为什么我总是很累
Do you struggle to get out of bed, feel constantly drained and rely on pick-me-ups such as protein bars, coffee and sugary treats to get you through the day? If so, you're far from alone. Research by market analysts Mintel reveal that one in three of us admit we're permanently worn out because of the pace of modern life. As a result, sales of supplements such as ginseng, energy drinks and power bars have shot up more than 5% in the last year alone. So much so that doctors have even created a handy acronym - TATT (Tired All The Time) - that they jot down in their notes when a patient complains of constant fatigue. Here, experts point to some of the causes - and how to deal with them. 1. You're not exercising enough It might be the last thing you feel like, but avoiding exercise because you're tired actually makes you feel worse. In a University of Georgia study, sedentary but otherwise healthy adults who began exercising lightly three days a week for just 20 minutes reported feeling less fatigued and more energized after six weeks. This is because regular exercise makes your heart and lungs work more efficiently, delivering oxygen and vital nutrients around the body. 2. You don't sleep as well as you think Recent research shows many of us survive on so-called 'junk sleep' - the kind when we wake up frequently throughout the night. It doesn't replenish our energy levels as well as long stretches of continuous sleep. Junk sleep can be caused by stress, but also by over-stimulating the brain too close to bedtime. For example, by checking emails or using tablets and smartphones that emit a blue light found to disrupt sleep by tricking the brain into producing 'wake-up' hormones right when you need to wind down. 3. Your coffee addiction is sapping your energy Although we think of caffeine as a pick-me-up, it actually makes us feel more tired once the initial surge wears off. Dr Chidi Ngwaba, director of The Lifestyle Medicine Clinic, explains: "This is because our brain chemistry doesn't like being interfered with by stimulants, so it releases chemicals to dampen down the alert response." |