Energy Drainers & How To Combat Exhaustion
Hi friends! Welcome back to the blog, thanks for joining me today! I want to talk about our energy for a second. What drains our energy and what can we do to keep it or get more? Some things are pretty straight forward, but remember, people are all built differently. What works for you and me may not be the answer for someone else. Hopefully some of these ideas help you in maintaining your energy throughout the day as you complete your tasks, and help you to maintain your productivity.
In today’s world, it seems it’s all about how much we can get done in a certain amount of time; it doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing. Time is valuable, time equals money they say. So, our employers expect us to be competent, capable and on the ball at all times. We expect this of ourselves - if we’re stay-at-home parents, who else is going to watch our kids and make them meals? In order to do all this stuff, we need energy.
In a basic, straight forward world, food provides our energy. We eat, and this makes our bodies capable of work. (Straight forward physics here). However, it is not all that simple in today’s society. I talk a lot about societal expectations on people - how you do things or how “productive” you are can depend on a lot of things. For instance, where you live, the people you surround yourself with, what you do for work, how many kids you have (if any). All of these things effect us, and this is not even taking into account the individual. You might have a huge support network, you might not. You might suffer from a mental illness or physical disability, which also affects the things you do or how you do them.
Energy Drainer #1: Lack of Sleep
This is probably the most obvious of all, but let’s actually discuss this a bit. It’s easy to say…ya, ya, ya…I know I need more sleep, I just have so much to do. I know that I’m guilty of this answer A LOT! A lot of people talk about time wasters. (I did a blog about the Eisenhower Matrix and how you can use it to become more productive). https://sandradahl.ca/organization-productivity-1/48rppe9gemsy69he63fzdcjyymxn56. The items in that matrix in the fourth quadrant are basically time wasters and should be completely cut out from your schedule for your most productive self. (But what’s the fun in that?) Also, we need to discuss time for self-care (which is obviously different for everyone) and we’ll talk about this a bit later in this blog.
There are many reasons why we may not get enough sleep. (Hopefully, if you were to follow a few of these tips, it might help to improve your sleep habits!) As well, it might not be as easy as saying “Well, just go to bed earlier”. Insomnia, for one is a major sleep killer. It seems there’s nothing you can do about it, it just is. I’ve had insomnia for many, many years and it’s only within the past ten years or so that I’ve finally made peace with my demons and learned to let it go. Insomnia in my case was an overactive mind, worries, stress, anger and heartbreak. Yes, your mental state has a lot to do with it, but your “insomnia” could be from too much caffeine as well. (See below).
There are a few things you can do to start improving your sleep habit. Let me say that again…habit. This means there is work involved. You can’t just do something once and expect it to work. You need to do these things every single day in order to improve. Examples include:
Waking up at the same time every day and going to bed at the same time every night regardless of weekends, holidays or events.
Wind down activities before bed (start a night routine earlier, and the more often you do this, your body will start to follow and become sleepy all on it’s own).
Reduce screen time and strain on your eyes at least 30 minutes to an hour before bed).
Reduce noise at bed time (close windows), use blackout curtains to reduce light, or use a purposeful noise machine. I first had one of these to put my kids to sleep, and when I co-slept, I got used to it and I now use it every night. It prevents me from hearing and worrying about every creak and crack of the house at night time.
DO NOT EAT BEFORE BED. This is a big one, and something most people do frequently. If you’re super-hungry, it’s ok to have a small snack before bed. Laying down as soon as you eat can cause digestions issues, and you’re not expending the energy you just consumed (leading to excess calories you really don’t need while simply sleeping). It’s easy to develop heartburn, which is yet another factor that can keep you from sleeping.
This is a big one for me, since I always seem to need small sips of water at all times throughout the day, but drinking water before bed. If you get up during the night one, two, or even three times, it’s going to disrupt your sleep in a big way. Try to refrain from drinking a lot of water or other liquids right before bed to stop the trips to the rest room.
Please note as well, that you can never “catch up on” sleep, as some people like to say. You might get no sleep one day and then sleep in the next day. This does not mean that you’re replenishing your sources. You might feel better, but it’s not an average that somehow balances out over time. Once sleep is missed, it’s forever and you cannot “get it back”.
There’s also the problem of getting too much sleep. You might sleep in over a weekend, thinking “Yay! I finally don’t have to listen to my alarm!” This actually does more harm than good, since now you are changing your body’s rhythm. You might find that you’re even more sluggish upon waking than if you had just maintained the same time that you usually do.
Energy Drainer #2: Poor Food Intake (including caffeine or other drugs)
There are some drugs, like caffeine that we have all come to love and rely on to get us through the day. I usually stick to my one large cup a day (works out to 18oz), but that’s usually it. However, we forget that caffeine can be found in other sources too. You can find it in hot chocolate, black, green or red tea. Energy drinks can be especially harmful, because they taste so good, and they’re very addictive. We forget about the caffeine that’s in them, and the acid in the drink can be harmful to your stomach. Also, you need to be careful if you are a huge pop drinker. Caffeine is found in most soda’s, unless it’s caffeine-free specifically marked on the bottle or can.
Caffeine is ok, as long as you don’t drink it close to when you need to sleep. Drinking an entire pot isn’t a good idea either. It not only prevents you from falling asleep, but it keeps you from getting a solid, continuous sleep as well.
Alcohol is also a deterrent to a good sleep. It is know as a depressant, so although it makes you drowsy, you should never use alcohol to try and put yourself to sleep. As far as other drugs are concerned, none are safe or healthy for your body (including prescription), but, some cases are different than others. Ensure that you are following the dosage recommendations set out by your doctor and taking the medications as prescribed (without alcohol).
You know how everyone says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, generally it is. It’s literally what gives you the get up and go first thing in the morning. The problem is, when I first get up, I don’t always feel like eating breakfast because I’m not hungry enough. Coffee is always first in my book. It depends on what time you wake up as well. I get up at 5am, have my coffee, and by 8am, I’m ready for breakfast. (That’s already three hours after I’ve woken up). I realize that this a time many other people are just waking up. You should do what works for you, but having breakfast will set your “meal intentions” for the rest of the day.
Generally, I find that if I eat a healthy breakfast, I’m not as likely to binge on junk food later on. I always balance at least two food groups together with every snack or meal. (Peanut butter with an apple, or cheese and crackers, or a piece of fruit and yogurt). If you eat something small every two hours or so, chances are you won’t overeat and you will be able to maintain energy throughout the day. Also try to aim for a bigger lunch and/or breakfast and a smaller dinner. Again, it’s the same idea as eating too much food close to bed time. It will affect your ability to have a good night’s rest.
Energy Drainer #3: Energy Vampires
When I first thought of this term, I was thinking of my son. (No offence son!) This is before my daughter came into my life. Now, with a third child on the way, I’ve come to expect that this is just the way it is and I have to deal with it. There is no other way to put it, kids have a lot of energy and they want to play 24/7. When they’re little, they need you to watch over them. They need your attention ALL OF THE TIME. This leaves you with no time for other things, including yourself. (See below).
If you are already dealing with the first two energy drainers, it is going to be extra difficult to get through your day. That is why the first two are so important. You need to fuel your body (food), and your brain (sleep). Plus, if you’re kids are teething, over-tired, stressed, etc…, they will be extra difficult to deal with. Make sure they also have the nutrition and sleep they need and deserve.
Another type of energy vampire is any negative people you might surround yourself with. This could be someone in your immediate family, or maybe a friend or family connection. When you are around one of these people, you can literally feel them drag you down. Either with gossip, constant complaining or just being negative in general all the time.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone has bad times or bad days. I’m talking about the constant nagger, or worrier that’s in your ear all the time. Maybe you’re in an abusive situation. Situations can also be energy vampires. For instance, if you have a loved one who is terminally ill, or you are a caregiver for someone, this can really drain your energy. Situations like this cannot be helped, but you need to do everything in your power to help yourself feel as good as you can. (See #4).
Energy Drainer #4: Neglecting Yourself
There are times to be busy and productive and then there are much needed down times. I’m talking about everything on that Eisenhower Matrix we crossed off earlier. For example, watching mindless television, or scrolling on social media. Yes, if you find yourself doing it for hours and hours and neglecting your duties or responsibilities, you might have a problem.
I’m talking about a dedicated half an hour - time yourself. If you want to browse social media, go ahead, but limit the time you do it for. Sometimes seeing other situations, funny videos or movies pulls us out of our own miserable lives for a minute to have some much-needed distraction time. We can’t read self-help books all the time and take notes. We need some non-thinking time outside of sleep to just let our brains relax.
This might also take the form of a hot bath and a glass of wine. Ok, so we’re having some alcohol over here. We’ll have one glass, let our bodies relax in the hot water and let our minds just wander. I like to read fiction books, and have a snack. I let my mind explore these worlds that I can only see in my imagination and it lets me wander away from my life and my problems, even if only for 20 minutes a day. Sometimes I play games with my kids, or have silly time, or I play Neverwinter Nights on my computer.
Alone time in the morning with your coffee might be your game-changing refresher. That might be all you need to maintain a healthy mind to get ready for the day ahead. Any form of relaxation (massage anyone?), self-care (mani/pedi), or prioritizing yourself will help to maintain care of your heart, mind and body. We need that down time to simply be.
Meditation is a very nice form of relaxation. It is actually proven to prevent exhaustion and help with mental clarity. Movement (I really, truly hate the term ‘exercise’ because to me, it screams going to the gym) is very important. You don’t need to spend money here. Walk your stairs a bunch of times, or chase your kids around the yard for fifteen minutes. Walk around and explore your neighborhood. Do yoga and/or stretch. You would be surprised at how relaxed you feel after; almost euphoric.
Thank you for taking the time to read today’s article. We’ll see you again next week!
❤️ Sandra
