Practices to reduce fatigue

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Extract from the article: Fatigue is one of the most widespread, least treated and most insidious health problems in the modern world. In fact, it is rarely and often misdiagnosed. We're tired for days and weeks on end, we're tired early in the morning, and we don't systemati

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Fatigue is one of the most widespread, least treated and most insidious health problems in the modern world. In fact, it is rarely and often misdiagnosed. We're tired for days and weeks on end, we're tired early in the morning, and we don't systematically seek help. The person's daily quality of life declines considerably. Here are a few tips to help you avoid energy slumps.

Before thinking of consulting a doctor, and especially if there are no real warning signs, such as changes in urine color, intense pain, yellow eyes, fever or vomiting, you need to listen to your body and respond to its demands. Whether chronic or permanent, fatigue can conceal illnesses ranging from the most benign to the most serious. Don't waste energy, let the body make the best use of it. Adopt an overall healthy lifestyle to prevent and overcome fatigue.

Eat a good breakfast

Diet is one of the three pillars of a healthy lifestyle, along with sleep and physical activity.Three balanced meals a day, without skipping meals or nibbling, is already a good basis.Breakfast should consist of stimulating foods: fruit, wholemeal bread, eggs or meat, for example, whose proteins have a stimulating effect.Thanks to the lactic ferments it contains, breakfast boosts the immune system and can therefore reduce fatigue over the long term.It's best to choose foods with a low glycemic index (GI). The sugar they contain passes slowly into the bloodstream, as if it were diffusing a continuous, regular infusion of energy without peaks or troughs.They therefore promote better physical and intellectual fitness.In the short term, high-GI foods cause chronic fatigue.In the medium and long term, they cause overweight, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As for beverages, opt for tea.

Hot water with lemon instead of an energy drink

Hot water with lemon or orange, for example, has a stimulating effect.But squeezed fruit is still less interesting than whole fruit from a nutritional point of view.And be careful to eat it immediately after squeezing, as the vitamin C content is halved within minutes.Absolutely avoid: energy drinks and fizzy drinks only generate transient excitement.  They have a high glycemic index and are addictive.

Get enough sleep

Sleep is health.So how can you stay in shape when your nights are disrupted?If you think you're suffering from one of the existing sleep disorders, it may be time to consult a health professional.In any case, going to bed at regular hours and leaving stress behind are the key to quality sleep. And if you're still tired, a 20-minute nap during the day, ideally between noon and 3 p.m., is recommended.

Full of light

Lack of light has many consequences for our biological clock.And the shorter the days get, the more likely we are to become depressed and lack energy.This is without taking into account the fact that vitamin D, which has become fashionable thanks to its many benefits, greatly needs these rays to exist.Regular exposure to the sun should provide a boost of energy. You can also take the opportunity to go for a walk for ten minutes or so after lunch to digest, fill up on light and get moving.

Air out 10 minutes before bedtime

Renewing indoor air is a good way to limit fatigue. At home, in the evening:Air the bedroom 10 minutes before going to bed, to renew the air and help you fall asleep. At work: whenever possible, open the office windows rather than switching on the air conditioning. At the same time, if you work sitting down, get up and walk for 5 to 10 minutes every hour and a half. These two good habits will relax your brain and your muscles.

Switch off screens at least 2 hours before bedtime

Tablets, computers, televisions and smartphones all emit blue light, which has an anti-melatonin effect, delaying sleep.Turn off screens at least two hours before bedtime.

Get moving every day, especially in the morning

A sedentary lifestyle can cause fatigue.Get moving every day, preferably in the morning and no later than early afternoon, so as not to overheat the body before bedtime. You don't necessarily have to run a marathon; any activity is a good idea: climbing stairs, walking. Increased physical activity can lead to muscle fatigue, but this is good fatigue, unlike chronic fatigue, which is harder to manage.If possible, move around in daylight, because exposure to daylight in the morning blocks melatonin, with an awakening effect and, by rebound effect, enables better melatonin secretion in the evening.

Avoid meat at dinner

If we eat too much in the evening, digestion is difficult, which leads to poor sleep.At the same time, you'll be less hungry in the morning, so you won't eat enough breakfast. To facilitate sleep in the evening, avoid meat and foods with a high glycemic index (industrial, sugary, refined products and ready-made meals). Instead, opt for legumes, rich in vegetable proteins, or eggs, which contain precursors of the sleep hormone melatonin.Also consider fish, especially oily fish rich in omega-3.Fruits and vegetables: ideally, you should eat 3 fruits and 5 or 6 vegetables a day, with 3 portions at lunchtime and 3 in the evening, including local, seasonal raw vegetables.Dinner should be finished at least 1.5 hours before bedtime, to promote quality sleep.

Relaxing

Taking time for yourself also means refocusing on what's essential: isolating yourself from time to time to take deep breaths, with your eyes closed. At home, take a hot bath.And before you drift off to sleep, you need to get rid of stress and anything else that might interfere with sleep.

Attention

Fatigue is a very vague concept.It's a weakness, a difficulty in managing daily physical and mental activities.If, despite these tips, you still can't overcome fatigue, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.Because if fatigue is too frequent, too intense or too disabling, it can sometimes be a sign of chronic stress or organic disease.

Elom AKAKPO

Source: Jérôme Lefrançois, General Practitioner, Nutritionist (France)