Are you someone who feels tired all the time and lacks energy?
It isn’t necessarily all about not having enough sleep. Women can feel more tired than men. This is down to hormones. Perimenopause can cause hormones to fluctuate and low oestrogen can make you more tired than normal. An under active thyroid can also leave you feeling slow.
With a combination of lifestyle, diet and exercise adjustments, health checks, and forming new habits, your energy levels should increase.
Start by ruling out any medical conditions that could cause fatigue.
Make an appointment to see your GP and request blood tests to check your thyroid, iron, B12 and vitamin D levels.
Ask if there are bonus supplements you could take.
Fatigue can be a symptom of issues like:
- Anaemia (common, especially in women)
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME)
- Sleep apnoea
Get Natural Light Early
The UK’s grey skies can mess with your circadian rhythm.
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Aim for morning daylight exposure, even if it's cloudy. If you can, take a 10–30 minute walk within 2 hours of waking.
Use a SAD lamp in autumn/winter. These help replace some of the natural light we lose during winter, and helps boost your mood.
Eat to Support Energy
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Avoid skipping meals; go for balanced meals with complex carbs (brown rice oats), protein (eggs, legumes, chicken, fish) and healthy fats (nuts, olive oil) and lots of vegetables.
Adding protein to your breakfast (such as eggs) is a great way to start the day. Protein helps make hormones and to build and repair our bodies.
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Cut back on:
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Sugar and refined carbs (e.g. biscuits, cakes and pastries and energy drinks). These can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, followed by a drop, leaving you tired.
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Heavy, processed lunches (they often cause an afternoon crash)
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Hydration
Even mild dehydration can cause tiredness and poor focus.
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Aim for 6–8 glasses of water daily. If you are increasing protein in your diet definitely increase your water intake. The body needs more water to process protein.
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Tea and coffee count, but watch caffeine after 3pm. Too much caffeine can affect sleep and heightens stress hormones, making it harder to sleep. Fresh mint leaves with hot water is a lovely alternative to a traditional cuppa. It contains no caffeine, and mint helps aide digestion. So perfect for after your evening meal and before bed.
Alcohol can dehydrate you and also disrupt sleep. So try to reduce or stop your intake.
Improve Sleep Quality
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.
- Wind down with no screens 1 hour before bed.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
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Try magnesium supplements or a warm Epsom salt bath before bed.
Move More, Not Less
Ironically, light exercise helps fight fatigue:
- Even a 20-minute walk daily boosts energy.
- Try beginner yoga or stretching if you're too tired for more. Joe Wicks does great short, free workouts on YouTube for beginners.
Mental Overload? Try Mindfulness
Mental fatigue is real—stress, overwork, and screens drain you. Ongoing stress can drain your energy and the nutrients you need to make energy.
The average UK adult spends five hours a day looking at a screen and that is on top of work related screen time! Excessive phone use can lead to symptoms of anxiety and lack of sleep
Try to take screen breaks every hour.
Spend your free time doing something without a screen, such as reading, crafting or just being mindful and sitting with your own thoughts.
Being outside in nature is a great way to relax your mind too.
Are is doing things you enjoy with people you like spending time with. Make sure you have some fun too!