Our modern world gives us much to worry about. We work long hours and typically fail to get enough sleep. Eating three meals a day is an old tradition that is rarely followed. Life stress exhausts the mind and body with issues like memory loss, insomnia, anxiety, fear, and depression becoming quite common. It’s known as fatigue.
Most of us in western society believe that getting more sleep is the answer to fatigue, but actually, we need to make several changes to combat chronic fatigue. Fatigue has many root causes, so you need to understand what type of fatigue you are experiencing in order to find the right remedy.
Fatigue due to an imbalanced diet
This fatigue is caused by an improper diet consumed over lengthy periods. It may be that you are consuming the wrong food or not including healthy options. The result is nutritional imbalance and health problems. Many Americans have nutritional deficiencies in many essential minerals and vitamins.
An ancient Chinese medical book—Huangdi Neijing talks about the importance of a balanced diet and how to combine different types of food in a balanced way.
The book says, “The five grains are the main sources for growth; the five fruits provide complementary nourishment; the five livestock are the main sources of energy; and the five vegetables are the main sources of supplement. The intake of them combined in a balanced way will help the body stay healthy and energetic.”
Modern research shows that variety is essential to a healthy gut microbiome.
Huangdi Neijing explains the ancient Chinese wisdom and understanding of the universe and its relationship with human beings. It is a key source for Chinese medicine and Daoist theory and lifestyle.
We need to eat a balanced diet according to your specific needs to alleviate fatigue and promote optimum health.
Mental fatigue
The main cause of mental fatigue is prolonged mental stress. However, rest or sleep is typically ineffective to relieve this type of fatigue. You need a holistic solution that addresses the root pressure or suppressed emotion. Many Americans seek out a therapist for this type of pressure. It is important to take the weight off your mind while letting go of the stress to eliminate mental fatigue and restore optimum health.
Physiological fatigue
Physiological fatigue is physical fatigue, which is caused by the body being overworked and unable to properly handle the metabolites produced by the hard work.
The more waste accumulated in the body, the more muscle soreness. The lack of adequate nutrient supply to the tissues and organs will lead to weakness and tiredness of the limbs.
This kind of physical fatigue can be an occupational disease, which may be caused by maintaining a certain posture or doing a certain kind of action for a long time. To alleviate physiological fatigue, try to determine where you are having issues with posture or movement. Stretching exercises can help loosen up your muscles and alleviate physiological fatigue.
Brain fatigue
Brain fatigue is due to long hours of thinking or focusing on something, which generates the feeling of burnout.
Excessive use of the brain will cause the brain to consume a lot of oxygen, resulting in a lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Thus, carbon dioxide cannot be metabolized easily, and brain fatigue occurs accompanied sometimes by dizziness, headache, nausea, memory loss, and other symptoms.
In these cases, sometimes the simple solution of breathing exercises can yield great results. Then move your spine so that the blood quickly and smoothly flows toward the brain eliminating brain fatigue.
However, the best way to address brain fatigue is to adjust your pace of life, perhaps by reducing your workload and increasing rest time. You need a balance between the two.
Subjective fatigue
Subjective fatigue can be described as “exhaustion,” a state of feeling powerless about yourself or anything else. Subjective fatigue is usually caused by personal emotions.
This is different from mental fatigue. A typical scenario is being in a relationship that is taxing you rather than being energizing. Eventually, you lose your motivation and enthusiasm. Mental fatigue is more about feeling overwhelmed. Subjective fatigue comes from a loss of motivation rather than anxiety.
Try to consciously rekindle your enthusiasm in life. You can try other activities, learning methods, or work styles to essentially break out of a rut.
Final thoughts
In other words, your life needs balance. Your diet needs balance, and you need to prioritize those things that make you less stressed and happier. Frequently, a simple shift in diet to healthier choices will get you started down the path to greater overall well-being.