Fatigue – Resolving the Stress Behind It

Always tired? No apparent reason to be tired? Ever wondered if your emotions are triggering your fatigue?

Or perhaps you know that you have experienced some emotional trauma in your life and that it still weighs you down?

Today I am going to talk about simple ways you can reduce the effects of stress and bring back your energy.

Let’s jump in.

The now stuff!

A certain amount of stress and pressure can be invigorating; however, long-term or excessive stress will lead to exhaustion and an inability to ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’.

Our daily lives have become more and more stressful and demanding, we are set huge expectations and given no time for ourselves. We don’t always get enough sleep or take a chance to eat well or to honour our needs. And if we do allow ourselves some “me time” in which to destress and breathe, to do that something just for ourselves, then we feel guilty because we ‘should’ be doing something else…

Does this sound familiar in your life? If so it’s time to make changes.

So, where to start?

Start small, with just one thing at a time. Work up to the bigger things and make sure to tell yourself you deserve to look after yourself.

Some examples of small steps you could consider are to

Go to bed at a reasonable time. If you are concerned about not having ‘done everything’ then take a step back and see if it is essential to do all those tasks and chores before bed.

Schedule time for yourself each day. Put it in your daily agenda and stick to it. Whether you sit for 10 minutes with your coffee, have a bath, read a book, listen to music, go for a walk or call a friend for a chat.

Make time for lunch; just 15minutes is a good beginning. Put away work, leave your desk, turn off your phone, perhaps go outside.. disconnect and take time out of your day to focus on the food and enjoy every mouthful.

Find an activity you like and commit to it. Walking, a reading group, singing, sewing, meditating, playing sports or going to yoga are just some examples. Being with other people can be great for the soul too.

And finally – ask for help – this is something we often find so hard to do. There is no shame in saying “I am overwhelmed, I cannot do all this on my own”. It is not a failure; it is what we, as human beings, need to do. Your family and friends are there to support you as you support them, we all have limitations and sharing a task can be beneficial to everyone involved.

And remember.

Society has too much blame, shame and guilt. We all have the right to enjoy our lives, to do what brings pleasure and not to feel guilty about doing so. We can only be there for others if we nurture ourselves first.

Find pleasure and joy in your life and let fatigue be a thing of the past!

Disclaimer

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Now I would like to hear from you

Do you suffer from fatigue?

What have you tried to help your symptoms?

Let us know in the comments below.