How to Feel Less Tired

Tired woman are sleeping

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Have you been feeling tired lately?

Tired woman are sleeping

For the last few months, it was all I could do to get through the day without a nap. And I mean I could take a nap from 9:00 – 10:30 at night and then go to bed at 12:30 and sleep all night.

Lately I’ve been feeling better – no naps at all.

I started thinking about what I was doing differently and I came up with a few things.

I added Vitamin D back into my diet. Yes, I know you’re supposed to take it with calcium, but I have neglected to purchase any, so for now, it’s plain Vitamin D plus the calcium I get from my diet.

I upped my protein intake. When I was a kid, I could barely choke down scrambled eggs in the morning and a one inch square piece of meat was enough to satisfy me. (But not my mom, who grew up on a farm.)

Now I can’t get enough of eggs, although most times they are just egg whites. The real thing is a treat now and then.

I noticed one particular day when I had protein for all 3 meals – egg whites for breakfast, roast beef and cheese for lunch, and a burger with a fried egg on top (my husband made dinner that night) – that I felt great all day. No tiredness at all.

Of course, you can get your protein in other forms – I really don’t recommend the burger with an egg on top even though it was delicious. There are protein bars, shakes, and powders too.

I got up and got moving right away. Now I have the luxury of working from home, so living in sweats and showering at the end of the day isn’t an issue. Except that I noticed that when I got up, showered, and dressed – especially if it was not sweats – I felt better and more energized. I was more productive too.

I exercised. Sometimes it was a brisk walk or jog, sometimes just yoga. But it really is true – no matter how much we hate it – we really do feel better and more alert when we exercise.

I kept busy. My husband did not marry Suzy Homemaker. Housework is not something I enjoy, although I do like a clean home. I noticed that I felt guilty playing on the computer – come on, you know I wasn’t working – when I saw my husband working around the house.

So I started using any down time I had (read Facebook and Pinterest) by getting up and finding something to do in the house. Wipe down a counter, throw a load of laundry in, dust a table or two. It made me feel better, more energetic, and more productive.

If you find that naps are taking over your life, take a good look at your life.

Are you depressed? Depression can make you sleep a lot more.

Are you sleep deprived? If you fall asleep the minute your head hits the pillow, you probably are. Check into it. Oh, and cut out the late nights and early mornings.

Has taking naps turned into a habit? I find that if I sit still too long, I get sleepy. That’s especially true if I’m reading a book or doing something mindless like playing games online.

If napping has become a habit, try some of the suggestions above.

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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