Between work, family, community engagement, and other responsibilities, modern life can come at us pretty fast. If we’re not thoughtful about self-care, we can get burned out and diminish our zest for life, or even create unhealthy symptoms.

Fatigue is more than just being tired, it’s feeling weary or exhausted nearly all the time.

It’s a feeling of depletion, sleepiness, achiness, or a lack of motivation to do many physical activities. It can also include avoiding mental stimulation, such as reading or learning, because you’re just so tired.

If this sounds familiar, it’s definitely a signal to bring more self-care into your daily life!

Fatigue can be a challenging cycle to break, especially if we have obligations that cannot go undone, but there’s always something you can do. Start here:

Set an intention

Mindset is everything. Set an intention to break your cycle of fatigue. With a clear goal in mind, you can start to adjust your daily choices in the direction of rest, healing, and energy balance. Write down your intention, and tell your friends and family so they can support you.

Sleep

Frequent, inadequate sleep is one of the most common causes of fatigue. Get more sleep! You’ve probably heard that the average recommended length of time is 7-8 hours, but if you are in a state of fatigue, you will likely need more until your energy is restored.

Address the root cause

The root cause of your fatigue will not be the same as that of someone else, so first ask yourself what you think the cause might be. Chances are you already have a sense of what lead you down this path. If not, become a detective by increasing your awareness of the stimulants, people, environments, or activities that could be taxing your system. Then, begin to address it by reducing the severity or frequency of that cause.

Eat and drink well

Fill yourself up with whole, living, healthy foods and drinks. Your body might be depleted of the vitamins or minerals needed to sustain energy. This includes fresh vegetables and fruits, white and herbal tea, energy-boosting foods and herbs like ginseng, ashwaganda, and maca, and of course, water! A good multi-vitamin with lots of minerals will help, and a probiotic will aid in digestion.

Do less

Fatigue is most common among women, and it’s no wonder, our to-do lists are endless and can feel overwhelming. Even if yoga or exercise is on the list, if it feels like your body just needs to stop for a while, let it go. Assess that list and see what you can delay as non-priority, what you can ask for help with or delegate, and what you can just plain ol’ delete. Do less so that you can regain more of yourself.

If you feel like something isn’t right, or your family history indicates the potential for a serious condition, check in with your doctor to run some tests. A great thing about being a Health Coach is that you’re equipped with the resources to find your own unique path to healing, and you have lots of IIN friends to offer suggestions, guidance, love, and support