Why are you so tired all the time?
I don’t know a single person that isn’t tired. Energy is talked about a lot in therapy. From the moment I learned about the energy process in high school freshman biology class, I was fascinated. You might remember ATP is the energy currency of cells. It is required for every process in the body. Energy is affected by so many factors and you have a finite amount of it, we don’t have endless supplies of ATP. When trying to assess why you are so fatigued, it’s important to rule out any medical issues first. So I always recommend getting bloodwork done and speaking with your doctor. Next, assess how you physically care for yourself. Are you getting enough high quality sleep? Are you eating a well balanced diet with enough food? Are you moving your body regularly without overdoing it? Once you get the answers to those questions a resounding “yes,” we can move on to other influences. Excessive screen time can actually fatigue you overtime. Too much sensory input will deplete your energy. This one is tough because the modern world is sensory overload. Our biology isn’t designed for this. Taking in lots of information is a quick way to suck your energy reserves. Even if it is things you are interested in, be mindful of your consumption of information. All that processing requires energy. Have you ever felt really tired after doing lots of mental work even though you were sitting down and not active at all? Yea, that’s because it still uses ATP. Next, take an honest look at your social life. Both too much and too little socializing can be harmful to your energy levels. Now to the stuff no one likes, emotions. Not only does the body require ATP to heal physical wounds or sickness, it’s needed for mental healing as well. If you have an emotional/existential/spiritual wound, struggle with anxiety or depression, or are grieving, it’s like having the air conditioning on with some windows open in the summer. The AC has to crank harder to keep the inside air cool when you keep letting all the air out. Basically, you’re quietly losing ATP (your energy source).
You need to give your cells time to restore energy after depletion, or better yet before depletion. Ultimately, it’s basic math. You don’t want to use more ATP than you have, that’s what leads to fatigue. You know what that means? Real rest. Reminder, too much information or stimulation will use up energy. So laying on the couch watching documentaries, dramas, or action movies is probably not restoring your energy like you want it to. In our modern world, people tend to find physical rest easier to achieve than mental rest. You need both. Make sure you’re properly fueling yourself to give your body the building blocks for energy. Finally, make sure you’re processing your emotions in a healthy way. We don’t want them pulling energy in the background. This just scratches the surface of energy. It’s complex. But if you find yourself doing “all the right things” and still feeling exhausted. These are some good places to start.
Questions to ponder.
What drains your energy?
What replenishes your energy?
How can you practice resting and putting boundaries around energy drains?
