We still have a few golden weeks left of the summer months. Ok, the weather here in London hasn’t exactly been golden recently… but I think this time of the year is special no matter what’s happening with the weather. It’s usually a change from your normal routine, and a time when you may even sneak in a restful holiday.
I came back recently from a two week holiday with my family at a cottage on a remote island in northern Ontario, Canada. I was almost completely unplugged there and could literally feel my nervous system downshift. As a family we relaxed together into a simple rhythm among the chaos and fun of bunking with our extended family, and the mind-blowing sunsets every night were unavoidable reminders of how beautiful this planet is.
If you’ve also had some much needed down time this summer but are still feeling tired or flat out exhausted, there may be something going on with your body that a holiday can’t make up for.
Fatigue is a common issue, and thankfully one with solutions.
The trick to solving fatigue is uncovering the underlying issue.
Today I’d like to share some of the most common underlying reasons for low energy. Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll also share simple tools with you to address each of them.
Surprisingly Common Causes of Fatigue:
- Functional Hypothyroid– this basically means that your thyroid labs are “normal” by the conventional standards (i.e. you don’t fit the criteria for a diagnosis of hypothyroid), but you’re experiencing all of the symptoms of hypothyroid. These may include having a hard time losing weight, hair loss, fatigue, and depression among others.
- Low blood sugar at night– if you fall asleep without any problems, but tend to wake up around 2-4am and wonder why you can’t fall back asleep, this one is for you. Make sure to eat a meal or snack within 2 or so hours of going to bed. This will keep your blood sugars steady through the night and keep you in a deeper, more restorative sleep.
- Low iron– if you have low iron, you may feel tired, dizzy when you stand up, or that your legs feel a little “heavy” when you climb stairs or run. You don’t have to be anemic (severe iron deficiency) to experience symptoms of low iron. To keep your iron levels up, cook with a cast iron pan, and always combine vegetarian sources of iron like spinach or asparagus with vitamin C foods like tomatoes, papaya and red pepper. This will help you absorb this type of iron more easily.
- Stress/adrenals– if you’ve been sleeping more lately and still feel like you can’t catch up, you might be suffering from mild to moderate adrenal fatigue. As someone who’s been through this, I know personally how quietly burnout can creep up, and how powerfully it can affect your life. Some common signs of adrenal fatigue are cravings stimulants like sugar, chocolate & coffee, getting sick more often than usual, feeling depleted after you exercise, and having a hard time organizing your thoughts or concentrating.
- Toxic load– we’re all exposed to chemicals everyday and thankfully our body has a built in filter to keep us clean (your liver!). But, if you’re taking in too many toxins, like plastic residues or pesticides in your diet or chemicals in your cosmetics they can overwhelm your liver. A higher toxic load in itself causes fatigue. And, many of these chemicals can change hormone levels and make you feel tired.
- Food sensitivities– when your body is constantly exposed to foods that trigger the immune system, it can leave you depleted. Not only does it keep your immune system constantly on “alert”, but it can affect how well you absorb all the great nutrients in your diet that your body relies on to make energy.
- Blood sugar imbalance– if your blood sugars are up and down all day long it can leave your nervous system absolutely exhausted. Some of the the main things that can throw your blood sugar off are sugary foods, meals without protein, stimulants, and skipping meals and snacks.
- Low progesterone– if your levels of this hormone are low you can suffer from insomnia, anxiety and PMS and other menstrual issues along with fatigue. Finding out if you have low progesterone, and getting help to build your levels back up can clear up many of these issues and restore your energy.
- Poor sleep quality – apart from keeping your blood sugars balanced at night, your sleep can be deeply affected by your melatonin hormone rhythm rhythm, your stress levels, as well as your routine and sleep environment. Addressing these and helping your body recover at night is critical for restoring energy levels.
It’s possible to heal each of these issues. When you tap back into your natural vitality, you’re free to dive FULLY into the things you care most about. This is exactly WHY I do what I do!
I’m here to help you heal your body and connect back in with all the big, and little, things that inspire you.
Take Action Now
- As you read through these common causes of fatigue, which ones resonated, or struck a cord with you? Write these down as a great first clue.
- If sleep quality came up for you, put it at the top of your priority list for health issues to address.
- Book an appointment with your doctor or naturopathic practitioner and have your thyroid and iron levels checked as a start.
If you would like to take a step forward and explore what’s causing YOUR fatigue further, I invite you to reach out to me to book a complimentary Health Insight call.
The Health Insight call is a great way for us to meet each other, and for you to receive valuable insight on what’s happening with your body and your health, as well as learn about potential solutions.
Email me at info@drvivianlord.com to let me know you’d like to connect for this powerful call.
I look forward to meeting you!
All the best,
X Vivian