Fatigue: How To Stay Awake And Tackle Exhaustion (PICTURES) | HuffPost Life

Struggling To Stay Awake? Fatigue-Fighting Tips

Kyrsty Hazell— The Huffington Post UK

While we all feel tired from time to time, if your feelings of fatigue are too overwhelming to ignore, have you thought about what could be causing it?

Huffpost Lifestyle explores the reasons we can't keep our eyes open.

Lack Of Sleep

According to the Mental Health Foundation, nearly a third of Brits suffer from insomnia - and those are just the people who are desperate enough to speak to their GP. As a result, over 10m sleeping pills are prescribed to knackered Brits each year.

"Lack of sleep can lead to low energy and concentration levels, depression, immune deficiency, relationship problems, weight gain, as the mind tries to boost energy by making us eat more, and even serious medical problems such as heart disease," cognitive hypnotherapist Lesley McCall told HuffPost Lifestyle.

Top tips on beating insomnia (PICTURES)

10 Ways To Beat Insomnia

10 Ways To Beat Insomnia(01 of11)

Expert tips from Cognitive Therapist Lesley McCall. (credit:Alamy)

Drown It Out(02 of11)

"If you want to drown out internal chatter try holding the tip of your tongue towards the roof of your mouth without actually touching it until the chatter stops." (credit:Alamy)

Wiggle Your Toes (03 of11)

"It sounds simple (and a little silly) but wriggling your toes while lying in bed until you feel sleepy, helps the body relax." (credit:Alamy)

Wait For The Right Moment(04 of11)

"Only go to bed when you feel tired. If you have been in bed for longer than 30 minutes and you are still awake, get up and do something boring until you feel sleepy again. Don't do something stimulating such as watch TV or eat, as this will send your unconscious the wrong message - that it gets rewarded for not sleeping." (credit:Alamy)

Do A 'Brain Dump'(05 of11)

"Many of us go to bed with worries on our mind that can keep us awake - so get rid of them. Do a 'brain dump' before bed. Spend 10 minutes writing down what is on your mind or compile a 'to-do' list. Keep writing even if you are only jotting down sort notes or long scribbles." (credit:Alamy)

Relax(06 of11)

"Try and relax for 30 minutes before bed to ensure you get good quality sleep - because remember, it's not just the quantity but quality of your sleep that matters. Try not to take the stress of the day into sleep with you as this will mean that the REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is needed for de- stressing the mind, will increase, leaving less time for the slow wave sleep, which refreshes us." (credit:Alamy)

No Napping(07 of11)

"Don't sleep or nap during the day - it confuses you body clock and will make it harder for you to drift off in the evening." (credit:Alamy)

Have A Bath (08 of11)

"Have a warm bath before bedtime. The core drop in temperature when you get out will help you to drift into a deep sleep." (credit:Alamy)

Eat Mindfully(09 of11)

"Be aware of what you eat. Try and have no caffeine after midday, eat regular meals and remember that carbohydrates will help you feel sleepy." (credit:Alamy)

Exercise (10 of11)

"Exercise is an excellent stress buster - but make sure you leave at least three hours between exercise and sleep, to give your body enough time to wind down." (credit:Alamy)

Swtich Off (Everything)(11 of11)

"Reteach your brain to associate bed with sleep. This means eliminating computers, smartphones or TV's from the bedroom." (credit:Alamy)

SEE ALSO:
Off On Holiday? Beat Travel-Related Fatigue (PICTURES)
Victoria Beckham admits: "I'm Knackered"

Diet

Experts say that particular foods that are great fatigue-fighters.

Have you tried these?

Magnesium

Eat a handful of pumpkin seeds to boost energy levels and fight fatigue.

Probiotics

If your digestive system slows down, it can make you feel tired. Fight this by adding probiotics to your diet. Eat natural yoghurts containing ‘good bacteria’ to improve gut health.

Whole grains

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, can cause spikes in your blood sugar levels. Think about switching to whole grains (such as a high fibre bran cereal) where possible.

Still tired? Follow these simple tips on how to fight fatigue...

How To Fight Fatigue

How To Fight Fatigue (01 of11)

(credit:Alamy)

Stay Hydrated(02 of11)

"We actually become stressed when we're dehydrated, particularly if alcohol is consumed, so aim for 1-2 litres a day; and cut back on caffeine which is an artificial form of adrenaline and can affect sleep patterns leaving you jittery and anxious - you should avoid caffeine altogether after 3pm."Sleep and Energy Coach at Capio Nightingale Hospital, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan. (credit:Alamy)

Eat Mindfully(03 of11)

"Although many of us think we are eating healthy, that diet can make us fatigued. Most "healthy" meals are explained away as oatmeal for breakfast with fruit, lettuce with greens for lunch, brown rice with what ever for dinner. Those same people say they dont eat carbs. Let me make this quite clear..... fruits and vegetables and grains are carbohydrates. Start your day with a protein, eggs, cheese, yogurt, even almond butter and you wont crash thru out the rest of the day."Dr Eva Cwynar, author of The Fatigue Solution. (credit:Alamy)

Go Nuts(04 of11)

"Have a handful of nuts mid-morning and mid-afternoon, the most common slump-times, to provide a lovely hit of protein to balance blood sugar levels. Raid the snack bowl of almonds, or hazelnuts, then add a piece of fruit for natural fructose for a natural energy boost."Director of Vitality4Life, Ricky Hay. (credit:Alamy)

Drink Coffee(05 of11)

"Coffee can actually help boost your adrenal glands (which are burnt out in most of us and the main culpret for fatigue). Coffee, yes, good but only 1/2 cup and only in the morning. Most than that or at a different time puts your hormones into hydharmony and then just like many recreational drugs, we want more and more and it becomes less and less effective."Dr Eva Cwynar, author of The Fatigue Solution. (credit:Alamy)

Keep On Moving (06 of11)

"Don't stop moving! Make time to go and get some fresh air either for a run, jog or walk. Take full advantage of the sunnier weather and lighter evenings, wrap up to go outside and spend 5 minutes at the beginning of your day exercising and you will feel good for the rest of the day."Personal trainer, Khalid Ismail. (credit:Alamy)

Maintain Healthy Nutrition(07 of11)

"Eat breakfast every morning within 30 minutes of rising to kick start your energy and metabolism and minimise production of adrenaline - it also helps burn any extra calories consumed during the day more efficiently. This will give you bundles of energy to tackle to day ahead."Sleep and Energy Coach at Capio Nightingale Hospital, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan. (credit:Alamy)

Don't Have Unrealistic Expectations(08 of11)

"If you're a busy, working mum or person, you'll only have feelings of disappointment and stress if you have high expectations of your day ahead. To alleviate stress and anxiety, try to accept the fact that things will go wrong. "Kids may have a meltdown, dinner may not come out as perfectly as you hope, people may demand your time. Being prepared for imperfection can help reduce everyday stress."Life coach, Sophia Davis. (credit:Alamy)

Sleep!(09 of11)

"Recharge you batteries over by getting good rest and exercise, topping up good quality sleep with power naps if possible - research has shown that these naps re-balance the immune and nervous systems." Sleep and Energy Coach at Capio Nightingale Hospital, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan. (credit:Alamy)

Drink (Green) Tea(10 of11)

"Green tea and ginseng tea are great energy boosters. Green tea contains antioxidant properties to fight free radicals."Health and Beauty Expert, Tina Richards. (credit:Alamy)

Steer Clear Of 'Bad Sugars'(11 of11)

"Stay away from artificial sweeteners. Sugar substitutes like stevia and zylitol are fine, even good for you, but compounds containing substances such as aspartame can ruin the integrity of your gut and create chaos. Digestion gets slowed, bloating occurs, bowel movements become chaotic and fatigue sets in. No diet drinks..... ever."Dr Eva Cwynar, author of The Fatigue Solution. (credit:Alamy)

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