you whether it is physical or mental. In some extreme cases, stress can develop into an anxiety disorder and sleep deprivation.
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The Remedy: Following a healthy and balanced diet and avoiding stimulants promotes a mental and physical calm. Additionally, regular exercise and relaxation techniques prime your mind and body, so they are better equipped to handle stress.
Since the brain and the stomach are connected through the gut-brain axis, an unhealthy gut can promote emotional stress. Pick up a probiotic supplement to keep your gut health in optimal shape and your mental state sharp.
9. Dehydration
The cells in your body are primarily made of water, so it is a very important substance when it comes to your health. A lack of water and unbalanced electrolytes causes dehydration, which in turn makes you tired because oxygen is sent to your brain and muscles much slower than normal.
The Remedy: Drink more water through the day and eat more fruits and vegetables, which have high-water content. Consuming whole foods is the best way to get electrolytes.
Avoid energy drinks and sports drinks because, even though you will get the electrolytes, you will also get a heaping helping of sugar.
10. Poor Sleep
Obviously, a lack of sleep will make you feel tired and chronic sleep deprivation can be dangerous for your health. Sleep deprivation impacts your mood and cognitive performance and leaves you with a fatigued feeling all day.
The Remedy: The best way to get a good night’s sleep is to develop a bedtime routine using proper sleep hygiene. Turn off electronic devices, which over-stimulate the eyes, at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.
Practice relaxation techniques or take a hot bath to relax your mind and body. Trying a magnesium supplement also helps to promote relaxation.
The Bottom Line
There are more reasons than people realize as to why you feel tired. The occasional bad night’s sleep is nothing to worry about, but perpetually feeling fatigued could indicate a more serious problem.
If you are missing out on sleep or notice that you are dragging for most of the day, consider speaking to your doctor about any of these potential causes. Once the source is identified, any of the natural remedies or a multi probiotic supplement will have you full of energy and bouncing back to life.
