Hanging out for that date tonight with the back of your eyelids?

That feeling of always getting to bed a bit later than you wanted and then dragging yourself out in the morning to start the day. You’re not alone. Tired is a really common feeling affecting many of us on a daily basis. It can be debilitating and a negative effect on our health.

So why are we so tired? Generally, there is a combination of factors.

Being too busy: Having your day packed to the brim with your to-do list… which is a list that is so long you can’t see the end of it, this stops you from having rest time. Yes, REST time. You are allowed to have rest time. You actually need rest time. In the workplace, it illegal to work all day without a break…. But we allow ourselves to do this. Being so busy all day, everyday can make you tired     

Just not enough sleep: The Australian Centre for Sleep Education recommends adults require 7-9 hours of sleep. 7-9 hours…… hands up if you will just keep watching that tv show until the next ad break… and then the next ad break. Ops, it’s midnight and I have to get up at 6am….. This is ok now and then but not on a continuous basis. You are depriving your body of the time it needs to rest. A lot happens when you sleep. Our bodies renew cells, repairs andy damaged cells and just simply rests. It is really important. Another really important point is to have a good quality sleep. “Good quality sleep” is the key here. Not broken sleep. Continuous, good quality sleep. If you have less than 7-9 hours and your sleep quality is poor, this may be one of the reasons for your tiredness. The reasons for not having good quality sleep…. There is so many reasons from sleep apnoea, pain from a poor mattress, hormonal issues and kids!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Anxiety, Depression and Sleep Disorders: Anxiety and Depression can cause you to feel tired. There are many research articles linking a correlation between sleep disorders to anxiety and depression… with sleep disorders being conditions that affect your sleep…. generally leaving you feeling tired. Remember, sleep deprivation was a form of torture many moons ago. So lack of sleep…. It can be emotionally and physically painful. In 2005, a study published in the journal Sleep found people with insomnia, a sleep condition in which you can not get to sleep or stay asleep, these people were nearly 10 times more likely to have clinically significant depression than others who did not have insomnia. The same study showed people suffering from insomnia were also more than 17 times more likely to suffer from anxiety.                                                                                                                                                                                    

Digestive problems: if your gut has problems digesting certain foods, this can be seen as an intolerance. Food intolerances can cause a multitude of symptoms from bloating, belching, increased flatulence through to constipation and diarrhoea. There is a direct link from gut issues such as irritable bowel and food intolerance to chronic fatigue syndrome. It would be simple to say, well lets fix the digestive issues. This is often a very complex issue that has developed over time which can include many factors. The key is to get to the bottom of the problem, find out the cause and help the gut heal and digest food well.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Adrenal fatigue: the adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys. One on each side. Their function is to produce hormones that help the body control blood sugar, burn protein and fat, react to stressors, and regulate blood pressure. One of the most important hormones produced by the adrenal gland is cortisol. This is our stress hormone. It is released by the adrenal glands in time of stress, whether that be acute high stress or chronic low stress. If you are suffering long, chronic stress, the adrenal glands constantly produce cortisol to help maintain balance in your body. This gets tiring over time and they can start to fatigue causing your body to feel the strain of trying to keep up. This is adrenal fatigue.                                                                                                                      

Under active thyroid: your thyroid gland is responsible for metabolism and general energy production. There are many reasons your thyroid may not be working at an optimal level. These include genetic conditions such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, Grave’s disease and Hashimoto’s disease. Other factors such as sensitivity to gluten, dairy, environmental toxins can also cause thyroid dysfunction. Along with stress and deficiencies in selenium and iodine, the thyroid can cop a beating.

There are plenty more reasons than this as to why you are so tired. The point is…. there are usually a few reasons and addressing all the causes will help you regain your fresh self.

Want to know how naturopathy could help your fatigue/tiredness? Give us a call or book in online!

Phone: (03) 9773 8085