You haven\u2019t been getting enough sleep lately, but could that be all that\u2019s zapping your energy?<\/p>\n
Constant weariness may stem from more than a few late-night parties. Some culprits? Disease or heavy bleeding, for example. Or it could be your couch-potato habits and poor diet.<\/p>\n
Whatever its cause, ongoing fatigue can leave you vulnerable to infections, according to a Carnegie Mellon University study published in 2009 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.<\/p>\n
Of 153 healthy men and women aged 21-55, those who got less than seven hours of sleep were almost three times more likely to catch a cold than those who slept eight hours or more.<\/p>\n
But fatigue isn\u2019t just triggered by physical causes, says Lilian Cheung, R.D., a Harvard University lecturer and director of health promotion and communication at the Harvard School of Public Health\u2019s Department of Nutrition. It\u2019s mental too.<\/p>\n
Being stressed out or working too hard \u2013 even thinking too much \u2013 saps energy levels, she says. \u201cThe mind needs to rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sometimes an underlying medical condition \u2013 diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, fibromyalgia \u2013 drains your get-up-and-go and you\u2019ll need a doctor\u2019s help to treat or manage symptoms.<\/p>\n
But we can be our own energy-sapping enemies. Here are 8 ways you may be depleting your pep. Plus, learn new ways to get from slow to go:<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #1: A sugar- and fat-filled breakfast
Mom always told you to eat breakfast. But wolfing down a bagel or muffin as you sprint out the door isn’t the nutrition she had in mind.<\/p>\n
That carbohydrate-rich meal tastes great, but you\u2019ll be crashing in a few hours.<\/p>\n
Sugar-and-starch combos boost energy temporarily because of the way our bodies process glucose (sugar), says Stuart Fischer, M.D., founder of the Park Avenue Diet and author of Dr. Fischer\u2019s Little Book of Big Medical Emergencies (Barricade Books).<\/p>\n
Eating stimulates the pancreas to release the hormone insulin, which helps glucose enter your cells and gives you an energy burst.<\/p>\n
A typical sugar-loaded breakfast puts too much glucose too quickly into the bloodstream. The cells can\u2019t absorb it all, so excess glucose is converted to the molecule glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscle tissue. That\u2019s when blood sugar levels drop and you start to drag.<\/p>\n
If glucose levels drop too much, \u201cyour brain can get a little fuzzy,\u201d Cheung says. \u201cSome people have trouble concentrating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Re-energize: Start the day with whole grains and\/or lean protein, which take longer to convert into glucose and can sustain energy levels for longer periods.<\/p>\n
Fisher\u2019s breakfast Rx? A bowl of oatmeal or two boiled or poached eggs with tomato and lettuce.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #2: Not exercising
Too tired to work out? Whatever you do, don\u2019t skip it. Exercise will put spring back in your step.<\/p>\n
People who regularly complained of fatigue increased energy levels by 20% with regular, low-intensity exercise, according to a 2008 University of Georgia study.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to run marathons either. The study found that those who did low-intensity exercises, such as walking, cut fatigue levels more than those who ran or did high-impact aerobics.<\/p>\n
Re-energize: Exercise every day, even for as little as 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re in a time crunch, just \u201ctake a walk around the hallway,\u201d Cheung says.<\/p>\n
If possible, work out first thing in the morning, Fischer says. \u201cIt can be as stimulating as an espresso [for] waking you up.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re drooping after lunch, take a 10- to 20-minute walk. Even just standing up while working instead of sitting in front of a computer helps loosen the body.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why I love the speakerphone,\u201d Cheung says. \u201cI don\u2019t have to hold it or bend my neck in a way that drains me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #3: The bottomless coffee cup
Heading to the java joint around the corner for your fifth cup of the day? Not only will the caffeine keep you tossing all night, it also does a number on your hormones. Coffee stimulates production of adrenaline and cortisol, two hormones that increase alertness.<\/p>\n
But that effect doesn\u2019t last, so you pour another mugful. Trouble is, after the third cup, the caffeine stops working. \u201cIt\u2019s like squeezing a sponge,\u201d Fischer says. After a while, you only get a few drops.<\/p>\n
People who keep chugging cups throughout the day may over-stimulate adrenaline production. That stresses and slows the adrenaline gland, causing hormone depletion, Fischer says.<\/p>\n
Re-energize: Cut back \u2013 but don\u2019t necessarily give up \u2013 coffee. One to three cups a day may make you sharper, Cheung says, noting studies have shown that java improves cognitive function in the elderly.<\/p>\n
Researchers found that midlife coffee drinkers had a lower risk for dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s as they age compared to those drinking little or no coffee, according to a long-term Finnish study published in 2009 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.<\/p>\n
Check out 9 Caffeine Myths Explained.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #4: Carb-loaded snacks
It\u2019s 4 p.m. and you need a wake-up call. A trip to the snack-room vending machine might perk you up, right? Wrong \u2013 that\u2019s where you get burned.<\/p>\n
\u201cA candy bar actually depletes [energy] in the long term,\u201d Fischer says.<\/p>\n
Remember what happened with your sugar-coated breakfast? Candy, too, provides the boost but it\u2019s quickly followed by a slump. So goes for high-energy drinks, such as Red Bull.<\/p>\n
Energy drinks are particularly bad for overweight people \u2013 \u201clike poison,\u201d Fischer says.<\/p>\n
Obese people are already overproducing insulin from the excess sugars they consume. A candy bar sends another huge jolt of sugar into their systems, he says.<\/p>\n
Eventually it leads to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body produces but does not process insulin correctly, and type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #5: You\u2019re not getting enough magnesium
Nodding off at your desk? Sleepiness and muscle weakness are symptoms of magnesium deficiency.<\/p>\n
Many Americans consume less magnesium than the recommended amounts. “The good news is that it’s widely available\u201d in a lot of foods, says Jill Weisenberger, R.D., C.D.E, Lifescript\u2019s Nutritionist.<\/p>\n
The mineral is crucial to keep your body functioning \u2013 it plays a role in more than 300 of its biochemical reactions, according to the National Institutes of Health. It maintains muscle and nerve functions, keeps the heart ticking steadily and your immune system strong and promotes bone strength.<\/p>\n
Plus, \u201cblood pressure creeps up as we age and diets rich in magnesium help keep it in check,\u201d Weisenberger says.<\/p>\n
Certain drugs, such as some diuretics (Lasix, Bumex and hydrochlorothiazide) and antibiotics (Gentamicin, tetracycline and Amphotericin), can cause a magnesium deficiency. So can some disorders, such as Crohn\u2019s disease, a serious chronic inflammation of the intestines, and poorly controlled diabetes.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #6: Heavy periods
Do you drag during heavy menstrual periods? You could have iron-deficiency anemia, a condition where you don\u2019t have enough iron in your blood. The mineral is crucial to making hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen throughout the body.<\/p>\n
Women are particularly susceptible to iron-deficiency anemia because of heavy bleeding, long periods and uterine fibroids. Tiredness is one hallmark; other symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness and weakness.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnemia from a heavy period produces fatigue that can\u2019t be helped by exercise, coffee or anything else,\u201d Fischer says. \u201cIt\u2019s as if the person isn\u2019t breathing as much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Re-energize: Women need 18 mg of iron a day; less (8 mg) if you\u2019re 51 and older.<\/p>\n
See a doctor for a blood test to diagnose anemia. Don\u2019t take iron supplements on your own, Fischer warns, because the supplements can cause upset stomach, constipation and other digestive problems.<\/p>\n
Plus, it\u2019s best to get the mineral from iron-rich foods, including clams, organ meats, eggs, green leafy vegetables, dried beans and legumes.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #7: Not enough zzz\u2019s
It almost goes without saying: If you don\u2019t get enough sleep, you\u2019ll be tired \u2013 and gain weight. Too many late nights spark cravings for sweets and high-carb treats, Fischer says.<\/p>\n
Re-energize: Women need at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night. If you\u2019re not getting that, take short \u201cpower naps\u201d of 10-20 minutes if you can, Glassman says.<\/p>\n
Or meditate for 10-15 minutes to clear your mind and refresh your body.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s like rebooting your brain, just like you do with your computer, says Hawaii-based psychologist Matthew B. James, Ph.D. The goal is to ease your brain temporarily from an active beta wave state to an alpha wave state, the state that precedes sleep.<\/p>\n
Energy Zapper #8: Stress
The brain doesn\u2019t distinguish between the anxiety of being late for work or being chased by a saber-tooth tiger. Either way, our \u201cfight-or-flight\u201d system releases hormones, including adrenaline, to give us a burst of speed or action.<\/p>\n
But unless you\u2019re actually running from a huge hungry cat, the hormones build up in your body and eventually wear you out. It may be in your head, but psychological stress can cause physical problems such as lower energy levels, chronic pain, digestive problems and illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.<\/p>\n
Re-energize: There\u2019s one stress management tool that women carry with them everywhere, Cheung says: Their breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll they need to do is focus on the breath, following their \u2018in breath\u2019 and their \u2018out breath,\u2019 \u201d Cheung says.<\/p>\n
Even simpler? Just smile, she says. This relaxes facial muscles and releases tension. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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It\u2019s 4 p.m. and you\u2019ve hit the wall. You can\u2019t concentrate and your zip is zapped<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-354226","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n