THE LOWDOWN ON FATIGUE: SOME THINGS THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU (PART 1)

Most of us have experienced periods of fatigue: of feeling listless, tired, and low-energy, in a way that affects both our body and our mind. In many cases, fatigue resolves itself — after a good night’s rest, or a few days of vacation, or some quality cuddle-time with our beloved.

But in some cases, the fatigue lingers and becomes more of an ongoing chronic condition. For women going through menopause, fatigue is one of the symptoms — along with hot-flashes, night sweats, and weight gain — that’s actually quite common. Our energy levels are intimately connected with hormonal balance. As hormonal levels fluctuate, so do our energy levels. This is a natural process.

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Luckily, there are things you can do to restore your energy. It’s possible to transition with grace and vitality into your wisdom years. And regardless of your age or gender, the following tips on resolving fatigue and maintaining an abundance of life-force energy will be of benefit to you.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT FATIGUE & HOW TO RESOLVE IT

There are steps you can take — in relation to lifestyle, attitude, and decision-making — to resolve fatigue and tap into deeper reservoirs of life-force energy. Here are some of the best ones, including some things that may surprise you.

1. The healing power of the natural world.

When you take a stroll through a beautiful park, or bike along a forest path, or swim in a pristine mountain lake, you’re benefiting from fresh air, sunshine, and the palpable energy and healing power of the natural world. So make it a habit to get outside daily, if only for a walk around the block.

What may surprise you: Gentle exercise — such as a 30-minute walk outside or a tai-chi class — tends to be more effective in resolving fatigue than a cup of coffee or a nap. Why? Because exercise gets feel-good hormones (e.g. endorphins) circulating through your body, which gives you a sweet boost of energy and a nice attitude adjustment.

2. Relax and energize with yoga and meditation.

By teaching you how to relax deeply while remaining vibrantly awake, yoga and meditation practice activates deep reservoirs of previously untapped energy. As you may have noticed, there are lots of different styles of yoga. For resolving fatigue, a restorative yoga class is usually best. Both restorative yoga and meditation practice encourage quietude, contemplation, and introspection. They help you let go of unnecessary physical and mental-emotional tensions. With the release of tension comes a natural freeing of life-force energy.

What may surprise you: Sometimes less is more. The spirit of yoga and meditation is very much about simplifying our life: creating periods of conscious down-time, where we’re not collapsed into fatigue or depression — but rather relishing the quiet radiance of our inner world.

3. Be intelligent with your diet.

If hormonal fluctuations have resulted in some weight gain, you may feel inspired to go on a diet. And while it’s great to be conscious about what you eat, many fad diets are just plain bad for your mental and physical health, because they cut out essential nutrients.

The things that are indeed good to eliminate, as much as possible, are “junk foods” made from lots of refined sugar, artificial flavors/colors, toxic trans-fats (e.g. shortening, margarine, vegetable oil) and preservatives.

Foods to say “yes” to include: plenty of fresh organic vegetables, high-quality protein, whole grains, seasonal fresh fruits (especially berries), cultured foods (e.g. yogurt and kimchee) that support your microbiome, and an abundance of healthy fats and oils. Organic unrefined virgin olive oil, almond oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, and ghee are all great choices. One of the all-time healthiest is unrefined virgin coconut oil, which is a natural energy booster and also balances hormones.

What may surprise you: Improper dieting can worsen fatigue, and lead to even more weight gain. Healthy fats and oils are absolutely necessary for the proper functioning of our brain, nervous system, and endocrine system. So don’t skimp on these!

4. Not all caffeine is created equal.

You may be in the habit — when you’re feeling tired — of reaching for a cup of coffee. But as you’ve probably also experienced, the caffeine “high” is oftentimes followed by a “crash” when the original fatigue returns.

What may surprise you: There are caffeinated drinks that don’t have this “spike and crash” side-effect, and are chock-full of high-quality nutrients.

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Yerba mate, for instance, contains a whole host of beneficial vitamins and minerals — making it a great alternative to your cup of Joe. Or consider a chaga infusion,whose rich flavor actually bears a certain resemblance to the flavor of coffee, and which also has a myriad of health benefits. And finally, the cousin of green tea known as matcha is rich in the neurotransmitter L-theanine, which has made it a favorite among Japanese Buddhist monks and nuns:

The tea-bushes used in the creation of matcha are shade-grown, which increases their chlorophyll content, and increases also their level of L-Theanine — an amino acid that stimulates the production of alpha waves in the brain. Because of the unique chemical composition of matcha, its caffeine is assimilated into the human body in a way that provides sustained energy for three to four hours (rather than the “spike & crash” typical of coffee or, to a lesser degree, black tea).

The combination of “time-released” caffeine with the alpha-wave-producing L-Theanine creates a state of relaxed and calm mental alertness — exactly the state of mind that meditators seek to cultivate. As such, matcha is a fantastic support for meditation practice, or any other activity that requires us to be awake and energized, while at the same time calmly focused.

5. Stay well hydrated.

Caffeine of any sort (even the relatively healthy kinds outlined above) is a diuretic, so can easily contribute to dehydration — which can exacerbate feelings of fatigue. So stay well hydrated!

What may surprise you: Starting your day by drinking a tall glass of water is a small change that can make a big difference in your energy levels throughout the day.