Dear diary,
it's day 50 of the quarantine and I am always tired for some unknown reason, even though I am barely working.
If not literally, figuratively we have all had this moment in our mind. Fatigue is simply the feeling of being tired. For many fatigue predates corona, but they were just too preoccupied to notice. While fatigue can come from overworking, more often than not it can be tracked down to other multiple factors. Some might be luckier than others, as the occurrence of fatigue has been reported to be much higher in women than in men, physiological reasons like pregnancy, breastfeeding has been linked to fatigue. Amidst the lockdown, a lot of the factors of fatigue that were previously overshadowed are taking major notice. This is owing to the fact, for many fatigue seems to continue even when they don't have a huge work load. While people having abrupt working hours like late shifts in hospital, call center, hotels, IT firms are more prone to fatigue, some precautions can greatly make a difference. So here's our attempt to list down some ways one can get rid of fatigue while mentioning the factors causing them. While some example are with respect to the lockdown, these remedies are useful, even beyond the lockdown.
1. Get adequate sleep
At least once, someone has told you six hours of sleep is enough for the human body to get full rest. While that might be true for some, studies suggest there is no true golden number. The main reason being the variable nature of humans. So just like everyone has different eating habits and eats a different amount of food, everyone requires a different amount of sleep. The best practice is to keep a tab of yourselves, so you can figure out how many hours of sleep does your body actually require. It should also be kept in check if you are oversleeping, as that can lead to dizziness or even fatigue. A big reason behind fatigue during the lockdown is unstructured sleep schedule. Having a structured sleep schedule can also greatly increase your productivity, in both personal and work life.
2. Balanced diet
Okay, so we are all very much aware of our bad eating habits, young adults we are pointing towards you. And it really can be hard to resist tasty fast food or those iconic street food joints restaurants or hotels in Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi or wherever you are from, but we are not asking you to do that. What many fail to understand having a balanced diet doesn't mean you eat only veggies and other food items which are normally not considered delicious by most. It means to have a diverse food palate, that can supply your body the adequate amount of Vitamins, Proteins and nutrients. This includes food items like fresh seasonal fruits, whole grains and complex carbs, nuts and seeds and everyone fish. Fish is not only good for heart, but the Omega-3 oils in it can also improve alertness. Try to avoid processed food. If feel like you are not able to get enough vitamins, you can opt for supplements after consulting a dietician.
3. Drink Water
We really can't put it into words the fact that how much everyone underrates the importance of water. Water for one, speeds up metabolism while helping burn calories. If that isn't enough it can greatly boost energy by keeping you hydrated, can acts as a lubricant around bone and muscles to prevent cramps and even act as a natural appetite suppressant, which can come useful when you can't stop eating fast food. So it is no secret with so many benefits drinking adequate amounts of water can do wonders. Additionally, water paired up with different fruits, nuts and herbs can make detoxifiers, which as the name suggest can detoxify your body which can in turn help against fatigue. Many restaurants, Cafes and hotels in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and other big metro cities are for the same reason are providing complimentary detox water, and you can make these varieties of detox water at home as well..
4. Regular Exercise
We are all aware of the benefits of exercise and physical activities, but many people avoid it as they consider it to be a huge time commitment or too rigorous. On hearing the word 'exercise' the mental image of a gym comes to our mind. While extensive routines have their own benefits, doing 15-20 minutes of exercise everyday can do greatly boost metabolism and keep the body active. Studies suggest regular exercise can help in dealing with fatigue. Start with simpler stretches and stick to smaller but regular sessions. The keyword here is consistency, so having a weekly routine can be beneficial. Another similar alternative can be Yoga, which is said to greatly loosen up the body, and in turn keep one active. This is again especially important during this lockdown, as most people are doing bare minimum physical activities. So it is highly suggested to do 15-30 minutes of exercise everyday.
5. Decrease caffeine intake
We all love sipping a cup of coffee in the morning while sitting on the balcony of our hotel during the vacation. While occasional or regulated caffeine intake can be beneficial against fatigue, as it can greatly increase alertness. But too much caffeine can be counter-intuitive, especially during the night shifts. Caffeine intake in the night has been linked with an increase of fatigue and decrease of alertness. Caffeine has also been linked with decreasing the quality of sleep of individuals. The main reason for this counterintuitive reaction is caffeine withdrawal, which can make an individual feel tired due to the sudden removal of caffeine. Overconsumption of caffeine also cause headaches, difficulty in concentrating and mood swings. And caffeine intake isn't just limited to Coffee but soft drinks also greatly add to this problem. While it can hard to stop consumption of caffeine for many, gradually decrease in caffeine intake can be an option while looking for alternatives is possible. During the lockdown caffeine usage can lead uneasiness due to a low metabolism especially for people dealing with anxiety or depression.
6. Relax, and unwind
Like seriously, just assign some time for yourself to relax and unwind away from all the stress of work, studies or even personal life. Just relax yourself in whatever way you feel like, or maybe do nothing so your brain and body can cooldown for a bit. Most of the time we keep for relaxing gets hijacked by intrusive thoughts and other responsibilities, we can't seem to forget. Learning to shutdown is a technique which can be hard to master, but once wielded can be very useful in living a happy life.
7. Go to a doctor
While a lot of the above mentioned reason are accredited to fatigue with and the remedies above can be useful, many medical issues can lead to fatigue. Some common issues are obesity, amnesia, diabetes, iron deficiency etc. So if you're struggling with curb fatigue or facing prolong tiredness through out the day go to Doctor. There are doctors who specialize in chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS) who can be specially helpful in dealing with fatigue.
To end, making changes to lifestyle can be hard but improving sleep schedule, doing exercise, eating healthier can greatly help to eliminate fatigue. While we mostly talked about Physical and Physiological cause, with their remedies, Psychological and psychosocial causes like stress, depression and anxiety should also be taken into account, and anyone struggling with the same should seek medical help. Do not hesitate or be scared, it is completely normal to go for therapy to solve issues you might be facing, everyone deserves to live a life with without fatigue.