Health Articles » Overcoming Exhaustion

We live in times where there is high expectations and high demands on our time and this leaves many people fighting their natural energy highs and lows and expecting themselves to exhibit peak performance seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. But it's just not possible to operate with the same level of intensity and vitality all the time. What we need to do, instead, is learn to respect our natural energy rhythms instead of working against them. When your physical and emotional stamina is already low, this may require turning down some social invitations so you can make time for much needed rest, setting limits with family members or friends who tend to drain your emotional reserves, or delegating tasks that aren't essential for you to do so that your "to do" list doesn't become insurmountable.

The problem is, when your time and attention are consistently scattered, your energy becomes so diffuse that you wind up wasting much of it. Under such conditions, its virtually impossible to feel grounded or centered in yourself or mindful of your actions or environment. Besides, when stress becomes a way of life, your body responds by continuously activating its "fight-or-flight" response: the hypothalamus in the brain triggers the release of stress hormones, which in turn influence many different body systems. Being stuck in stress mode consistently depletes the body's energy reserves. It can take a toll on various body systems, causing symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, back pain, diarrhea, weight gain, and frequent colds, among others. And it can have a detrimental effect on your state of mind, robbing you of emotional vim and vigor.

There's no question: when fatigue becomes a fact of everyday life for a healthy adult, your habits, your choices, or your lifestyle are probably to blame. You may feel exhausted simply because being sapped of energy has become the norm for you; it's become the state of your existence. And that's a choice, perhaps a passive one but still a choice because you allowed it to happen. So if you want to rev up your body's engine and recapture the energy you've lost, it's up to you to take charge of doing so. When it comes to the energy equation, there are no quick cures or magic bullets. Contrary to what many advertisers would like you to believe, you can't pop a pill or swallow a potion and suddenly have more vim and vigor than you know what to do with. If you want to jump-start your energy, you're going to have to tinker with your lifestyle.

The key is to set yourself up for energy in all aspects of your life-and you have the power to do this. It involves devising strategic plans for eating and exercising, revamping the lifestyle habits and environmental factors that are pulling the plug on your natural energy resources, and giving yourself an attitude adjustment to promote positive mental energy and eliminate negative energy sappers. Most of all, it will require consistency in your actions if you want to reap optimal energy benefits. But it's worth it. For one thing, it sure beats the alternative. After all, your personal energy crisis can affect every aspect of your life: your physical wellbeing, your emotional equilibrium, the quality of your relationships and your social life, even your spiritual outlook.

So when fatigue sets in, take it seriously. Heed its red-alert signal, and try to restore your body's energy balance. You can do this in many different ways but all involve either restoring spent or squandered energy (by consuming nutritious food, drinking lots of water, setting out on a brisk walk, getting some extra shut-eye, breathing deeply and so on) or conserving energy (by taking some quiet time for yourself, passing on nonessential commitments, putting off tasks and chores that don't absolutely have to be done today). Taking these steps will help you elevate your mood and energy.

Remember to see a doctor if you're suffering an energy deficit as well as symptoms that could signal a medical condition.