My Mum was always on the go. Once up in the morning she would hare round all day, running errands, cooking lunch for the staff, sorting out issues with staff or clients in my Dad’s veterinary practice, making or changing appointments for patients (she spent hours on the phone), chasing up bad debts, driving at high speed (she had a lead foot) to the next appointment because she was always running late, chatting with everyone she met along the way, until she collapsed into her armchair at the end of her working day (though she still had to cook supper for Dad and attend to the day’s bookwork) with a loud “Ooof’ as she sat down, and her daily exclamation, “No energy!”
In fact, she had oodles of energy, but she always complained of being tired.
As do so many of us.
Earlier this year, I spent time interviewing a number of highly successful female business leaders in their forties and older, to hear their thoughts and experiences of getting older and what they anticipated or worried about for their future.
Virtually all shared the same concern, a lack of energy. They were OK in the morning but by mid-afternoon, they were done, out of mental juice and physically fatigued.
They told me they slept well. But woke up feeling tired.
They were eating healthily in the main.
The stress of their job was unchanged and felt they were coping just fine.
Many had been to see their GP for a check-up.
They weren’t anaemic, their thyroid function was normal, their general biochemistry was normal.
Some were going through menopause and were receiving treatment for that.
Some were queried about their levels of stress and asked if they could be depressed, which was a major source of irritation.
“If you felt as tired as I do all the time, you’d be depressed too!”
Like my Mum, these women were doers, they all worked very hard, loved their work, but had got to the point where they had discovered they couldn’t get as much done as they used to, no matter how hard they tried, and were frustrated by the change in their energy output.
Fighting fatigue is not a combat sport.
The biggest problem when trying to overcome fatigue is recognising how exhausting the fight is.
Rather than thinking there’s something wrong (and yes, it is always important to rule out any medical issues), it’s time for a rethink as to what the underlying source of all this tiredness could be and tackle it differently.
Because you may have discovered ramping up your exercise schedule only leaves you needing a recovery nap and an early night.
Or you’ve tried various energy boosting supplements as suggested by your naturopath, which cost a lot of money but didn’t produce the results you were hoping for.
Now you’re even more fatigued and with a lighter wallet.
For many of us, we’ve been gradually adding in more and more to our already jam-packed schedules, thinking that’s normal or expected and have ended up running on empty.
We’re not designed to operate at full speed all day, every day.
We can for a while, but eventually something gives way– which is when you can end up physically unwell, mentally exhausted or burnt out.
Pushing yourself too hard for too long is an unnecessary risk for your health and well-being.
Restoring your energy balance.
Every cell in your body contains mitochondria, the specialised organelles that convert nutrients from our food into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the chemical energy our body uses to function.
The bad news being our mitochondrial function declines with age. Yes, this sucks.
However, this is where adhering to positive lifestyle choices can help.
- This is about remembering to include some healthy options at every meal and drinking enough water.
- It’s about staying sufficiently active across your day. (Have you ever noticed how much more tired you feel on those days when you’ve moved very little?)
- It’s about ensuring you strive for sufficient good quality uninterrupted sleep.
- It includes doing those activities that give you pleasure and keeping up with friends.
- It’s about ditching the crutches of smoking or alcohol.
- It’s about stepping outside for 20 minutes each day to boost your mental well-being and calm your nervous system.
The most important key to restoring energy.
Rest and recovery and a good dollop of self-compassion. Less is so much more!
Our modern world is so busy, we’ve ended up chronically stressed, meaning our brain is constantly hypervigilant to the ever-present real or imagined danger.
If you’re asked to hold a full glass of water at arm’s length for as long as you can. How long do you think you’d last?
After all, it’s not a heavy weight.
But most people find after a couple of minutes that muscle fatigue kicks in and now that glass of water feels really heavy.
My current rehabilitation program requires me to do my exercises diligently with the load gradually being increased to rebuild strength and resilience.
But rather than looking just to increase my reps, I’ve been advised to go slow and take a few extra seconds to rest before adding more weight
The way to restore energy starts with understanding what works for you, and adapting to a new routine that factors in more time for rest and recovery.
- 5-10 minutes of not being interrupted while enjoying a welcome mid-morning cup of coffee on your own.
- A short walk at lunch time in a green or blue space.
- Listen to a favourite uplifting piece of music.
- Play a musical instrument.
- Sing.
- A workout in the gym.
- A session of yoga or Pilates.
- A nap.
- Create something – knit, paint, draw.
- Catch up with a friend.
- Look at something that fills you with awe and wonder.
- Switch off your phone or turn to silent when you can.
- Schedule your downtime in the diary. (this is non-negotiable)
- Meditate.
- Share gratitude.
Reclaiming your energy is possible and starts by dialling down those items on your to-do list that are draining you.
Remember. Energy is not a finite resource.
The harder we work or train, the more time we need for adequate rest and recovery, as every professional athlete knows.
How do you restore energy to your day?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
