Fatigued? - October 7, 2010

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

As school has started back up and fall schedules have gone back into full swing many of us are finding that we're somehow busier now than we were in summer. Seems hard to fathom. Busy schedules can prevent you from really taking care of yourself. If you find you're feeling overly fatigued on a regular basis this information is for you, if not...then share with a friend. ;)

Here are some tips to help fight the fatigue!

1. Rest
When was the last time you got 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep? Been a while? It's a shame because adequate sleep is one of the most effective ways to help your body recover and regenerate from the stressors of life. Not getting enough sleep can affect your endocrine (hormone) system, alters cellular regeneration and impairs optimum hormone function. Research has found that lack of sleep decreases growth hormone which can in turn increase age related illnesses. Sleep deprivation also may have a dampening effect on the secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone and increase blood levels of cortisol, especially during the afternoon and evening. These elevated cortisol levels are related to stress related illness, insulin resistance and memory impairment.

2. Exercise
Sounds counter-intuitive doesn't it...if you're tired, you should exercise. It's actually a great way to combat fatigue. It increases your energy as long as you don't push yourself so much that you send your body into a state of overtraining and more fatigue. Exercise increases the metabolic hormones, growth hormones, and testosterone which helps to maintain lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism works and the less fatigued you feel.

3. Maintain your schedule
Don't put off tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Get organized and make a plan of action to complete your tasks. Procrastination leads to mental stress and anxiety. It's the dread of anticipation that can take it out of you every day. To help, make a list of the top 5 things to do before noon every day. Whatever you want to do the least should be at the top of the list and completed immediately so it's out of the way.

4. Eat
Eating frequently helps maintain normal blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes. If you wait too long between eating your insulin levels spike and your body goes on a hormonal roller-coaster. You'll feel surges of energy and sudden crashes. Try eating several small meals regularly throughout the day or three meals with two snacks in between. Don't wait much more than three hours between meals. Breakfast sets the tone for your metabolism each day so it's important not to skip eating in the morning. Limit simple carbs and processed foods as they're known to cause mood swings from blood sugar changes.

5. Liquids
Dehydration leads to thirst. This has a negative effect on the body's chemistry and takes your system about 24 hours to recover. This stress can fatigue your adrenal glands and neuromuscular system. There is also a decrease in the absorption of nutrients from food. So just keep water in front of you all day to remind yourself to drink it regularly instead of waiting until you feel thirsty.

We've covered these topics before but never in the context of fatigue. So I hope this can help you pull out of a fatigue cycle you might be in. Take care this week and stay healthy.

Remember this month is National Chiropractic Month and we're offering free exam and x-rays for all new patients! If Chiropractic has helped you in any way, share it! Also, starting November 1st we will have a massage therapist in the office so check back for more details on her hours and pricing!!

Take care!
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre