The days are shorter now, too short for my taste.  But as with all things…this, too, shall pass.  I’ve been seeing social media posts about feeling increasingly tired and sluggish.  Since hibernation is not a viable alternative, let’s talk about ways around just accepting that we will be dead tired until March (more like April, but let’s be optimistic).

The obvious comes to mind such as maintaining an adequate sleep schedule.  Practicing good sleep hygiene will better enable you to get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer.  Sleep hygiene includes practices such as turning off screens enough time before bed to allow your mind to unwind, keeping rooms dark enough or minimizing noise. But what else can help you feel better rested? 

Diet can affect your sleep, but also how you feel throughout the day.  One of the biggest changes you can make is limiting sugary and low Glycemic Index foods. This can cause periods of quickly elevated blood sugar followed by periods of low blood sugar.  The periods of low blood sugar can result is feeling tired, sluggish and moody.  This cycle can also be hard to break if you don’t realize it happens or are unsure which foods are the causes.  In this case, seeing a Registered Dietitian to help identify trigger foods and provide other options to incorporate instead would be beneficial. This recipe from Budget Bytes can help you start the day with a tasty, healthful option that includes protein, fiber and is low in sugar.  Especially if you sub a bit more vanilla extract for the added sweetener.  It’s been a hit so far and easy to assemble if you batch cook a bunch of farro ahead of time!

Limiting alcohol (ETOH) intake may also help to feel more rested.  Alcohol, at levels above moderate intake, can disrupt sleep cycles and increase trips to the bathroom overnight.  We’ve talked about what constitutes moderate intake in the previous post, but here’s a reminder: 1 serving of alcohol for women and 2 servings for men.  Serving sizes: 12 oz beer (5% ETOH), 8-9 oz malt liquor (7% ETOH), 5 oz wine (12% ETOH), 1.5 oz distilled liquor (40% ETOH).  

Lastly, hydration plays a big role in how alert we feel.  For most healthy individuals, a quick calculation for how much fluid is needed daily is take your weight in lbs and divide by 2.  Drink that many ounces of fluid daily.  There are exceptions to that rule, such as in cases of obesity or certain disease states requiring fluid restriction.  It would be a good idea to consult a nutrition professional in this case as well to make sure all health needs are taken into consideration.

There are other factors that can contribute to feeling tired such as health conditions or nutrient deficiencies.  However the reasons above can be used as a good starting point.  Please reach out if you would like to discuss this further!