Tiredness is a very common complaint. The Royal College of Psychiatrists claims that at any given time, one in five people feel unusually tired and one in ten suffer with prolonged fatigue*. They also found that women suffer with tiredness more than men and that tiredness can occur for physical or psychological reasons or both.
All of us feel tired at some point every day, but usually after a good night of sleep the effects subside and we wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. However, some people feel tired for long periods of time and for no apparent reason. This can have a negative impact on the sufferer’s quality of life.
Often tiredness is due to a combination of causes. Nine in 100 people with tiredness will have a physical disease. Around 75 in 100 people will have an emotional cause.
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Homeopathy, such as the homeopathic remedy, Kali phos, has been traditionally used to help when you feel overly tired. (Always read the label on a product.)
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Bach Original Flower Remedies such as White Chestnut or Rescue Remedy Night can help if you have difficulty sleeping due to unwanted repetitive thoughts, and Olive can help those who are exhausted in body and mind after a long period of strain, an intense period of study or work or nursing someone else for a long time. (Always read the label on a product.)
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Acupuncture can help relieve some of the symptoms of tiredness by rebalancing the body.
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Aromatherapy an aromatherapy massage can help raise energy levels and prevent overtiredness. Lime, Orange Sweet and Rosemary oils are best to use.
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Reflexology can be very beneficial in dealing with tiredness.
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Apples are more effective than coffee in relieving tiredness. Try swapping endless cups of coffee with an apple when you feel tired.
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Eat a balanced diet. Poor diet can lead to exhaustion. Eat little and often, and base your diet on lean meat, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. Celery, cucumbers and carrots are especially good for increasing energy levels.
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Exercise regularly. You may think that exercise will increase tiredness, but it actually has the opposite effect. If it seems too hard, just try to do a small amount of exercise every day and increase the amount as the weeks go by – just avoid exercise too close to bedtime.
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Maintain a healthy weight. You will feel very tired if you are overweight or underweight. You should avoid skipping meals as this will cause your energy levels to plummet.
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Avoid alcohol and caffeine at least six hours before bedtime and limit your overall intake.
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Get a good night’s sleep. Make sure you go to bed and wake up similar times every night. If you suffer with poor sleep, visit our sleep page for help and advice.
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If tiredness persists over a long period of time, consult your GP.
† Medical referral is advisable if symptoms worsen or persist.
∏ On no account should prescribed medication be discontinued, except under a doctor’s supervision
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