I'm tired every day. What steps can I take now to start fixing this?
October 9, 2024 1:33 PM
I've had an ongoing problem of feeling mentally and physically tired on most days for several years. This has reached a point where it's significantly affecting my work performance and my ability to be mentally present for my family. It's a given that a long-term solution will require gradual changes over time, but what can I do first to get some relief as soon as possible?
To start, I'm a mid-forties male who's spent several years feeling tired on most days. I typically feel like taking a multi-hour nap by about 2 PM, and my ability to do mental or physical work severely tapers off after that point. I sometimes feel like I'm dragging myself around by late evening.
I have a primary care doctor, and my last battery of tests revealed nothing unusual beyond mildly elevated blood pressure. I also had a recent allergy test, and it didn't turn up anything unusual. I'm not in pain or anything like that. I'm also not suffering from depression or any other mental health condition.
I have several habits that are obviously contributing to my lack of energy and sleepiness:
* I have a sedentary job and sedentary hobbies. I don't exercise beyond walking my dog around the block, and I haven't for many years.
* I eat a lot of fast and highly processed foods.
* I ingest far too much sugar of all kinds, particularly in the form of soft drinks. It's not at all unusual for me to drink three 12 oz cans of Coke in a day, for example.
* I'm addicted to screens. I'm on my phone, watching streaming TV, or listening to Spotify pretty much every waking minute that I'm not at work, including when I go to bed. My brain is way too stimulated by all this information and entertainment.
On an intellectual level, I understand that I need to change these habits. One problem is that being tired makes it harder to do things, and another is that I feel overwhelmed by the overlapping nature of these problems. I realize that I have a long road ahead on the way to "normal."
I think I need some relatively easy wins to build momentum in tackling these issues. What steps can I take in the short term that will have a noticeable enough effect to make me feel like I can tackle this issue and there's hope that things will improve?
To start, I'm a mid-forties male who's spent several years feeling tired on most days. I typically feel like taking a multi-hour nap by about 2 PM, and my ability to do mental or physical work severely tapers off after that point. I sometimes feel like I'm dragging myself around by late evening.
I have a primary care doctor, and my last battery of tests revealed nothing unusual beyond mildly elevated blood pressure. I also had a recent allergy test, and it didn't turn up anything unusual. I'm not in pain or anything like that. I'm also not suffering from depression or any other mental health condition.
I have several habits that are obviously contributing to my lack of energy and sleepiness:
* I have a sedentary job and sedentary hobbies. I don't exercise beyond walking my dog around the block, and I haven't for many years.
* I eat a lot of fast and highly processed foods.
* I ingest far too much sugar of all kinds, particularly in the form of soft drinks. It's not at all unusual for me to drink three 12 oz cans of Coke in a day, for example.
* I'm addicted to screens. I'm on my phone, watching streaming TV, or listening to Spotify pretty much every waking minute that I'm not at work, including when I go to bed. My brain is way too stimulated by all this information and entertainment.
On an intellectual level, I understand that I need to change these habits. One problem is that being tired makes it harder to do things, and another is that I feel overwhelmed by the overlapping nature of these problems. I realize that I have a long road ahead on the way to "normal."
I think I need some relatively easy wins to build momentum in tackling these issues. What steps can I take in the short term that will have a noticeable enough effect to make me feel like I can tackle this issue and there's hope that things will improve?
I mean, just pick one thing. Walk the dog an extra lap or whatever. Start there and feel good about it.
But also, "blood tests" is vague. The Big Five for tiredness are: B12, Vit D, Folate, Thyroid, Mono/Epstein Barr. Especially if you've ever had mono previously, talk to your doctor about an MS screening -- exhaustion was my only symptom for 20 years. Do you snore? Ask for a sleep study even if you don't.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:39 PM on October 9
But also, "blood tests" is vague. The Big Five for tiredness are: B12, Vit D, Folate, Thyroid, Mono/Epstein Barr. Especially if you've ever had mono previously, talk to your doctor about an MS screening -- exhaustion was my only symptom for 20 years. Do you snore? Ask for a sleep study even if you don't.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:39 PM on October 9
Yeah, you sound like me two years ago and it was sleep apnea. I never had ANY energy and was constantly eating chocolate. It was like living with brain fog 24/7 for... I don't even know how long it was. I got nothing done, thought about nothing, did nothing, gained 25 pounds. Get tested for sleep apnea.
That solved the always tired part, and then I was able to work towards better eating and exercise habits, which have also been beneficial, but man, sometimes it's a chore. Good luck!
posted by mrphancy at 1:41 PM on October 9
That solved the always tired part, and then I was able to work towards better eating and exercise habits, which have also been beneficial, but man, sometimes it's a chore. Good luck!
posted by mrphancy at 1:41 PM on October 9
FWIW, no one, including my wife, has ever indicated to me that I snore, gasp for air, or show any other sleep apnea symptoms when I'm asleep. I'm not overweight and I don't sleep restlessly. Other than being tired a lot, what's indicating that zip have sleep apnea?
posted by Chuck Barris at 1:42 PM on October 9
posted by Chuck Barris at 1:42 PM on October 9
I also had a recent allergy test, and it didn't turn up anything unusual.
Why did you have the allergy test? Were you having allergy symptoms, but nothing flagged on the allergy test?
This was me and I'm on the waitlist for testing for histamine-related disorders after being negative on blood and patch testing despite having many allergy symptoms. These conditions will present with allergy symptoms even if you're not technically allergic to anything. A month ago my doctor had me up my daily Allegra from 60mg twice a day to 180mg twice a day and it significantly improved my energy, even while having COVID. I don't know if it's "actually" a histamine disorder yet, or just low-grade something-too-obscure-to-be-on-the-tests allergies sapping my energy, but if you have any allergy symptoms it could be worth a shot to either get on a daily h1 histamine blocker (which is part of the standard treatment for histamine related issues) or increase it if you're already on one.
posted by brook horse at 1:46 PM on October 9
Why did you have the allergy test? Were you having allergy symptoms, but nothing flagged on the allergy test?
This was me and I'm on the waitlist for testing for histamine-related disorders after being negative on blood and patch testing despite having many allergy symptoms. These conditions will present with allergy symptoms even if you're not technically allergic to anything. A month ago my doctor had me up my daily Allegra from 60mg twice a day to 180mg twice a day and it significantly improved my energy, even while having COVID. I don't know if it's "actually" a histamine disorder yet, or just low-grade something-too-obscure-to-be-on-the-tests allergies sapping my energy, but if you have any allergy symptoms it could be worth a shot to either get on a daily h1 histamine blocker (which is part of the standard treatment for histamine related issues) or increase it if you're already on one.
posted by brook horse at 1:46 PM on October 9
I'll write this and stop threadsitting:
I had the allergy test because a doctor thought I might have a food allergy.
I sleep without interruption, usually seven or eight hours per night.
posted by Chuck Barris at 1:49 PM on October 9
I had the allergy test because a doctor thought I might have a food allergy.
I sleep without interruption, usually seven or eight hours per night.
posted by Chuck Barris at 1:49 PM on October 9
Supplementing vitamins can make a difference in your energy level. I'd talk with a doctor about it and see what they recommend.
posted by soelo at 1:50 PM on October 9
posted by soelo at 1:50 PM on October 9
I am not overweight, nor do a snore much, and I have sleep apnea. it's a good thing to check (it's easy) and cross off the list. and easy to treat if you do have it.
posted by supermedusa at 1:50 PM on October 9
posted by supermedusa at 1:50 PM on October 9
Experiment with ways to truly rest and restore your energy (or least slow down the energy depletion): breath work, meditation, lying in a dark room with earplugs, sitting quietly and looking at some nature, etc.
Start with just a few minutes, note how you feel, and if it seems to help (or not hurt!), try to do the thing longer. If it’s not helping, try another restful activity.
It is slow but building the skill to truly rest can help with everything else.
posted by IridescentMoth at 1:51 PM on October 9
Start with just a few minutes, note how you feel, and if it seems to help (or not hurt!), try to do the thing longer. If it’s not helping, try another restful activity.
It is slow but building the skill to truly rest can help with everything else.
posted by IridescentMoth at 1:51 PM on October 9
Is it too simplistic to say your first step should be to stop buying cans of Coke? Does that feel like it’ll be too tough? Because not buying things is a strong way to not consume them and cutting out all that caffeine and sugar is going to make a huge difference.
posted by penguin pie at 2:01 PM on October 9
posted by penguin pie at 2:01 PM on October 9
Are you drinking enough water? Replace coke with water.
posted by freethefeet at 2:03 PM on October 9
posted by freethefeet at 2:03 PM on October 9
N'th-ing the suggestions above to get a sleep study done to rule out sleep apnea.
Also, in parallel, get blood tests done to make sure your hormones and responses to those hormones are within normal limits. Definitely get thyroid and (if male) testosterone checked.
Get screened for depression.
If those checks reveal problems, treat that stuff.
It's unlikely willpower and lifestyle changes and being extra-hard on yourself is going to do any good unless you at least start to address any underlying medical problems.
posted by sourcequench at 2:03 PM on October 9
Also, in parallel, get blood tests done to make sure your hormones and responses to those hormones are within normal limits. Definitely get thyroid and (if male) testosterone checked.
Get screened for depression.
If those checks reveal problems, treat that stuff.
It's unlikely willpower and lifestyle changes and being extra-hard on yourself is going to do any good unless you at least start to address any underlying medical problems.
posted by sourcequench at 2:03 PM on October 9
Eat a vegetable (or fruit, but vegetable is better) every day. Try to be active for at least a half hour every day. Find something to drink with less sugar. Drink more water.
I'm trying to do those things too.
posted by limeonaire at 2:06 PM on October 9
I'm trying to do those things too.
posted by limeonaire at 2:06 PM on October 9
I hear that the medical side of things is being addressed so will not presume to address that.
I am or have been similar on all fronts. I have made good progress on food and exercise, and less progress on screens (currently working on that one). Here are some things that work for me.
For physical movement, get and use a device that will track your steps. I use an Apple Watch, but your phone may have a perfectly fine built in pedometer. Just observe your current status for a week. Then add 10% to your weekly average steps, and hit that as your weekly average next week. Rinse and repeat until you’re at an amount that feels comfortably active for you. I also found it helpful to download an app that would let me “walk the Appalachian trail” by showing how many steps I’d walked since downloading the app and how far that would’ve taken me along the app.
Once that base is built, I strongly recommend setting a goal that is active and actually sounds fun to you. Then bribe the shit out of yourself to get yourself to do it. For years, I have only allowed myself to buy fancy coffee immediately after a run or workout. I like running races a lot but hate training for them, and this gives me the same feeling as getting the medal at the end of the race. It’s just a little “hey, you did that!”, which I think we don’t give ourselves as adults enough. Your activity and reward make look different, but I want you to think — what behavior do I want to adopt? How can I reward myself for doing it in the little moments?
For the food, think about what you can add to your plate that adds protein, fiber, or color. Don’t think about what you need to stop eating. You get a Big Mac and fries for dinner? Cool, keep doing that, but also add an apple. If you’re feeling wild, save a little bit of the Big Mac and fries for tomorrow (and have another apple alongside it). Incremental change is fine here, too.
Consider getting a CGM. Dexcom makes one that doesn’t require a prescription called Stelo, and im sure there are others. Visualizing what your diet is doing to your blood sugar will either incentivize changes (if it’s really spiky) or give you comfort that your body is actually processing your diet better than you think it is. (If it is spiky, try walking for 15 minutes after every time you eat—it may amaze you how big an impact that has on your glucose waves). You won’t need to use it for more than a couple of months to see where you’re at.
For screens, man, it’s tough. I ended up buying an Aro box, which is embarrassingly expensive and feels like something a mature adult shouldn’t need. But putting my phone in the box and having the box tell me that “it’s actually only been 16 minutes since you put the phone in here” does seem to be breaking my habit bit by bit. I also try to walk the dog in silence without touching my phone once a day. I feel like these baby steps shouldn’t be so hard, but I’m at the bottom of the mountain looking up on this one still.
Hope something in here sparks something in your own brain!
posted by moosetracks at 2:07 PM on October 9
I am or have been similar on all fronts. I have made good progress on food and exercise, and less progress on screens (currently working on that one). Here are some things that work for me.
For physical movement, get and use a device that will track your steps. I use an Apple Watch, but your phone may have a perfectly fine built in pedometer. Just observe your current status for a week. Then add 10% to your weekly average steps, and hit that as your weekly average next week. Rinse and repeat until you’re at an amount that feels comfortably active for you. I also found it helpful to download an app that would let me “walk the Appalachian trail” by showing how many steps I’d walked since downloading the app and how far that would’ve taken me along the app.
Once that base is built, I strongly recommend setting a goal that is active and actually sounds fun to you. Then bribe the shit out of yourself to get yourself to do it. For years, I have only allowed myself to buy fancy coffee immediately after a run or workout. I like running races a lot but hate training for them, and this gives me the same feeling as getting the medal at the end of the race. It’s just a little “hey, you did that!”, which I think we don’t give ourselves as adults enough. Your activity and reward make look different, but I want you to think — what behavior do I want to adopt? How can I reward myself for doing it in the little moments?
For the food, think about what you can add to your plate that adds protein, fiber, or color. Don’t think about what you need to stop eating. You get a Big Mac and fries for dinner? Cool, keep doing that, but also add an apple. If you’re feeling wild, save a little bit of the Big Mac and fries for tomorrow (and have another apple alongside it). Incremental change is fine here, too.
Consider getting a CGM. Dexcom makes one that doesn’t require a prescription called Stelo, and im sure there are others. Visualizing what your diet is doing to your blood sugar will either incentivize changes (if it’s really spiky) or give you comfort that your body is actually processing your diet better than you think it is. (If it is spiky, try walking for 15 minutes after every time you eat—it may amaze you how big an impact that has on your glucose waves). You won’t need to use it for more than a couple of months to see where you’re at.
For screens, man, it’s tough. I ended up buying an Aro box, which is embarrassingly expensive and feels like something a mature adult shouldn’t need. But putting my phone in the box and having the box tell me that “it’s actually only been 16 minutes since you put the phone in here” does seem to be breaking my habit bit by bit. I also try to walk the dog in silence without touching my phone once a day. I feel like these baby steps shouldn’t be so hard, but I’m at the bottom of the mountain looking up on this one still.
Hope something in here sparks something in your own brain!
posted by moosetracks at 2:07 PM on October 9
Oh right, the other thing: Have you had COVID? I got it for the second time in August while traveling, and I feel like I've been exhausted since then. I felt like I spent September recovering and I'm still tired. Some people have felt that way for a few years.
posted by limeonaire at 2:09 PM on October 9
posted by limeonaire at 2:09 PM on October 9
Anecdotal, but it had become a running joke that for me that it was "always nap time" because I was so constantly exhausted. My situation changed and I started eating far, far less processed food - the difference in my energy has been absolutely a 180 since not long after that. And when I temporarily went back to the processed foods, the cause became pretty obvious. So I would recommend starting there.
posted by Saucy Possum at 2:13 PM on October 9
posted by Saucy Possum at 2:13 PM on October 9
Have you been tested for ADHD or something similar? It could be you're using up all your energy just dealing with the world and by the end of the day your brain is just done.
posted by Art_Pot at 2:13 PM on October 9
posted by Art_Pot at 2:13 PM on October 9
Things that might help:
--Use a ready-meal service that focuses on healthy food. Example and UK (vegan) example. Minimum effort but will get you on a healthier path.
--Replace your sugary drinks with flavoured water.
--Replace some of your lower-quality entertainment for higher quality equivalents. For example, Kurzgesagt is a great youtube channel, easy to watch, great illustrations, but informative and interesting. Or podcasts when listening to spotify.
--Start reading easy stuff to replace some of your screen time. Look into children's books. Seriously. As a teacher, I read a bunch and there's so much really high quality literature for children now that is both genuinely really good and easier to read.
--Is there a way to build some more incidental movement? Park further away and walk a bit or cycle, or maybe just extend your dog-walking route?
posted by mkdirusername at 2:14 PM on October 9
--Use a ready-meal service that focuses on healthy food. Example and UK (vegan) example. Minimum effort but will get you on a healthier path.
--Replace your sugary drinks with flavoured water.
--Replace some of your lower-quality entertainment for higher quality equivalents. For example, Kurzgesagt is a great youtube channel, easy to watch, great illustrations, but informative and interesting. Or podcasts when listening to spotify.
--Start reading easy stuff to replace some of your screen time. Look into children's books. Seriously. As a teacher, I read a bunch and there's so much really high quality literature for children now that is both genuinely really good and easier to read.
--Is there a way to build some more incidental movement? Park further away and walk a bit or cycle, or maybe just extend your dog-walking route?
posted by mkdirusername at 2:14 PM on October 9
For the screens - every day go outside and look at the sky before you look at any screens. If you use a phone alarm to get up, turn it off without unlocking your phone.
I find that the first thing I do in a day sets me up in certain ways. If the first thing I do is look at my phone, then I look at my phone more than if I make myself do other stuff first. I believe looking at the sky is kind of the opposite of looking at my phone, so that's what I use. You could instead take your dog for a walk before you look at any screens, that would also up your activity level and might set you up for your day better.
posted by ewok_academy at 2:26 PM on October 9
I find that the first thing I do in a day sets me up in certain ways. If the first thing I do is look at my phone, then I look at my phone more than if I make myself do other stuff first. I believe looking at the sky is kind of the opposite of looking at my phone, so that's what I use. You could instead take your dog for a walk before you look at any screens, that would also up your activity level and might set you up for your day better.
posted by ewok_academy at 2:26 PM on October 9
FWIW, no one, including my wife, has ever indicated to me that I snore, gasp for air, or show any other sleep apnea symptoms when I'm asleep. I'm not overweight and I don't sleep restlessly. Other than being tired a lot, what's indicating that [i] have sleep apnea?
You have been "feeling mentally and physically tired on most days for several years" and "typically feel like taking a multi-hour nap by about 2 PM." It's possible that you have been living with that so long that you don't realize how severe it sounds.
I'd suggest you ask a sleep specialist.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 2:39 PM on October 9
You have been "feeling mentally and physically tired on most days for several years" and "typically feel like taking a multi-hour nap by about 2 PM." It's possible that you have been living with that so long that you don't realize how severe it sounds.
I'd suggest you ask a sleep specialist.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 2:39 PM on October 9
Cutting out the Coke seems like the place to start. You'll probably get a headache from the lack of caffeine, but that will go away in a few days. If you can't cut it out, switch to Diet Coke to see if less sugar makes a difference for you.
Do you ever take naps? If you have to do some extra physical exertion, like scrubbing a bathtub or digging a hole to plant a tree, how does your body feel afterward?
I second the suggestions about getting screened for sleep apnea and ADHD. I would add celiac to that list. Your doctor might have covered it in the allergy testing, but maybe not. It's an autoimmune disease. I also wonder if this started after a bout of COVID, in which case, look into long Covid. The research is evolving, but there are treatments to try.
posted by purple_bird at 2:40 PM on October 9
Do you ever take naps? If you have to do some extra physical exertion, like scrubbing a bathtub or digging a hole to plant a tree, how does your body feel afterward?
I second the suggestions about getting screened for sleep apnea and ADHD. I would add celiac to that list. Your doctor might have covered it in the allergy testing, but maybe not. It's an autoimmune disease. I also wonder if this started after a bout of COVID, in which case, look into long Covid. The research is evolving, but there are treatments to try.
posted by purple_bird at 2:40 PM on October 9
I agree that cutting out the coke is a streamlined place to start.
Give yourself 3 weeks. You know yourself better: would you be better quitting cold turkey (maybe start with seltzer or Diet Coke as a replacement?) or ramping down, eg week 1 you can have 2 cokes a day, week 2 you can have 1 a day, week 3 you attempt 0/day.
posted by samthemander at 2:44 PM on October 9
Give yourself 3 weeks. You know yourself better: would you be better quitting cold turkey (maybe start with seltzer or Diet Coke as a replacement?) or ramping down, eg week 1 you can have 2 cokes a day, week 2 you can have 1 a day, week 3 you attempt 0/day.
posted by samthemander at 2:44 PM on October 9
Not buying coke seems like it would be a good start, maybe one of the easier ones.
Or if you can do two laps around the block with the dog, that would be a good start.
Or if you want to start with screens, can you keep screens out of the bedroom at all times? For my phone, I have uninstalled all distracting apps, including the web browser, and installed Lock Me Out to prevent myself from using the app store to re-install them. Also installed a minimalist app launcher to make my phone look really boring.
posted by catquas at 2:45 PM on October 9
Or if you can do two laps around the block with the dog, that would be a good start.
Or if you want to start with screens, can you keep screens out of the bedroom at all times? For my phone, I have uninstalled all distracting apps, including the web browser, and installed Lock Me Out to prevent myself from using the app store to re-install them. Also installed a minimalist app launcher to make my phone look really boring.
posted by catquas at 2:45 PM on October 9
I've also given up scrolling video (so no tiktok, YouTube shorts, Instagram reels or Facebook videos) because that is an easy way to pour all my energy and attention into my phone. I find it helpful.
posted by freethefeet at 2:52 PM on October 9
posted by freethefeet at 2:52 PM on October 9
I wonder if 7-8 hours is simply not enough sleep for you. Do you use an alarm to wake up most mornings? Do you often wish you could stay in bed longer? Do you sleep longer when you get a chance, like on weekends? If so, I would start trying very hard to consistently go to bed earlier or sleep later, or both, trying to get to the point where you wake up every day without an alarm, feeling fully rested and ready to get up.
posted by Redstart at 3:05 PM on October 9
posted by Redstart at 3:05 PM on October 9
You aren't specific about the extent of the battery of tests, so: the easily-solved things that can cause fatigue are thyroid deficiency, vitamin D, and iron/hemoglobin. Other fatigue causes are autoimmune disease and kidney disease. Heart disease too.
In terms of circadian rhythms, you can try a light-box screen for early mornings (inform your brain of the time of day), give up the coke after noon at least, take daily walks at ~the same time. No screens after 8pm is a doable proposition, and no screens in the bedroom is an excellent rule.
posted by Dashy at 3:10 PM on October 9
In terms of circadian rhythms, you can try a light-box screen for early mornings (inform your brain of the time of day), give up the coke after noon at least, take daily walks at ~the same time. No screens after 8pm is a doable proposition, and no screens in the bedroom is an excellent rule.
posted by Dashy at 3:10 PM on October 9
Seconding the question about COVID - what you describe is how Long COVID manifested for me, after a completely unremarkable mild case. The downside is that we still don't have good Long COVID treatments, but there is a ton of research happening right now , (at long last) about the chronic fatigue/ME side of it, so hopefully there will be something in the near future.
posted by restless_nomad at 3:12 PM on October 9
posted by restless_nomad at 3:12 PM on October 9
Reading these answers with interest, as I feel exactly the same way! I got a sleep study 2 years ago and it indicated maybe mild issues. My sleep specialist let me get a CPAP and I've been on it like a week. So far, no change. But I think it will take awhile. I am literally tired every "waking" moment and my memory sucks too.
posted by bookworm4125 at 3:22 PM on October 9
posted by bookworm4125 at 3:22 PM on October 9
Try a few incremental things, and if they don’t stick that’s okay because you can cycle back around to them as you give other changes a go. Different ideas:
Move the various screens and tech out of your bedroom bit by bit. Get a simple alarm clock and keep your phone charger in another room or far enough away from your bed that you have to get up to answer it. If you have a tv in your bedroom, move it out. Slowly try to zone your bedroom as a minimal screens place. You’ll probably have to get your wife’s agreement to this. Set up a charging station of sorts nearby your bedroom but not in it, if you need to.
Try having black tea with some honey in place of one or more of your sodas. Going straight from Coke to water is going to be hard. But black tea gives you a good amount of caffeine and you can sweeten it and then lower the amount of sweetening as your taste adjusts. The complex flavor of good black tea also echoes the complex flavor of Coke in a lot of ways. You can make a pitcher of tea ahead of time so it’s easy to grab a glass instead of a can of soda. If you hate black tea try oolong or green jasmine, both of which play nicely with sweeteners but they do have less caffeine so that’s why I’d start with black tea. There is also coffee but imo that doesn’t vibe for people who are primarily soda drinkers.
If you can, stop keeping soda in the house. Go ahead and get it when you’re eating out, but keep it annoying to acquire at home. Oh, and if you’re somewhere with free refills, just have the one glass of soda and then switch to water.
For movement, do more chores. Seriously, stuff like hauling laundry around, vacuuming and mopping, yard work, organizing and cleaning surfaces, standing to cook and wash dishes, that is all movement. If you do just two extra chores a week than your normal, you’re going to add in more movement, please your spouse, and have a nicer home as a consequence. If you are like me it is about seventy gabillion times easier to do a task for someone else than to do the task for yourself, and even easier if another person is nearby also doing a similar task. So ask your wife to do chores at the same time as you, and ask her which ones she dislikes the most and do those for her while she does other ones. If I were your spouse I would ask you to do laundry and clean the bathroom while I cleaned the kitchen and sorted recycling, for example. If you just do this once a week it’s going to add up.
Add in some more fiber to your diet. Have more beans, maybe start with chipotle or qdoba or similar and then start figuring out dishes you can have at home with beans in them. Choose falafel, not shwarma. Fiber can make a huge difference to your energy levels and beans and legumes are some of the best sources for it, as well as a host of other nutrients like iron and protein. And, they are easy to adjust the seasoning on, so over time you can start out with heavily salted beans like you’d have from fast food, and then ratchet it down a tiny bit at a time as your tastebuds adjust.
Because you say you do sleep through the night but you are still so tired, I really do think you should get checked out for sleep apnea. But could you also adjust your sleeping window? It might be that you get more restful sleep if you start later and get up later, or start earlier and get up earlier. Of course this depends on if your job schedule allows this, but a lot of people, especially with ADHD, have a delayed sleep phase cycle and naturally sleep later and wake up later and then are exhausted when they’re forced to fit into a standard schedule. Extreme early bird people also exist. So if you have the chance, try to figure out when you naturally want to go to bed and wake up and see if that’s very different from your regular life. Then you will have more data as you approach your exhaustion issues.
posted by Mizu at 3:28 PM on October 9
Move the various screens and tech out of your bedroom bit by bit. Get a simple alarm clock and keep your phone charger in another room or far enough away from your bed that you have to get up to answer it. If you have a tv in your bedroom, move it out. Slowly try to zone your bedroom as a minimal screens place. You’ll probably have to get your wife’s agreement to this. Set up a charging station of sorts nearby your bedroom but not in it, if you need to.
Try having black tea with some honey in place of one or more of your sodas. Going straight from Coke to water is going to be hard. But black tea gives you a good amount of caffeine and you can sweeten it and then lower the amount of sweetening as your taste adjusts. The complex flavor of good black tea also echoes the complex flavor of Coke in a lot of ways. You can make a pitcher of tea ahead of time so it’s easy to grab a glass instead of a can of soda. If you hate black tea try oolong or green jasmine, both of which play nicely with sweeteners but they do have less caffeine so that’s why I’d start with black tea. There is also coffee but imo that doesn’t vibe for people who are primarily soda drinkers.
If you can, stop keeping soda in the house. Go ahead and get it when you’re eating out, but keep it annoying to acquire at home. Oh, and if you’re somewhere with free refills, just have the one glass of soda and then switch to water.
For movement, do more chores. Seriously, stuff like hauling laundry around, vacuuming and mopping, yard work, organizing and cleaning surfaces, standing to cook and wash dishes, that is all movement. If you do just two extra chores a week than your normal, you’re going to add in more movement, please your spouse, and have a nicer home as a consequence. If you are like me it is about seventy gabillion times easier to do a task for someone else than to do the task for yourself, and even easier if another person is nearby also doing a similar task. So ask your wife to do chores at the same time as you, and ask her which ones she dislikes the most and do those for her while she does other ones. If I were your spouse I would ask you to do laundry and clean the bathroom while I cleaned the kitchen and sorted recycling, for example. If you just do this once a week it’s going to add up.
Add in some more fiber to your diet. Have more beans, maybe start with chipotle or qdoba or similar and then start figuring out dishes you can have at home with beans in them. Choose falafel, not shwarma. Fiber can make a huge difference to your energy levels and beans and legumes are some of the best sources for it, as well as a host of other nutrients like iron and protein. And, they are easy to adjust the seasoning on, so over time you can start out with heavily salted beans like you’d have from fast food, and then ratchet it down a tiny bit at a time as your tastebuds adjust.
Because you say you do sleep through the night but you are still so tired, I really do think you should get checked out for sleep apnea. But could you also adjust your sleeping window? It might be that you get more restful sleep if you start later and get up later, or start earlier and get up earlier. Of course this depends on if your job schedule allows this, but a lot of people, especially with ADHD, have a delayed sleep phase cycle and naturally sleep later and wake up later and then are exhausted when they’re forced to fit into a standard schedule. Extreme early bird people also exist. So if you have the chance, try to figure out when you naturally want to go to bed and wake up and see if that’s very different from your regular life. Then you will have more data as you approach your exhaustion issues.
posted by Mizu at 3:28 PM on October 9
CO2 buildup?
It’s most likely if you live/work in new-ish construction or recently made your living situation more airtight and have gas appliances.
You can buy a monitor (mine is the Aranet 2) for about $150. Mine said that I definitely had a problem and have not been brain foggy/sleepy in the same way since I started leaving a window cracked and more-than-cracked while running gas appliances.
Some people are more sensitive than others - my partner says he doesn’t notice any effects.
posted by A Blue Moon at 4:10 PM on October 9
It’s most likely if you live/work in new-ish construction or recently made your living situation more airtight and have gas appliances.
You can buy a monitor (mine is the Aranet 2) for about $150. Mine said that I definitely had a problem and have not been brain foggy/sleepy in the same way since I started leaving a window cracked and more-than-cracked while running gas appliances.
Some people are more sensitive than others - my partner says he doesn’t notice any effects.
posted by A Blue Moon at 4:10 PM on October 9
I mean, I'd start by just correcting the problems you list in your post:
-stop consuming caffeine after 12pm (this is a big one - it's possible your 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is shallow because of caffeine in the soda)
-stop looking at screens at least an hour before bed. If you enjoy novels, pick out whatever will be easiest for you to be sucked into.
-start learning more recipes that will help you wean yourself off a diet of mostly processed foods.
-figure out what form of exercise will stick. Different people enjoy different types of exercise, but even just taking your dog on longer walks would be a great start (or could you jog with your dog?)
Again, cutting caffeine is the big one - especially in the afternoon, since caffeine has a long half-life. If you can only do one thing, do that one.
posted by coffeecat at 4:15 PM on October 9
-stop consuming caffeine after 12pm (this is a big one - it's possible your 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is shallow because of caffeine in the soda)
-stop looking at screens at least an hour before bed. If you enjoy novels, pick out whatever will be easiest for you to be sucked into.
-start learning more recipes that will help you wean yourself off a diet of mostly processed foods.
-figure out what form of exercise will stick. Different people enjoy different types of exercise, but even just taking your dog on longer walks would be a great start (or could you jog with your dog?)
Again, cutting caffeine is the big one - especially in the afternoon, since caffeine has a long half-life. If you can only do one thing, do that one.
posted by coffeecat at 4:15 PM on October 9
I'm going to second DarlingBri's "just pick one thing". If you're already addicted to screens then I'd suggest downloading some app that will gamify going outside and doing some light to moderate physical activity because it is probably easier to do something new than it is to stop doing one of your current bad habits. The upshot is that you might spend a bit more time taking your dog on walks as you're playing your game. The game I play is Pokemon Go (yes people are still playing it). I'll go on walks with my younger kid (and my older one if they accept my bribe of a bubble tea) to do raid battles so that we can catch more powerful Pokemon together. If you've got kids that are into Pokemon it could be a good way to get some activity as well as time together.
But there are lots of other games out there. The main thing is that it gets you to spend a bit more time outside being active.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:24 PM on October 9
But there are lots of other games out there. The main thing is that it gets you to spend a bit more time outside being active.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 4:24 PM on October 9
A vitamin D deficiency can cause fatigue as you describe. It did for me, and a blood test identified the deficiency and my dr put me on a huge dose for a few weeks. I noticed a difference in a week. Might be a contributing factor.
posted by j810c at 4:26 PM on October 9
posted by j810c at 4:26 PM on October 9
I don’t think quitting coke is going to solve your fatigue. It didn’t for me. I will offer this bit of information: if you do quit, be prepared to have intense sugar-withdrawal headaches for at least a week.
posted by mai at 4:51 PM on October 9
posted by mai at 4:51 PM on October 9
I feel like you do when I’m not on top of my blood sugar. I can’t eat starches or carbs early in the day or I feel extremely weak and tired by mid-day. So if you want to change one thing, I’d say eat lots of protein, fat, vegetables and complex carbs for breakfast and lunch, and move all your sweets to the end of the day if you really need them. See if you feel better in the morning and afternoon. It’s worth a couple-day experiment, at least.
posted by Ollie at 5:02 PM on October 9
posted by Ollie at 5:02 PM on October 9
It turned out my chronic fatigue was caused by two things:
Also you can do an initial sleep study at home now! That's how I was diagnosed, I didn't have to stay over anywhere and my insurance covered it. I swear, I'm running around like HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS? handing out sleep apnea pamphlets.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:50 PM on October 9
- Sleep apnea. I had no risk factors and didn't snore, but it turns out my blood oxygen was still dipping into the low 80s every night. Whoopsie! A full on CPAP does wonders and I love it.
- Drugs and supplements I was taking to fix my sleep. Which I no longer have to take because of the sleep apnea!
Also you can do an initial sleep study at home now! That's how I was diagnosed, I didn't have to stay over anywhere and my insurance covered it. I swear, I'm running around like HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD NEWS? handing out sleep apnea pamphlets.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 5:50 PM on October 9
I always say this in response to questions like these. Consider the possibility that your thyroid is "off." Many, many people feel awful when their TSH is on the high side of what is considered clinical norm. I was constantly exhausted and needed naps every day around 4 pm when my TSH was between 4 and 5 (still within clinically normal range). For me the TSH sweet spot is between 1 and 1.5. Higher than that and all sorts of unpleasant things, including ongoing fatigue, start to happen.
posted by virve at 6:10 PM on October 9
posted by virve at 6:10 PM on October 9
What came to mind for me is that you should take a class and outsource planning to do things that are not screen based or sugar based. I know it probably seems like adding more things is too much, but you sound in a rut.
I would, if your family configuration allows, look for an active, out of the house class or activity like axe throwing, ceramics, woodworking, car maintenance, archery, meditation, photography, etc. Something tactile and present where you don’t have to do any planning other than “get to this class,” but once there you can’t be on your phone and your hands are occupied.
It seems to me you’re in a loop where you keep having to spark off your brain with sugar or electronic inputs or the fat/salt/sweet fast food combination. Giving yourself some time off those things would help.
If you can’t because you have kids, consider activities with them like playground/swim/ceramics/etc. that will do the same. You can also bring your partner.
After that my order of operations would be:
- walk longer as per above and the steps
- if you have a store you can walk to, buy one can/smallest bottle they have of Coke for full convenience store price. Just one. At a time. If you want two, no problem - you just have to walk there again to get the second one.
- consider a sleep study
posted by warriorqueen at 6:28 PM on October 9
I would, if your family configuration allows, look for an active, out of the house class or activity like axe throwing, ceramics, woodworking, car maintenance, archery, meditation, photography, etc. Something tactile and present where you don’t have to do any planning other than “get to this class,” but once there you can’t be on your phone and your hands are occupied.
It seems to me you’re in a loop where you keep having to spark off your brain with sugar or electronic inputs or the fat/salt/sweet fast food combination. Giving yourself some time off those things would help.
If you can’t because you have kids, consider activities with them like playground/swim/ceramics/etc. that will do the same. You can also bring your partner.
After that my order of operations would be:
- walk longer as per above and the steps
- if you have a store you can walk to, buy one can/smallest bottle they have of Coke for full convenience store price. Just one. At a time. If you want two, no problem - you just have to walk there again to get the second one.
- consider a sleep study
posted by warriorqueen at 6:28 PM on October 9
Ok tbh the first thing I would do is book two weeks off work now, and spend them sleeping. Don't go on vacation anywhere, don't try and do any projects or 'catch up on stuff'. Just sit on your butt at home, nap when you body tells you to nap, watch a bunch of crappy tv or play video games, and just catch up on all the sleep you need.
Once you've done that you'll have enough energy to actually tackle the solutions listed above. The problem of sleep deprivation, as you are discovering, is that you really can't resolve it when you are sleep deprived. It's a bit like trying to do all the things that prevent depression when you are already depressed.
ymmv but personally I find it whenever I book time off from work I need at least a full week of sleep/vegetating before I can actually do anything enjoyable, so I assume if you are this sleep deprived you will probably need 2 weeks minimum to do anything effective.
posted by EllaEm at 6:33 PM on October 9
Once you've done that you'll have enough energy to actually tackle the solutions listed above. The problem of sleep deprivation, as you are discovering, is that you really can't resolve it when you are sleep deprived. It's a bit like trying to do all the things that prevent depression when you are already depressed.
ymmv but personally I find it whenever I book time off from work I need at least a full week of sleep/vegetating before I can actually do anything enjoyable, so I assume if you are this sleep deprived you will probably need 2 weeks minimum to do anything effective.
posted by EllaEm at 6:33 PM on October 9
Really really sounds like sleep apnea - it isn't always loud or tied to restlessness.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:43 PM on October 9
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:43 PM on October 9
I just got tested recently (home test) and it was apparently moderate sleep apnea. I've been on one for almost two weeks and I think I'm already feeling better.
Cutting way back on sugar will also help, but I thought it was more important you just another person who didn't think that could be the problem... that it was a problem.
posted by canine epigram at 8:21 PM on October 9
Cutting way back on sugar will also help, but I thought it was more important you just another person who didn't think that could be the problem... that it was a problem.
posted by canine epigram at 8:21 PM on October 9
When I intermittent fast my brain wakes up quite a bit. Anxiety can create restless sleep, so you are passed out for seven hours and sill feel tired all day.
Google Fit is a free step tracking app that is good enough. Muscling through without caffeine has helped me a little. Reducing carbs will also help with that late afternoon exhaustion--your blood glucose levels are dropping. Get a blood test and see if you have type II diabetes.
Often there is an underlying emotional reason for bad health habits.
posted by mecran01 at 8:59 PM on October 9
Google Fit is a free step tracking app that is good enough. Muscling through without caffeine has helped me a little. Reducing carbs will also help with that late afternoon exhaustion--your blood glucose levels are dropping. Get a blood test and see if you have type II diabetes.
Often there is an underlying emotional reason for bad health habits.
posted by mecran01 at 8:59 PM on October 9
Really really sounds like sleep apnea - it isn't always loud or tied to restlessness.
The loud kind is obstructive sleep apnea, but central sleep apnea is a thing as well and has pretty similar effects.
While you wait for your sleep study you might want to try chili. Cheap, harmless unless you're allergic, and worked for me.
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 PM on October 9
The loud kind is obstructive sleep apnea, but central sleep apnea is a thing as well and has pretty similar effects.
While you wait for your sleep study you might want to try chili. Cheap, harmless unless you're allergic, and worked for me.
posted by flabdablet at 9:45 PM on October 9
Habit stacking.
Make a small change and try to stick with it. When you have got to a point that this change is now your new normal, make another small change.
Gradually work towards the end goals.
For me personally my end goals would be (not necessarily in order):
* Drinking enough water
* Getting enough good quality sleep
* Eating less sugar
* Eating minimal processed foods
* Minimal caffeine
* At least twenty minutes of exercise each day
What are changes you can make to get there?
Maybe:
* Gradually reducing the amount of soft drink. Replace with water, an apple, small amounts of coffee to replace the caffeine
* Taking the dog for longer walks. Gradually adding some other exercise to your routine such as pilates or resistance training.
* Swapping ultra processed foods for less processed alternatives.eg. I like potato chips and will still eat some, but I swap some for roasted unsalted almonds. This makes it a more balanced snack
Take it a step at a time. It makes it more manageable
posted by kinddieserzeit at 11:21 PM on October 9
Make a small change and try to stick with it. When you have got to a point that this change is now your new normal, make another small change.
Gradually work towards the end goals.
For me personally my end goals would be (not necessarily in order):
* Drinking enough water
* Getting enough good quality sleep
* Eating less sugar
* Eating minimal processed foods
* Minimal caffeine
* At least twenty minutes of exercise each day
What are changes you can make to get there?
Maybe:
* Gradually reducing the amount of soft drink. Replace with water, an apple, small amounts of coffee to replace the caffeine
* Taking the dog for longer walks. Gradually adding some other exercise to your routine such as pilates or resistance training.
* Swapping ultra processed foods for less processed alternatives.eg. I like potato chips and will still eat some, but I swap some for roasted unsalted almonds. This makes it a more balanced snack
Take it a step at a time. It makes it more manageable
posted by kinddieserzeit at 11:21 PM on October 9
One thing I haven't seen yet - insulin and blood sugar testing. I totally had these symptoms, normal sugar but high insulin. Some Metformin sorted that out pronto.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 2:03 AM on October 10
posted by I claim sanctuary at 2:03 AM on October 10
Adding is easier than subtracting: I'd suggest you start by getting some fruits and vegetables and some food that is heavy on the fibre, and eating it. If you find something you enjoy that is healthy for you it will give you less room to eat the junk food and you'll probably start cutting down on it.
I'd suggest you start the morning with a high protein, low sugar breakfast. You may be bingeing all that sugar and junk food because you are tired, and then your blood sugar ends up spiking a lot, so you eat more to keep bringing it back up to a level where you can stagger through your day's activities. Try and begin each day with protein and some complex carbs.
I'd also suggest you start with the easiest and smallest possible program of getting exercise in nature - when you are already outside and moving, following your regular routines, walk an extra ten steps so that you are standing on grass and looking at trees. That may feel so negligible it is laughable, but just those ten steps is ten steps more than you did yesterday, and will enable you to say you actually got off the couch and began an exercise program.
For a farther exercise program, try one of those apps that remind you to get up periodically, and as you go through your day, get up once every hour or forty five minutes and stretch or do warm ups for a few seconds This can make a big difference to how much oxygen your brain gets and how much energy you have. I would NOT suggest you exercise more than this until you confirm if you have the symptoms of chronic fatigue. The last thing you need is to force yourself to get up and do a half hour of not-very-strenuous exercise and cause a crash. You'd be so discouraged you'd never want to get out of bed again. Start by using an app to help you put in almost negligible effort several times a day. If you can actually do that for a couple of days without feeling overwhelmed, then you can add some real movement and test what happens when you raise your heart rate.
Finally, I'd suggest you put on a real tear jerker movie and see if you can trigger a crying jag. While crying, look inward to see if you have anything personal to cry about. It might be you are stifling some emotional issues. You may not be depressed per se, but still be powering through some significant emotional pain. So very many of us are right now, that you might be another person actually experiencing despair as fatigue. There is a difference between despair and depression.
posted by Jane the Brown at 4:06 AM on October 10
I'd suggest you start the morning with a high protein, low sugar breakfast. You may be bingeing all that sugar and junk food because you are tired, and then your blood sugar ends up spiking a lot, so you eat more to keep bringing it back up to a level where you can stagger through your day's activities. Try and begin each day with protein and some complex carbs.
I'd also suggest you start with the easiest and smallest possible program of getting exercise in nature - when you are already outside and moving, following your regular routines, walk an extra ten steps so that you are standing on grass and looking at trees. That may feel so negligible it is laughable, but just those ten steps is ten steps more than you did yesterday, and will enable you to say you actually got off the couch and began an exercise program.
For a farther exercise program, try one of those apps that remind you to get up periodically, and as you go through your day, get up once every hour or forty five minutes and stretch or do warm ups for a few seconds This can make a big difference to how much oxygen your brain gets and how much energy you have. I would NOT suggest you exercise more than this until you confirm if you have the symptoms of chronic fatigue. The last thing you need is to force yourself to get up and do a half hour of not-very-strenuous exercise and cause a crash. You'd be so discouraged you'd never want to get out of bed again. Start by using an app to help you put in almost negligible effort several times a day. If you can actually do that for a couple of days without feeling overwhelmed, then you can add some real movement and test what happens when you raise your heart rate.
Finally, I'd suggest you put on a real tear jerker movie and see if you can trigger a crying jag. While crying, look inward to see if you have anything personal to cry about. It might be you are stifling some emotional issues. You may not be depressed per se, but still be powering through some significant emotional pain. So very many of us are right now, that you might be another person actually experiencing despair as fatigue. There is a difference between despair and depression.
posted by Jane the Brown at 4:06 AM on October 10
For me one of the easiest things to add to my routine to break the cycle a bit when already tired and screen-addicted was a bit of extra "nothing" -- sitting in a chair looking out a window (or on the balcony) sipping a beverage and Existing for a bit without using phone or computer, followed by reading a book chapter if I felt like it. I found I didn't resist this as much because it was already a break. In terms of the beverage, maybe a smoothie (sugar but more nutrition) or tea (caffeine but not so much sugar) rather than trying to savor Plain Water as a treat.
Also seconding the alarm to get up periodically, I found that very doable. Similarly, I have an exercise hoop that I use to get a little burst of cardio for laughably short periods (like while waiting for toast to pop up) during one of those 'get out of my chair' times.
posted by space snail at 6:05 AM on October 10
Also seconding the alarm to get up periodically, I found that very doable. Similarly, I have an exercise hoop that I use to get a little burst of cardio for laughably short periods (like while waiting for toast to pop up) during one of those 'get out of my chair' times.
posted by space snail at 6:05 AM on October 10
When you get a blood test be sure to also make them check your ferritin level and your oxygen saturation. This is not usually done; push them to do it.
I was completely worn out in 2021, had to stop and catch my breath walking a block, panted while making the bed. It turned out I had severe obstructive sleep apnea (57 apneas per hour in my test), and my ferritin was at 7. Oxygen saturation was at 5. Iron pills and a CPAP machine improved things greatly.
posted by jgirl at 6:12 AM on October 10
I was completely worn out in 2021, had to stop and catch my breath walking a block, panted while making the bed. It turned out I had severe obstructive sleep apnea (57 apneas per hour in my test), and my ferritin was at 7. Oxygen saturation was at 5. Iron pills and a CPAP machine improved things greatly.
posted by jgirl at 6:12 AM on October 10
If you get/got your B12 checked, note that American doctors wait until your levels are VERY low before treating them, while European and Asian doctors will treat much higher levels. If you're in the US, your test results might look normal to a doctor but still be causing exhaustion. I was told my levels were on the low end of ok when my hair was falling out, but a daily B12 sublingual vitamin fixed the problem entirely. Try googling and comparing to your test results numbers.
posted by equipoise at 7:43 AM on October 10
posted by equipoise at 7:43 AM on October 10
My impression is that there are very, very many people who eat too much sugar and processed food, have too much screen-time, and exercise too little... and that very, very few of them want a daily, multi-hour nap at 2pm. So in your shoes, I'd prioritize looking into the medical possibilities that have been suggested, probably with a more curious doctor. Except if you are having to use an alarm every morning, in which case first, I'd try a few weeks of going to sleep early enough that you wake naturally. Then, you'll know how much sleep is enough for you, and whether you've just been chronically sleep-deprived with your 7-8 hours.
If you do want to attack your health habits, I'd distinguish between a typical goal of overall improvement and your goal now, which sounds like it's diagnosing significant fatigue. So I wouldn't do baby steps and healthy substitutions and so on. Rather I'd take it on like a series of trials. Pick one, go as extremely better as you can bear for 10 days, and note impact. Then try another. If you're still fatigued no matter what habits you change, that's even more evidence that habit change isn't going to fix it. Of course it's still worthwhile in its own right, but that'll be much easier once you're not exhausted. (And if you DO find a culprit, that'll be good motivation to sustain change.)
posted by daisyace at 7:53 AM on October 10
If you do want to attack your health habits, I'd distinguish between a typical goal of overall improvement and your goal now, which sounds like it's diagnosing significant fatigue. So I wouldn't do baby steps and healthy substitutions and so on. Rather I'd take it on like a series of trials. Pick one, go as extremely better as you can bear for 10 days, and note impact. Then try another. If you're still fatigued no matter what habits you change, that's even more evidence that habit change isn't going to fix it. Of course it's still worthwhile in its own right, but that'll be much easier once you're not exhausted. (And if you DO find a culprit, that'll be good motivation to sustain change.)
posted by daisyace at 7:53 AM on October 10
I would first suggest cutting out the soda and consider a diet over haul.
I'm an endurance runner, so I've got the "exercise" thing down. But part of the reasons that I rarely drink pop/soda is that I really can feel it hit me with a lull/tiredness for a few hours afterwards. The same for any big sugar infusion. Which can be nice with a good/rich dessert after a late dinner where I'll relax until it's time for bed. But if it's during the day it really messes with me.
You might not be able to notice the effect of the soda; as part of my exercise thing, I feel like I've got the volume turned up on how sensitive I am to my body's needs/changes. But also if you're doing this regularly, you might be seeing the "lull" and wooginess as normal, and you're chasing that 20-40 minute pop up that you get from the sugar/caffeine.
Black coffee, tea, or a caffeine pill so that you're not dealing with both a loss of sugar and caffeine; but losing the sugar and a diet clean up I feel would be the fastest way to get results. With that, you'll hopefully have the energy to start upping your exercise.
posted by nobeagle at 9:06 AM on October 10
I'm an endurance runner, so I've got the "exercise" thing down. But part of the reasons that I rarely drink pop/soda is that I really can feel it hit me with a lull/tiredness for a few hours afterwards. The same for any big sugar infusion. Which can be nice with a good/rich dessert after a late dinner where I'll relax until it's time for bed. But if it's during the day it really messes with me.
You might not be able to notice the effect of the soda; as part of my exercise thing, I feel like I've got the volume turned up on how sensitive I am to my body's needs/changes. But also if you're doing this regularly, you might be seeing the "lull" and wooginess as normal, and you're chasing that 20-40 minute pop up that you get from the sugar/caffeine.
Black coffee, tea, or a caffeine pill so that you're not dealing with both a loss of sugar and caffeine; but losing the sugar and a diet clean up I feel would be the fastest way to get results. With that, you'll hopefully have the energy to start upping your exercise.
posted by nobeagle at 9:06 AM on October 10
I was you two years ago (well, in my late 30s anyway). What I did was:
- Get tested for sleep apnea. (I had it, but it wasn't manifesting in snoring as I was side-sleeping, but side-sleeping made me sleep restlessly.) I wound up with a CPAP device that has been life-changing: restorative sleep is possible in 6h instead of my previously-required 9+h, and my mood is significantly improved.
- Started going to a personal trainer. It took about six months of weekly visits before I was confident enough to start using the gym on my own. I did partners personal training with my wife, which was also extremely helpful in terms of motivation. I'm still going because I legitimately enjoy it now, and I've added floor exercises at home and an extra gym visit.
- Started eating a much more plant-based diet and cutting out many of the carb-heavy foods I regularly ate. Pasta, which used to feature several nights per week, is much rarer. Cooking a big pot of beans on Mondays means I have leftovers for the rest of the week.
- Cut out alcohol from a semi-regular thing (several nights per week) to something where I'll have a drink once every 5-6 weeks instead. This was probably the most difficult habit to break, but I found that coupling it with regular exercise helped a lot. One thing I've realized is just how much it affects my sleep and, therefore, my mood the next day.
All in all, I've lost 25lbs and feel significantly better.
Good luck. It may seem like an impossible task right now but you'll get there!
posted by kdar at 11:03 AM on October 10
- Get tested for sleep apnea. (I had it, but it wasn't manifesting in snoring as I was side-sleeping, but side-sleeping made me sleep restlessly.) I wound up with a CPAP device that has been life-changing: restorative sleep is possible in 6h instead of my previously-required 9+h, and my mood is significantly improved.
- Started going to a personal trainer. It took about six months of weekly visits before I was confident enough to start using the gym on my own. I did partners personal training with my wife, which was also extremely helpful in terms of motivation. I'm still going because I legitimately enjoy it now, and I've added floor exercises at home and an extra gym visit.
- Started eating a much more plant-based diet and cutting out many of the carb-heavy foods I regularly ate. Pasta, which used to feature several nights per week, is much rarer. Cooking a big pot of beans on Mondays means I have leftovers for the rest of the week.
- Cut out alcohol from a semi-regular thing (several nights per week) to something where I'll have a drink once every 5-6 weeks instead. This was probably the most difficult habit to break, but I found that coupling it with regular exercise helped a lot. One thing I've realized is just how much it affects my sleep and, therefore, my mood the next day.
All in all, I've lost 25lbs and feel significantly better.
Good luck. It may seem like an impossible task right now but you'll get there!
posted by kdar at 11:03 AM on October 10
Unlikely, but do you donate blood? Or maybe just not get much iron in your diet? I spent a big chunk of last year and early this year feeling really lethargic, and had put it down to aging and never getting back to the gym post-Covid, and then eventually discovered that was I was anemic as a direct result of donating blood every couple of months. I switched to a generic vitamin NOT formulated for older women (those specifically have lower iron than the ones for younger women or men) and noticed a difference pretty quickly.
So another vote for just taking a regular daily vitamin if you are not already, just as a low-key way to fill in anything you might be missing in your diet, around any other steps you might take.
posted by Dorothea Ladislaw at 11:19 AM on October 10
So another vote for just taking a regular daily vitamin if you are not already, just as a low-key way to fill in anything you might be missing in your diet, around any other steps you might take.
posted by Dorothea Ladislaw at 11:19 AM on October 10
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posted by Tell Me No Lies at 1:37 PM on October 9