Win the Fight Against Daily Fatigue!

I gotta admit, going to work on a bright, sunny summer day is depressing. You walk into the office and find everyone complaining about how if it wasn't for work, they would all be out on the beach or with the kids somewhere outdoors. Needless to say, you're grouchy about it too, and you feel like you've been beaten out of bed to get there. Sound familiar? Or are you more of the type who are drained out of energy as soon as they get out of bed?

I know I fall into the second category on most days. Like most other people, I put lack of sleep as an excuse to my fatigue. But after many trials on extending my sleep time, I found out that this fatigue was due to going to bed and waking up at inappropriate times for my body. Once I corrected the issue, to where I would fall asleep around 12am and wake up around 7am, I became fully energetic and ready to successfully finish all of my day's work!

There are, however, several different reasons to why people become fatigued throughout the day. Usually, the cause of the problem is very simple to solve or eliminate, so simple that you may have never even noticed it before!

Morning Fatigue: You know, when you're so exhausted that you feel like you've just been hit by a train?
- Turn off the news! It's hard enough to be energetic when you're thinking about the 1286985750 things that you have to do before the day ends, give your brain a break. You don't need more problems than you already have, do you? Turn the dial to a funny talk-show, or calming music. Laughing will actually release hormones that counteract your stress hormones, while music will soothe and calm you down.
- Have a better breakfast. Did you know that high-carb and sugary foods will actually fatigue you rather than energize you? Ditch the doughnuts and coffee, go for whole grain cereal and fruit, or peanut butter and bananas or strawberries on whole-wheat bread.

Noon - Afternoon Fatigue: The busiest time of the day.
- Avoid the sugar buzz. I take it you know that sugar is a bad source of energy? Yes, exactly, because it gives you a sudden boost of energy then crashes as soon as the sugar exists your bloodstream, which only takes some couple of minutes. After the boost, that crash will make you feel even more tired than before. A vicious cycle! If you must have something sweet, go for something light and healthy such as a fruit salad (without whipped cream and nuts) or a cup of fruit yogurt. The sugar in such food items isn't very high, so you'll fulfill your hunger and avoid the horrible sugar rush and crash. Additionally, the benefits that come from fruits and yogurt (such as vitamins, calcium, iron, etc.) definitely justify the cause, so you won't feel guilty afterward.
- A walk to remember. Take a break from the work area, change scenery and go for a relaxing walk. Walking as an exercise will boost your energy, and getting away from the huff and puff at your workplace will clear your mind. It's also good to get some fresh air every now and then. If you take a buddy or significant other along, avoid talking about work or any other stressful topics; light conversations will cheer you up instead.

Evening Fatigue: Kids yelling, mom cleaning, dad fixing the sink.
- Rest those feet. You're happy when your feet are happy. Try it. When you come home from work, take off your shoes and soak your feet in as-warm-as-you-can-stand-without-burning-yourself water for 10 minutes. As soon as your time is up, quickly dip them in cool water for about 5 minutes. You'll feel as if the world has stopped for 15 minutes and gone back to revolving at a much slower pace.
- Shower! And wash your hair too.You'll feel like you've just washed away all of the day's worry and exhaustion.
- Soft lights. Dim the lights a bit. This won't necessarily energize you, but it'll help you relieve stress and negative thoughts that may fatigue you. Bright lights keep you alert and keep your body from realizing that it's night and time to rest. Dimming the lights will help you calm down, especially as the night goes on and you prepare to go to bed.

Finally, make sure to sleep well and adjust an appropriate sleeping pattern for yourself. Also, avoid watching anything violent or anything that may stimulate your thinking before going to bed. Of course, if you have persistent fatigue, you may want to talk to your doctor for inspection of possible illnesses that may be the cause.