Tips to Fight Fatigue – If you feel better…you look better!
Feeling fatigued not only takes a toll on your health—it also affects the way you look. Try these tips to fight fatigue. Beauty experts and doctors agree, the key to looking better is feeling better.
Here are valuable tips to minimize, manage, and control fatigue.
What is Fatigue?
When you’re fatigued, you’re not just tired or stressed. Fatigue is a pervasive feeling of exhaustion that doesn’t go away, even after rest.
Some causes of fatigue are:
- A known or undiagnosed medical condition
- Too little sleep
- Diet or lifestyle
- Psychological stress and anxiety
- A combination of the above factors
How Fatigue Affects Your Looks
When you’re fatigued, you look tired. You may have dark circles under your eyes, or your skin may look pale. Wrinkles seem more obvious. Eyelids appear droopier and the corners of the mouth look fatigued as well.
No one wants to look exhausted.
But there’s good news. There are many ways to fight fatigue and regain energy. And these improvements will show in the way you carry yourself, in the way you look, and in the way you interact with others.
Get Plenty of Sleep
The average adult needs seven or more hours of sleep each night. Quality deep sleep helps the brain rest and regroup for the following day, and fights fatigue.
Not having enough sleep can harm your skin. When you sleep, your skin makes new collagen. This prevents skin thinning and wrinkles. Poor sleep disrupts collagen production and can make your skin appear older.
Some ways to improve your sleep include:
- Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime
- Don’t nap during the day
- Stop using TV, phones, and computers 30 minutes before bedtime
- Have a relaxing pre-bedtime routine like quietly reading a magazine for 30 minutes or taking a warm bath or shower
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
- Avoid taking sleeping pills; they don’t address the root of the problem
- Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature; cooler is better than warmer with 65° Fahrenheit considered near ideal
- Turn off all lights in your bedroom so the room is dark—ban LED lights and electronic clocks or screens from your bedroom
- Install blackout curtains to keep the morning sun from entering your room
- Avoid eating a large meal before bedtime
- Get some exercise during the day, but don’t exercise before going to bed
- Avoid alcohol for several hours before going to bed
Reduce Stress
Stress alone can cause fatigue. It drains our bodies and can negatively affect our heart and immune system.
Ways to reduce stress:
- Learn a relaxation technique such as deep breathing
- Practice yoga or meditation
- Start journaling
- Avoid drinking alcohol or using drugs
- Start exercising regularly
- Listen to quiet music
- Sit outside in a relaxing place and enjoy nature
- Get in the habit of taking a leisurely 20-minute walk everyday
- Contact a good friend to talk and laugh together
- Keep a normal routine for eating and sleeping at regular hours
Read more about Easy Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety.
Fatigue-Proof Your Diet and Lifestyle
Eat Foods for Energy
Ludwig Feuerbach, a mid-nineteenth century German philosopher, coined the phrase “You are what you eat.”
It’s just as true today.
A healthful diet makes you feel healthier and energized. Poor dietary habits will leave you feeling fatigued and uncomfortable.
Slow burning complex carbs help sustain energy. Excellent sources of complex carbs are starchy vegetables and whole grain foods such as wheat and brown rice.
Here are some diet tips to help you fight fatigue:
- Eat an energy-boosting breakfast with wholegrain breads or cereals and protein from eggs.
- Eat a combination of protein and carbs for lunch for energy and an alert mind.
- Don’t skip any meals or blood sugar levels and energy will dip.
- At that mid-afternoon slump, enjoy apples and cheese instead of a sugary snack.
- Try eating smaller meals and snacks every 3-4 hours; a large meal can make you feel stuffed and sluggish.
- Prioritize unprocessed foods such as lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
- Drink non-caffeinated beverages.
- Make sure you get enough vitamin B12.
Say Goodbye to Caffeine
After the effects of caffeine wear off, your body feels even more tired. Eliminate caffeine from your diet to stay energized.
Try this caffeine experiment:
Stop drinking caffeinated beverages over a three-week period to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches. Then, give it a month. If you’re feeling less fatigued, caffeine was not your friend, and you will do well to avoid it.
Here are some caffeinated drinks you will want to avoid:
- Coffee—even the decaf varieties contain some caffeine
- Espresso
- Tea, although black tea has more caffeine than green tea
- Some energy drinks
- Colas
- Certain soft drinks – check the label
- Hot chocolate made from cocoa powder
These foods surprisingly contain caffeine, but the amount varies from product to product:
- Chocolate anything
- Ice cream with coffee or chocolate flavor
- Protein bars, especially those that are coffee-flavored
- Some over the counter pain relief products
Stop Smoking
If you smoke, here are a few more reasons to quit.
Cigarette smoke lessens the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream. This causes lower energy levels and contributes to fatigue. It also deprives the skin of oxygen and necessary nutrients, making the skin look pale.
Smoking also contributes to skin aging, even causing baggy eyelids and lines around the lips. Smoking can also contribute to other skin issues, such as slower healing of wounds, and skin issues such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Stop smoking for increased energy, better health, and for far more attractive skin.
When you stop smoking, some skin damage will reverse, and collagen production can be restored. Your skin will recover some elasticity.
Be aware that when you stop smoking you may first experience fatigue. This can result from nicotine withdrawal and will only last about two weeks.
Stay Hydrated Helps Fight Fatigue
Even mild dehydration can make you tired. Stay well hydrated by drinking eight, eight-ounce glasses of water daily.
It may surprise you to learn that fatigue is one of the most common signs of dehydration. Dehydration can also make you feel lightheaded or even dizzy. If your body isn’t sufficiently hydrated, you simply won’t feel good.
Dehydration also causes other unwanted effects, such as muscle cramps, headaches, constipation, cold feet, or even mood swings. It can even make you feel sleepy during the day.
Insufficient hydration of the brain is even known to cause short-term memory loss. So, staying hydrated is crucial to feeling energized and healthy.
Limit Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol consumption causes your body to produce melatonin; this puts your body into a low-energy state. It can also hurt your quality of sleep, disrupt your sleep cycle, and make you feel tired or hungover the following day.
Alcohol is a known depressant. It slows down your mental abilities and causes depressive feelings, both of which contribute to feelings of fatigue or even exhaustion.
Move More!
To fight fatigue, add movement to your life. A sedentary lifestyle leads to fatigue, depression, and poor health. All good reasons to get moving!
Some people think that exercising will make them more tired. This is true if you overdo it, or when you first start exercising. But you will quickly feel more energetic after just a few days of increased movement.
You’re also benefitting your lungs, heart, and muscles.
A favorite weight loss counselor used to say, “Walk the dog every day, even if you don’t have one!” Walking is an easy, free, and great exercise!
Try walking for just 20 minutes a day. It will make a tremendous difference to your wellbeing.
Psychological Factors Can Cause Fatigue
Many people experience fatigue due to psychological reasons. You may have personal, family, or work issues that are adding stress or negativity to your life.
Chronic stress is a common cause of mental exhaustion, which can easily lead to physical exhaustion. Uncertainty about major life issues or being overburdened with personal commitments can cause mental exhaustion as well.
Here, you will probably benefit from speaking to a trained counselor or therapist.
Learn to forgive others to free yourself from exhausting negative emotions. And learn to say “no” to unwanted, time-consuming requests from others.
Find Time for Fun
Fight fatigue with good old-fashioned fun. You’ll feel happier and energized!
Try something new, like visiting a local art show or craft show. Or have lunch with a friend who always makes you laugh.
Any fun activity can be part of your self-care arsenal used to relieve stress and fight fatigue.
Some additional purely fun activities you may enjoy are:
- Playing a video game alone or with friends
- Tackling a 1,000-piece puzzle
- Trying out a new recipe
- Take on a new art or craft project
- Dancing to favorite music
- Singing at a local karaoke night
Two More Ways to Look Less Tired
At Vibrance MedSpa, we offer a wide range of treatments to have you looking and feeling your best.
Get a Facial
You get an immediate energy charge when you know you look your best. Having a facial at Vibrance MedSpa is a sure way to look great and feel better!
First, we will determine your exact skin care needs by providing a thorough skin analysis. Each facial will also include a gentle, deep cleansing of your skin.
We offer an extensive variety of facials
- NanoFacial by Rezenerate
- Fire & Ice facial
- HydraFacial MD™
- Vibradermabrasion
- Vi Peel
- Derma-Peel
- Teen facial
- Vibrance Signature facial
- Gentlemen’s facial
- And other specialty facials
Try an Undereye Rejuvenation Treatment
An Undereye Rejuvenation treatment at Vibrance will have your eyes looking refreshed and stress-free.
If you are suffering from fatigue, it’s important to visit your doctor to rule out any underlying medical problems. If fatigue is taking a toll on your looks, contact us at Vibrance MedSpa where we help you live your most beautiful life!
If you feel better, you look better!