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We all get tired, but what happens when low energy persists? Here's a checklist to see if you need to be diving deeper into your fatigue and my best tips on how to actually deal:
1. Too much caffeine
You might be leaning on coffee and caffeinated tea to get by, but is your caffeine habit contributing to your low energy?
We all have different thresholds for caffeine. I like to stay under 200mg.
If you're drinking more than 2 cups of coffee or tea a day, it's time to look into cutting your consumption. It may feel hard the first few weeks as your body adjusts, but you'll be amazed at how much sustainable energy you gain!
Too much caffeine can actually make you feel more tired... go figure! Your blood sugar and adrenal glands are working hard to keep up and that low energy is a sign to cut back.
2. Unidentified food sensitivities
When your body is sensitive to a certain food, it increases inflammation and lowers your energy. Try keeping a food diary for a few weeks to see if there are any foods in your diet that are stealing your joy.
How will you know?
After you eat, you should feel like your energy is lifted.
If you just ate and are feeling tired, lethargic and experience any bloating, there was a food your body doesn't agree with. Try cutting that food for a few weeks and see if your energy increases.
I found eating gluten, dairy, soy, sugar and too many carbs would make me feel really tired and like I couldn't think straight. Without them, my vibe stays high.
3. You're in your luteal phase
The week before your period, progesterone rises and can make you feel sleepy. You may find you want to skip your morning workout or take an afternoon nap.
Don't be alarmed, as this energy dip is a normal part of your cycle.
Not sure if you're in your luteal phase? Take my Cycle Syncing Made Easy free course and get to know your cycle better.
4. Low iron levels
Having too low iron levels can make you feel really tired.
5. You're experiencing adrenal fatigue
Adrenal fatigue is when your natural cortisol patterns are off. It can make it hard to feel awake in the morning or you get a burst of energy when you're suppose to be going to bed.
You may also experience bloating in your midsection and constantly feel like you're stressed out. These are signs you need to pay attention to and you won't increase your energy until you address your adrenal fatigue.
Enroll in the Balanced Bombshells Lifestyle Plan to reset your adrenal glands in just 2 weeks!
6. Poor sleep
Not getting good, quality sleep can obviously make you more tired the next day. Struggling with touches of insomnia can occur with your hormone fluctuations each month and trigger fatigue.
Personally, I sometimes have a harder time sleeping leading up to ovulation and when I get my period.
7. You're working out too much
When we exercise without enough rest, it can cause feelings of tiredness.
We should also be exercising by our decade - so depending if you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond, our rest and intensity needs to be tailored. You'll love this article I wrote for Inspired By This about how to exercise according to your hormones!
8. Overextending yourself & not setting good boundaries
When you have too much on your calendar you end up running on empty. By setting good boundaries on your time, you'll have more space to manage your energy, including taking the breaks you need.
When you start to feel tired or find yourself with that "pushing through" energy, that's a great sign you're already overextended.
Remember that "no" is a complete sentence and the less on your calendar, the more you can show up from a state of joy.
9. Sluggish thyroid
Your energy can take a big hit when you're not producing enough thyroid hormones. It's one of the first places I check in with myself, especially when I struggled with a slightly low thyroid during my pregnancy.
You can ask your doctor for a full thyroid panel or use the Thyroid Antibody at-home testing kit from LetsGetChecked. You can also save 20% off your test with my code BOMBSHELL.
I love getting my hormones tested from home since it saves the hassle from going to a lab. Plus you get your results within 5 days!
As a LetsGetChecked affiliate, Balanced Bombshells, LLC may receive compensation from LetsGetChecked if you purchase products or services through the links provided, at no additional cost to you.
10. Working too much & not taking breaks
This goes right along with making sure you're setting good boundaries. You don't have to be at every meeting and if work long hours at your job with little time for rest, it's not doing your health or productivity any favors.
You might also be struggling with technology fatigue with how much our world has gone virtual over the last two years. Setting good habits with taking breaks will do wonders for your energy. Make sure you take time to walk outside or meditate to rest your eyes.
11.You're not moving enough
When we sit for too long, it can also make our energy dip. I love setting a timer on my phone to go off every 45 minutes. I get up and stretch, do a few jumping jacks to get the blood flowing, and grab a snack if I need it.
I also make sure to schedule movement throughout the day by walking in the morning before sitting at my computer and again at night to stretch my legs after a long work day.
12. Spending too much time with people who drain your energy
Have you ever hung out with people - either friends, family, coworkers, strangers - that you feel completely drained from? Energy vampires are a real thing!
You only have so much time in the day and spending time around people who lift you up will make you feel more energetic.
You don't have to please everyone and you can distance yourself in a kind way from anyone who drains your energy. Maybe you talk to that person once a month instead of every week. Or if you meet that kind of person at a party, excuse yourself to go to the bathroom and mingle with someone else.
13. You're stuck in a rut
We've all been there. When you're in that space of trying to figure out your next steps and you're analyzing everything in your life, it's tough. It can be really hard to keep your energy high during these times, but do whatever you can to also take space from your thoughts and constantly trying to make things happen.
Most often, life figures itself out when you give it space to breathe.
14. Increased inflammation
All of my programs focus on lowering inflammation - either from shifting your habits from the wrong foods, too much exercise, toxins from plastics, processed food, alcohol (gosh so many things!), etc., it can all lower your energy.
By keeping your body low on the inflammation scale, your brain will be able to think more clearly and your body will operate with much higher energy.
The Balanced Bombshells Lifestyle Plan is set up to lower inflammation from the products you use, food you eat, and focusing on cleansing your liver (your detox organ) so your vibe stays high.
15. Eating too much sugar, even when you don't think you are
Sugar can really add up, even in small doses. From sneaking a piece of candy here and there to multiple cocktails with friends, there are so many ways sugar creeps into our lives.
I love reading food labels and buying "sugar free" products. I try to avoid anything with added sugar and fake sugars because my body just doesn't need them (it even hides in ketchup and tomato sauce!).
The Balanced Bombshells Recipe Guide is a great tool for eating whole foods and limiting sugar.
Looking back through this energy checklist, how many are you currently struggling with?