If you’re getting enough sleep and you frequently ask yourself, “Why am I so tired?”, there are actually many culprits that can cause this tired feeling!
In this blog, we are going to explore the most common causes of fatigue, as well as give you some tips to regain your energy.
- Low Iron Levels
One potential yet common cause is that your iron levels are low. It doesn’t matter if you sleep long enough, if your iron levels are low, chances are you will still feel tired regardless. Low iron is especially common in pregnant women and women on their periods, as well as in vegans and those who follow a salad-based diet.
Raising your iron levels takes time for proper absorption, but you can fix this by consuming red meat, liver, or poultry, and if you are a vegan, spinach, tofu, seeds, and lentils are good plant sources.
- High Sugar and Caffeine
Many people also resort to energy drinks to counteract the lack of energy they feel throughout the day. However, even though this may work in providing an energy boost quickly, in a few hours you’ll most probably experience that infamous energy crash due to the high sugar and caffeine they contain.
It is wise to limit the consumption of energy drinks and go for smoothies or teas instead which provide more slow-releasing and stable energy throughout the day.
- Low Calories Consumption
Another common culprit is that you don’t consume enough calories from your diet. If you follow a strict diet that is very low in calories and nutrients, your energy levels will most likely suffer.
Keep in mind that calories are needed by our systems to burn and convert into energy and if you don’t supply your body with an adequate amount, your body will be depleted of energy and this will lead to you feeling tired all the time as a result. So make sure you consume enough calories!
- Using Digital Devices on a daily basis
Since most of us use our phones and computers on a daily basis, it has been found that our brains perceive the light and radiation they emit similarly to sunlight. Thus, your brain might think you are awake when you are not and your sleep mechanisms won’t be able to work properly.
If you are an avid phone user and you find that you often wake up feeling tired, perhaps it’s time to keep your phone or computer at bay, at least half an hour before you sleep.
- Dehydration
Last but not least, you may always feel tired because you are actually dehydrated. If your body is deprived of enough liquids and water, your energy levels will dramatically drop and your body will urge you to drink more to compensate for this. Don’t ignore it!