5 reasons why you don't have energy + tips for more energy

Energy Crisis

Huge numbers of people experience fatigue on a daily basis. In the book "I'm So Effing Tired," certified *integrative medicine (IG) doctor Amy Shah talks about the energy crisis we are facing right now. 15% of women report experiencing frequent fatigue, compared to 10% of men. In fact, in the 18 to 44 age group, women feel twice as tired as men.

*integrative medicine aims to stimulate self-healing and combat disease by looking at factors that influence health, including body, mind, environment and lifestyle.

The pandemic brought this even more to the fore. 69% of women say they experience stress and burnout-related symptoms, compared to 50% of men.

Why are we tired?

There are several theories that try to explain the energy crisis. Today's society brings enormous responsibilities. Our bodies are simply not built for this. When under excessive stress, our bodies activate the fight-and-flight response and the "rest and digest" mode is turned off. This prevents our bodies from resting.

In addition to this biological reason, our lifestyle also plays a huge role in how energetic we feel. This mainly has to do with the things we eat and the way we live. Much of the food we eat is processed and many people spend 8 hours a day in front of a screen. So it is no wonder we are massively out of energy .

How can I increase my energy?

Our fatigue is mainly a nutritional and lifestyle problem. And we can therefore influence this ourselves. The following 5 tips you can apply yourself and ensure more energy:

1. Optimize your sleep cycle

Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep to wake up rested. But you can still wake up tired if you don't have an optimal sleep cycle.

Your sleep cycles last about 70 to 100 minutes, alternating between REM sleep, non-REM sleep and all phases in between. Each phase has its own function. Think about restoring your body and mind and processing stimuli you take in during the day.

Factors such as a lot of stress or unstable blood sugar levels can disrupt your sleep cycle. In that case, it doesn't matter how many hours you sleep. If your sleep cycle is not healthy, you will not wake up rested.

But how do you solve this problem? According to research, you can lower your stress levels by exposing yourself to sunlight in the morning. Go outside right after getting up and feel the sun on your face. Furthermore, a diet consisting of "real" food is important. By this we mean food that has not been processed. Healthy food is essential if you want to keep your blood sugar stable at night.

2. Eat enough essential nutrients

A lack of energy may indicate a lack of essential nutrients. Magnesium in particular plays an important role in producing energy and maintaining your blood sugar levels.

Magnesium is responsible for more than 300 processes in the body that make you feel energized and healthy. So it's not surprising that a magnesium deficiency makes you feel totally defeated at the end of the day.

Magnesium supplements can help support your magnesium levels, but there are also foods that are full of magnesium:

• Bulgur
• Green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale)
• Avocado
• Nuts (cashews, peanuts)
• Seeds (pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds)
• Legumes (lentils, black beans)

3. Exercise more

Many people make the mistake of confusing a sporadic workout with an active lifestyle. Making time every day for a half-hour walk or a bike ride is often just as healthy as sitting all day and doing an intense gym session twice a week.

Of course, it is better to exercise occasionally than not to exercise at all. But if we want to get more energy, we need to adopt a more active lifestyle.

Actually, as humans we don't "get" energy, we create it. One way to do this is to exercise. Have you been sitting for a long time? Then simply walk around the house or do a few squats. Or set a timer on your phone and get up every 90 minutes to do a few exercises. You'll soon feel a lot more energetic.

4. Drink plenty of water

When your cells are dehydrated it has detrimental effects on your health. Your brain and nervous system need enough water to function properly and therefore take dehydration extremely seriously.

Most people know the importance of drinking enough water. Yet it is overlooked time and again when it comes to fighting fatigue. Your cells, tissues and organs all need water to function. If you don't drink enough water, you will experience symptoms of fatigue more quickly.

As an adult, make sure you drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water every day. Start the day with a large glass of water. This is because during the night you lose a quarter to half a liter of fluid. This way you start the day hydrated before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

5. Reduce stress

One of the biggest causes of fatigue is stress. When you have chronic stress, your adrenal glands are forced to work harder. This causes high levels of cortisol. Excess cortisol leads to an increase in glucose, which causes your body to activate the fight-or-flight response. It is impossible for your body to come to rest in this state.

Instead of pouring your third cup of coffee for a pick-me-up, learn to manage stress better. Breathing exercises can turn off the fight-or-flight response and activate the "rest and digest" mode. Breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation and yoga have been clinically proven to lower stress levels and provide more energy.

Choose a breathing exercise and do it for 10 minutes a day. In the Meditation Moments app, you will find several breathing exercises in the new Breathing category . The exercise Breathing for energy first calms your body after which you fill yourself with new energy. All breathing exercises are guided by Robert Bridgeman.