What if you could reclaim your energy and productivity simply by tweaking your lifestyle? We're about to redefine your understanding of fatigue, going beyond the common perception that it's just an amplified version of tiredness. In fact, fatigue is a complex health issue that can significantly impact your physical and mental wellbeing. We're breaking down the reasons most people experience fatigue, from the obvious culprits like a sedentary lifestyle and overactivity, to the less known cause of overtraining and adrenal fatigue. We're also sharing expert insights on how to find that elusive balance between work and self-care.
But that's not where this conversation ends. We're also showing how you can turn the tide on fatigue by establishing a simple yet effective sleep routine. Forget the countless sleep aids on the market, sometimes all it takes is brushing your teeth and washing your face right after dinner or setting out your workout clothes the night before bed. And while we're on the subject of self-care, let's not forget the role of a balanced diet and effective stress management techniques in reducing fatigue. So, strap in and get ready for a deep dive into the world of fatigue management. It's time to reclaim your energy and live life to the fullest.
Find episode links, notes and artwork at:
https://blog.dirobi.com
This show is for informational purposes only.
None of the information in this podcast should be construed as dispensing medical advice.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
What if you could reclaim your energy and productivity simply by tweaking your lifestyle? We're about to redefine your understanding of fatigue, going beyond the common perception that it's just an amplified version of tiredness. In fact, fatigue is a complex health issue that can significantly impact your physical and mental wellbeing. We're breaking down the reasons most people experience fatigue, from the obvious culprits like a sedentary lifestyle and overactivity, to the less known cause of overtraining and adrenal fatigue. We're also sharing expert insights on how to find that elusive balance between work and self-care.
But that's not where this conversation ends. We're also showing how you can turn the tide on fatigue by establishing a simple yet effective sleep routine. Forget the countless sleep aids on the market, sometimes all it takes is brushing your teeth and washing your face right after dinner or setting out your workout clothes the night before bed. And while we're on the subject of self-care, let's not forget the role of a balanced diet and effective stress management techniques in reducing fatigue. So, strap in and get ready for a deep dive into the world of fatigue management. It's time to reclaim your energy and live life to the fullest.
Find episode links, notes and artwork at:
https://blog.dirobi.com
This show is for informational purposes only.
None of the information in this podcast should be construed as dispensing medical advice.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Welcome to the DiRobi Health Show. I'm excited to do this episode largely for myself. Fatigue is something I deal with. I also wanted to use the word banish in a podcast. I don't think I've ever used it. So how to banish fatigue just sound like a cool word to use. How often do we get to use that word?
Speaker 1:So I did this research. It started off with me going I'm a health nut, I eat well, I exercise. How come my wife seems to have unlimited energy, even though she's not a health nut? She's a healthy person, but it's not like she's talking about health. Like I am, she's not into it. She just eats well, exercises and seems to have batteries that literally never run out. I, on the other hand, work out, eat right and really work at health and wellness and love it. I'm kind of a health nut and yet I don't have as much energy as she does, and I got to researching this and I hope that some of this will help you as well.
Speaker 1:Now we're going to be talking about genetics here, which does play a factor, but even when it comes to genetics, there are things that you can do If you just feel like you just were born with lower energy than people around you. That's a very real thing. Genetically, some people have very high energy and some are medium energy and some are lower energy, and accepting that is also part of life. However, we all want to do the best with whatever we have. So let's jump into fatigue and how to banish it. I think this is the fourth time I've used the word in the podcast Pretty exciting stuff. So, first of all, fatigue comes from a variety of sources, so obviously, identifying the sources is step number one.
Speaker 1:Now, fatigue is not quite the same as just being tired. So anyone can feel tired after a long day of work or an intense workout, but fatigue is a persistent feeling of tiredness that hampers your daily activities. So this is when you, on an ongoing basis, don't have the energy that you wish you had. It's a common complaint. As a matter of fact, I don't know what the stats are, but a very high percentage of people in our modern society suffer with fatigue, and yet the causes of that differ.
Speaker 1:For a lot of people, it's often referred to as exhaustion, of course, and it can not only affect your physical body but your overall feeling of well-being. So, of course, we all want to feel our best and live an abundant, fulfilling life, and it's hard to do that if we're constantly fatigued or feel exhausted. It can stem from physical exertion, lack of a good night's sleep or underlying medical conditions like anemia or sleep apnea. So, of course, if you have a constant set of fatigue, getting medical help could be a great start, so that you can at least rule out that you don't have some medical condition that could easily be treated before you try a bunch of methods that aren't addressing a actual medical condition that you might have. There's also mental and emotional factors, including stress, anxiety, even depression, that can contribute to feelings of prolonged fatigue. So trying to figure out the root cause of your fatigue is crucial in order to effectively address and manage it and, once diagnosed, you can take proactive steps to regain control. And, of course, part of that diagnosis or self-diagnosis could involve those people around you. It could be that just having some discussions of people that you trust and who know you well is worthwhile. If you just say to them you know, why do you? You know I feel fatigued more than I think I should, they might just tell you some things that might not have seemed obvious to you, that they have noticed and could share with you, and so bringing your loved ones and people who know you best into the conversation could also be an excellent way to get started Now.
Speaker 1:Symptoms of fatigue include persistent lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, lack of motivation and a diminished ability to perform your usual activities. They often accumulate gradually over time, making it challenging to pinpoint exactly what is wrong, but it can have a profound impact on daily life, of course, and so we're just gonna run through some of the top causes of fatigue and some solutions. First of all, a sedentary lifestyle. This is one of the top reasons why people are fatigued. You would think that if you're resting a lot, you'd have lots of energy, but of course that's not the case. There's times you've gotta be exercising. So if you are a couch potato and you know that you don't exercise enough, this is something well worth addressing, because it will raise your energy level, raise your overall quality of life.
Speaker 1:And so if exercise is really difficult, it's difficult for you. Just keep it simple, figure it out, do something light, add a lunchtime walk, get yourself a standing desk and put one of those slow walking treadmills underneath it and use it for a portion of your day. I have one, and I often only use it for 30 minutes to an hour. As a matter of fact, I often set out to use it for just 30 minutes and end up doing an hour without even thinking about it. And you know what? I find that I sleep better when I've done, even even with other exercise. I do because I actually love exercise. I exercise every single day and yet that 30 minutes to an hour walking on the treadmill adds that extra layer of tiredness, so I really sleep deeply. Anyways, whatever it is for you, find a simple exercise routine you can stick with, and a sedentary lifestyle is something you definitely got to face head on and overcome if you want to overcome persistent feelings of fatigue.
Speaker 1:On the flip side, overactivity can also cause fatigue and wear you down. Constantly maintaining an overly busy schedule without allowing for sufficient rest and rejuvenation is a cause of chronic fatigue. So striking a balance between productivity and self care includes time devoted to relax. Also, you might be over trained. You might have adrenal fatigue. So if you are spending more than about five hours in the gym per week Now I do that, but so I'm not saying you can't have more than five hours of exercise per week, but it shouldn't be five hours of intense exercise. In my hours of exercise in a week, about half of it is fairly light and the other half is intense, and so that ratio between intensity, lightness, the combination of mobility, strength training etc makes a difference. So if you're doing heavy exercise for over five hours a week or you have a job that's very demanding physically, then you could be, you know suffering from overactivity and maybe you just are the type of person that needs to relax. You just don't take time for yourself.
Speaker 1:So if you've, if you stopped reading in the past and you know that's a hobby, you might want to pick up again. If you're not a meditator, consider becoming a meditator. Spend more playtime with your kids, with your grandkids. Start a new hobby. You know, if you're a person like me that used to really enjoy hobbies but you kind of just let them slip out of your life, this could be a fun time to just reevaluate that and introduce a hobby that you've loved back into your life.
Speaker 1:When I was a kid I used to enjoy building models, and as a grownup I still do. I didn't do it for many years and then I started building stuff with my kids and I kind of feel like a builder when it comes to hobbies. I right now have one of those adult Legos. It's a Ford GT car with like 1300 pieces and I will go at it just a little bit at a time and for me it's it's meditative Just to sit down. You know, if you've never haven't seen these adult Lego kits that are for people 18 and up, they're pretty cool, and so if you had a hobby that you enjoyed as a kid, like building stuff, there's probably some adult version of that that you could revisit so that you could kind of tone down and overcome your overactivity, if that's something you struggle with.
Speaker 1:Unhealthy diet of course we eat food that is, you know, often stuffed with sugar and and unhealthy fats and is hyper stimulating. So of course, cutting out junk food and fast food is a key. Prioritizing a balance and wholesome diet is, of course, important. So most people have an unhealthy diet, let's face it most, and you don't have to eat perfectly to overcome this. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend, of course, our dirobyn diet, which is a sane and simple way to live and eat. That will really ramp up your nutrition without costing extra money. It's a free program, it's just seven simple steps. So definitely consider that, if you haven't done it yet.
Speaker 1:Also, in our unhealthy diet, one of those things that we do is drink unhealthy energy drinks. If that's you try to substitute the two, you don't have to eliminate them. A lot of people think, oh, you should never have an energy drink. You can't be a health nut and drink energy drinks. Ah, there's not much research behind that. But of course, caffeine anyways. Okay that there are people that metabolize caffeine and do really well on caffeine, there are people that perform better on caffeine, there are people that think more clearly on caffeine and, of course, there are people that don't. That should avoid caffeine.
Speaker 1:So, first of all, understand whether caffeine is an aid or a crutch to you and then make sure you're using it wisely. Get rid of unhealthy methods of delivery methods, I guess, of caffeine, such as unhealthy sugar filled energy drinks. But you don't have to get rid of them. You can replace them with focus up, which is one of my favorites, or neuro boost. Both of those are available at dirobicom and are excellent, and they not only will replace those unhealthy energy drinks but still give you that energy, but they're also going to boost your whole system in a very natural, healthy way, so that one switch could make a big difference. In addition, make sure, of course, that you're taking a multi and minerals, like our Mimi's Miracle Multi and Mimi's Miracle Minerals, to rely on deficiencies, because it's really hard to have your best possible energy If you are deficient on important factors like zinc. Maca in our Mimi's Miracle Multi is a direct energy improver and libido increaser actually, so getting all of your multi vitamins and minerals is critical to this whole process.
Speaker 1:Now, I also had talked about genetics. The fact is, each of us is born with a set of genetics that make us excel in some areas and be average in other areas and below average in others. And for me, I actually think that energy is something that I have low genetics for, and I don't think I'm making an excuse for that. Like I said, I'm a healthy person, I work out hard, and yet other people around me just seem to naturally be more bouncy, more upbeat, have more energy, and so part of it is just accepting that we all have a different sort of built-in set of batteries. So, after just kind of accepting that, at the same time, we don't want to use it as an excuse. So for me, what this means is that I just accept that I do better when I nap every afternoon, for example. Other people don't need a nap every afternoon, but when I nap in the afternoon I just feel better and I have a lot more energy for the rest of the day.
Speaker 1:I put my noise blocking headphones on, I put some meditative music from Insight Timer, I turn on the do not disturb on my phone so that no one can call me or text me and there's no buzzing or beeping, and then I set a timer for 25 minutes. I lie down on a bed or a comfortable chair, and this habit I've done it for years and it feels terrific. And I've actually experimented with 15, five minute intervals 15 minutes, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45. And what I found? That anything over about 30 to 45 45 isn't actually effective. It actually makes me groggy and may even impair my sleep. That night I found that 25 minutes is a sweet spot and if I don't have much time, 15 minutes is better than nothing. Now, that's just from my own experimentation. I highly recommend that you do similar experimentation for yourself.
Speaker 1:Now, the last one, of course, is a big one, and that is sleep problems. If you have sleep problems, it's kind of unrealistic to expect that you'll have fantastic energy throughout the day. Poor or insufficient sleep is a leading cause of fatigue. So if you're not getting your solid seven to nine hours of rest each night, that's something you really ought to make a prior priority in your life. So a good night sleep does start before bedtime.
Speaker 1:Now I'm not going to go into all the various ways of doing a sleep routine. You probably know what those are. Just create a simple one for yourself. Eliminate caffeine after 2pm, even those good ones that I mentioned earlier. Develop your simple sleep routine, like I said.
Speaker 1:And then there's a couple simple things I've discovered that kind of are not really part of a sleep routine that I've ever heard of from anyone else, but they really work for me. One of them is I brush my teeth and wash my face right after dinner, and the reason I do that is twofold. Number one I don't like it when I start to get tired and then I think, oh, I got to go in the bathroom and brush my teeth and wash my face, which is such a simple thing to do. And yet I found that if I've brushed my teeth and washed my face after dinner and then I get dozy and can just get in bed. It's a lot better for some reason, and the other thing you can do is set out your workout clothes the night before, which sets you up for success that morning. You're just going to get up, grab those workout clothes and you're going to exercise.
Speaker 1:Back to our earlier conversation about exercise. Getting ready to exercise the night before is just triggering your brain and preparing you for success the next morning. So fatigue can be a daily struggle, if not confronted head on. If you're struggling with fatigue, why not kind of take a break, take a step back and think about it, address it, go through some of these points and figure out which of these might help you the most. Be proactive about it. Take steps like improving your sleep routine, improving your diet, supplementing properly, practicing stress management techniques, incorporating regular exercise, and you might be able to put those groggy days behind you. I hope you've enjoyed this episode. This is Dave Sherwin, wishing you health and success.