A question we have received several times is: “I’m tired all the time, what should I do? I think I’m exhausted.”
When you experience severe tiredness or exhaustion, you have probably gone through significant or underlying stress over a longer period. You may also have experienced a traumatic event in your life.
After prolonged stress, you have often depleted your supply of the neurotransmitter serotonin. When serotonin levels have fallen below a healthy level, you may, for example, have difficulty falling asleep or wake during the night, experience worry and/or anxiety.
When serotonin levels have become very low, the adrenal glands do not receive signals from the brain to produce cortisol and DHEA.
You may then feel exhausted, low and find it difficult to cope with stress and pressured situations. Here is some information that we hope can support you if you recognize yourself in this.
Patience
The most important thing is to be patient with yourself and your life situation. Pause and be kind to yourself.
If you have pushed yourself beyond your limits, there is no “quick fix”; it takes time to return to your former self, or rather, a “new self”.
Recovery
Recovery can take a long time, but it is absolutely possible! Making time every day for relaxation, rest and sleep is very important. Rest. Sleep. Reduce stress. Say no to anything you cannot cope with.
1. Relaxation
If you find it difficult to relax, techniques such as a pre-recorded meditation or breathing exercises can be helpful. Other tips include talk therapy, meditation, relaxing music and walks in nature.
Meditation is a fantastic tool for pausing for a while, which anyone can learn, little by little. Meditation releases calming neurotransmitters that transform reactions into relaxed states.
2. Listen to your body
If you find yourself becoming sad, angry or panicked when saying yes to things and taking on commitments, such as a new task at work, you need to rest. This is experienced differently by everyone, but remember that there is nothing wrong with you; you simply need to take care of yourself.
3. Rest
If you feel as though you are “shaking” inside - a feeling that someone experiencing exhaustion can often relate to - it is extremely important to rest, and resting with warmth can be beneficial. For example, taking a bath, placing a hot-water bottle on your body, going to a spa or getting a massage.
Even being close to someone you can relax with helps. Or simply holding someone's hand. Someone who can help you regulate yourself.
You can also drink a cup of herbal tea or miso soup, or eat a piece of fruit. Anything that gives you a feeling of well-being and provides “comfort.” Being close to animals can also provide great comfort, if that is possible.
Healthy diet
4. Clean food
It is important to choose as clean a diet as possible, with as many nutrients as possible.
5. Nutritious food
Real, nutritious food includes vegetables of all colors and shapes, sprouts, fruit, berries, nuts, and seeds. Feel free to vary the vegetables so that you have different colors on your plate at each meal. Green juices are something that provides a lot of nutrients.
Since “living” foods are full of nutrients, they provide us with pure energy. Unrefined carbohydrates (whole grains, beans, and vegetables), good protein, and healthy fats such as cold-pressed olive oil and Omega 3 are also important.
6. Cut down on gluten and dairy
It is worth trying to avoid gluten and dairy products for a while and seeing how you feel, and instead trying plant-based products.
Fish can be beneficial, but in smaller amounts, as it unfortunately contains a lot of heavy metals nowadays, which weakens us. There is also the whole environmental issue surrounding fish, which means it is no longer an obvious choice.
7. Avoid stimulants
It is important not to overstimulate the body with, for example, too much coffee, cocoa, alcohol, or sugar. If you are very exhausted, certain foods and drinks can easily cause palpitations or anxiety.
Yes, you read that correctly: food and drinks can cause anxiety if, for example, the liver is not capable of processing the intake. At certain times in life, the liver has too much work to do.
Alcohol is one such example that can be felt immediately when exhausted. Feel free to drink water, lemon/lime water, and herbal teas. Sometimes you can feel it immediately, and sometimes you notice it after a few hours.
8. Drink water
Feel free to drink water, lemon/lime water, and herbal teas.
How often should I eat
9. Eat smaller amounts more frequently
If you are exhausted, it may be beneficial to eat smaller amounts more frequently. This is because when you have low levels of adrenal hormones, your blood sugar can fluctuate, and low blood sugar can put strain on the adrenal glands.
To reduce this, it is important not to get too hungry. This can make you feel even shakier.
10. Do not fast
If you are exhausted, you should not do intermittent fasting or fast, as this can put even more stress on the body. It is something you can do when you are 100% recovered and the body has all its building blocks again.
The body needs nutrients to handle a detox.
Exercise
11. No strenuous exercise
Strenuous exercise is not a good idea when you are exhausted – instead, you need to exercise more gently. For example, yoga, dancing, cycling, swimming, or taking walks in the forest.
You can gradually build up your training over time until you feel more strength and energy and find that somewhat more strenuous exercise works for you. That is when exercise provides the energy it should.
12. Exercise should make you happy
After exercising, you should feel happy and fulfilled; if you feel ill, the workout is too strenuous. Once you have built up your strength, herbs such as adaptogenic herbs can be a very good idea. Adaptogens are herbs and plants that work to increase the body's ability to adapt to various forms of physical, psychological, chemical, and biological stress, as well as changing situations.
Which adaptogen suits you best is something you need to discover through trial and error. However, we recommend taking one adaptogen at a time.
Feel free to read more about adaptogens.
Supplements
13. Take supplements
Suggestions for important supplements that provide support in various ways.
Vitamin C – a superb antioxidant that truly supports us in all situations
B-complex – B vitamins are so important.
Extra B12 – consider having your B12 levels tested to see where you stand.
Lactic acid bacteria (probiotics)
Magnesium – very helpful for anxiety, pain, and stress.
Q10 – for the energy of the cells and the heart.
Lemon balm – both calming and uplifting.
An herbal blend for good sleep – such as Sömnbalans.
L-Theanine – a fantastic amino acid for stress and anxiety.
Iodine – supports the thyroid.
Selenium – very important for both the thyroid and the immune system.
Infection & inflammation
14. Take care of infection and inflammation
Keep in mind that if you are carrying a long-term infection, your immune system and adrenal glands are working overtime. It is therefore important to find out whether this is the case and address the infection or inflammation.
Common infections can include gastrointestinal problems or dental problems. It is important to eliminate culprits such as bacteria, viruses, fungi (candida), parasites, or heavy metals from the body, as they worsen and cause fatigue.
This can be difficult to know and understand on your own, so we recommend seeing a nutritional therapist or a functional medicine doctor and having tests done. Ask for help!
Contact us if you have any questions, and take care of yourself out there.
