Sometimes everyday life can get the better of us, leaving us drained and exhausted. Today’s world is fast-paced, and when you work all day, eat on the go, and have little time for fun and relaxation, it’s normal to feel a bit worn out. However, it’s not healthy to always feel drained – it can leave you feeling less happy and being less productive.
If you’re dealing with everyday exhaustion, maybe it’s time to recharge your mind and body. In this article, we will go over why people feel drained sometimes and some steps you can take to recharge your battery.
Why do I feel so drained sometimes?
Most of the time, exhaustion is due to a demanding or busy lifestyle, but it can also be caused by other things as well, such as:
- Poor eating habits
- Too much stress
- Trauma
- Lack of sleep
- Jetlag
- Too much or too little physical activity
- Alcohol or drug use
- Medications
- Preexisting medical conditions
We’re going to go over some methods to help you recharge yourself, but if you try them and still feel drained all the time, you may want to visit the doctor. Doctors can check you for any underlying medical conditions you may have that are causing your persisting exhaustion.
Recharge Your Body
When you take good care of your body, it can make it easier for you to recharge your mind. You don’t need a physically demanding job for stress to take a toll on your body. Here are some ideas to help you recharge your physical battery:
Change Your Diet
It’s essential to maintain a healthy diet to keep your energy levels up. Nutritionists recommend getting a good balance of lean proteins, healthy fat, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates at every meal. Even if you have a busy lifestyle, it’s still possible to cook and eat nutritious meals. If you need some ideas, check out the American Heart Association’s guide and other online resources, or find a registered dietician to help you.
Take a Bath
Taking a nice, warm bath can be very relaxing, especially when you use Epsom salt. Epsom salt is believed to improve muscle function, reduce inflammation caused by stress, and remove toxins from your body.
Aromatherapy
Some essential oils such as sage and lavender are believed to be especially relaxing to people under stress. Some essential oils can be mixed with a carrier oil and massaged onto the body, rubbed onto the wrists, or diffused into the air.
Stretch
When you’re stressed, your body is more prone to injury. Recharge your body by stretching your muscles for just a few minutes every couple of days. An even better option is yoga – whether it be with a yoga class once or twice a week, or just doing yoga at home.
Exercise
When you’re feeling drained, it can be so tempting to just sit down in front of the TV to wind down after a long day, but that usually ends up making you feel more tired.
Rather than sitting down, try getting up and moving around to recharge your batteries. Whether it be taking a walk around the neighborhood or joining a fitness class, even just a short amount of time being active can leave you feeling energized for hours. Karate is an excellent activity for exercising at your own pace, having fun, and reducing stress.
Get Some More Z’s
Sleep is the ultimate way to recharge your body. For healthy adults ages 26 – 64, experts recommend getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. When you get fewer than six hours of sleep per night, you’re risking a major burnout at work. Create a healthy sleep schedule for yourself by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
It’s also important to get regular rest between sleep and activity. Sleep experts recommend getting 60- to 90-minute naps to boost your energy. If you feel like you’re getting too busy or overwhelmed, schedule a nap into your day so you can recharge and wake up ready to go again.
Recharge Your Mind
When it comes to recharging yourself, it’s crucial to focus not only on your body but also on your mind. Thinking about the things that stress you out in your everyday life just tends to make it harder for you to recharge. Here are some ideas to help you soothe your mind so you can have a happier and more energized mentality.
Let Go of the Past
One of the major causes of stress is focusing on the mistakes you’ve made in the past. By letting the past go, you can better focus on enjoying the present and working on goals for the future.
Recognize Your Accomplishments
Sometimes you might feel like you’re not doing enough, or that you can’t keep up. When you start feeling overwhelmed, take a minute to write down a short list of the accomplishments you’ve made – this can give you the energy and motivation you need to keep moving forward.
Take Breaks from What Wears You Down
Whether it be situations or people that are bringing you down, take a break from them. If it means putting some relationships on hold until you have the energy to deal with them, that’s okay. Take the time you need for yourself.
Spend Time with Friends and Family
While some people can be draining, others can be totally uplifting because good people often radiate good energy. Spend time with your friends and family who make you happy rather than bring you down.
Have Fun
Sure, life is full of serious things, like going to work and paying the bills, but don’t forget to throw some fun into the mix as well – it’s essential for staying mentally healthy. Catch up with some old friends, go out for a night on the town, or go on a weekend getaway.
Avoid Doing Too Many Things at Once
Multitasking is a great way to get stressed out and make mistakes. Instead of taking on too many tasks at once, try making a checklist, and focus on completing one thing at a time.
Take a Hiatus from Social Media
Social media can be deceiving – you see all these other people with the “perfect” lives, bodies, or jobs, yet in reality, they rarely are perfect. It can be mentally exhausting comparing yourself to others or feeling like you have to live up to certain expectations. You don’t have to go and delete all your social media accounts, but you might want to consider putting them on hold for a little bit.
Pick up a Pencil
One great way to reduce stress is to write about your feelings in a journal. For this method to be the most beneficial, try writing in your journal for at least five minutes either at the beginning or end of each day. Writing down your thoughts can help you work through any problems you might be dealing with.
If you’re not that great with words, that’s ok! Art is another great way to soothe the mind. Spend some time drawing or painting, or even grab one of those stress-reducing coloring books at your nearest bookstore.
Pray or Meditate
Studies have shown that prayer and meditation can be helpful to people who are feeling depressed or stressed. Not only can it bring people peace, but it can also help them find purpose in their lives.
Conclusion
Just by making some small adjustments to your lifestyle, you can significantly reduce your stress. Recharge your battery by taking care of both your mind and body. If you’re still feeling drained after trying some of these methods, visit your doctor to see if you have any underlying conditions.
