Unfortunately, it’s extremely common for people to say that they have a low energy level or that they feel tired. In fact, about one-third of healthy adults report feeling this way. While fatigue is commonly associated with several conditions and diseases, having low energy may simply be a result of your lifestyle. Fortunately, knowing what’s causing you to feel this way is the first step in getting your energy back.
Consuming Too Many Refined Carbs
Refined carbs are those carbs that are typically found in sugar and processed grains. You’ll find them in foods like white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, pasta, snacks, sweets, and breakfast cereals with added sugars. These are things that the typical American diet is full of. However, when you eat a lot of these things your glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar) level will become unstable. When this happens you can feel like you have low energy. This is why your diet should be filled with whole foods (e.g. fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meat, fish, eggs) instead. These foods are ones that will only have a minimal impact on your glucose level.
Living a Sedentary Lifestyle
It should come as no surprise that you have a low energy level if you’re living a sedentary lifestyle. Even the healthiest of people are going to feel this way if they aren’t up and moving. Of course, this is also an issue with people who find themselves suffering from health problems like chronic fatigue syndrome. To conquer low energy here is easy: Get up and be more active.
Not Getting Enough High-Quality Sleep
When you don’t get enough sleep or the quality of the sleep you do get is poor it’ll result in you having a low energy level. It’s important for you to get several hours of uninterrupted sleep each day. This allows your body and your brain to recharge so you don’t continually feel like you have low energy.
Food Sensitivities
One of the ways in which food intolerances show up is in low energy levels. The best way to find out if you’re having this issue is to follow a food elimination diet.
Not Eating Enough Calories
While you don’t want to overeat you do want to make sure that your body is getting enough calories (around 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women) each day. Without these calories, your body will feel as though it has low energy and you also won’t be meeting your body’s nutrient needs.
Sleeping at the Wrong Time
When you have a low energy level you may be tempted to take a nap but did you know there’s such a thing as sleeping at the wrong time? When you take a nap in the daytime you’ll upset your body’s natural rhythm. This is why it’s important for you to retrain your body’s clock to only sleep at night.
Not Getting Enough Protein
It’s important for you to get enough protein (0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight) each day. Protein plays an important role in your metabolism and will also help you not feel as though you have low energy. This is why it’s so important for each of your meals to include a good source of protein.
The Bottom Line
There are many reasons why you may find yourself faced with a chronically low energy level. You should start by ruling out medical conditions since this will typically be an indication of an illness. However, it could also have to do with your diet or your lifestyle – even the way you manage stress. Fortunately, with some help from TMS Advantage in St Petersburg and Clearwater, FL, you’ll be able to improve your energy and overall quality of life soon.
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