The Real Reason You're Always Tired (And How to Fix It)
A sick day reminded me of the hidden link between mental health and cellular energy
The Missing Piece of Motivation: Why Energy Comes First
Two nights ago, I woke up at 2 a.m. feeling nauseous and feverish.
I immediately thought of my family members who had been sick recently at home. Great. I tossed and turned through the night. In the morning, though, I didn't feel bad enough to skip my first track practice back from winter break. So I dragged myself out the door to get after it with some sleds, sprints, and squats. 🏃🏼♀️➡️
It was a struggle.
After practice, I again dragged myself to work, and later to my first class of the spring semester. I felt fine, but not normal. The nausea continued, I had the chills, and had no appetite. It was the first day back to school, but I had zero motivation. In my journal, I wrote:
I just want to be home.
My Oura ring data confirmed what I already knew: I was fighting off a virus, and my body was depleted.
That night, I went to bed at 8:30 p.m. and my alarm went off at 7 for early-morning practice. I was a little shaky but made it through with more grit than I possessed the day before.
I had a bounce in my step again, and I realized I was on the come-up.
More importantly, I realized my motivation was back and positive thoughts returned. I realized there was a difference between what I had now that I didn't have the day before: energy.
I Had My Energy Back. ⚡️
I could feel it in my cells. I know this experience sounds trivial—and it is. But I think there's something to this whole energy thing.
In the past few months, I've read a couple of books with energy in the title. They were Good Energy by Casey Means and Brain Energy by Chris Palmer. These books both led to paradigm shifts for me, and changed the way I think about mental health, metabolism, and how our bodies work.
I began to understand the role of our mitochondria—the energy powerhouse of the cells—as the foundation of our health.
This concept is still new for me, but it makes intuitive sense.
I felt it when I was sick yesterday. I couldn't operate at my full potential because my cells were depleted of the energy they needed to support me. I got a sense of how some people feel every day: depleted, exhausted, foggy, and unmotivated.
I didn't like it (I hated it).
I realized:
We Live in an Energy-Deficient Society
I'm not one to take naps, ever. But most of my friends do. At early morning practice, right after they woke up, they would proclaim they couldn't wait to crawl back into bed for their afternoon nap.
I never really understood. But yesterday, when I was sick and energy-depleted, that's all I wanted to do.
I think a lot of us are energy-depleted every day, without really knowing it.
Most people live their lives in a sub-optimal state of functioning.
I first heard of this concept years ago when I read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. It's pretty alarming that we can live below-average lives without realizing it. Walker introduced this concept in relation to under-sleeping.
If we never give our body the rest it needs, we will continually function poorly.
This all got me thinking about the mental health effects of low energy, too.
Like I said, my motivation (for anything) had gone out the window. I wasn't feeling like myself. I can easily imagine how I could slip into a depressive state if I didn't get my energy back. Our brains and bodies run on energy.
If something disrupts the metabolic processes of your cells—like lack of sleep or chronic stress—your brain's ability to generate energy needed for healthy mental functioning is impaired.
Improving Your Brain Energy Supports Your Mental Health.
I encourage you to pay attention to how energy impacts your life, health, and happiness.
Here’s what you can do:
Prioritize restorative sleep. This is a broken record for me, but that's because it's so important. We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping—and for good reason. If we didn't need sleep, wouldn't evolution have gotten rid of it by now? Restorative sleep is the backbone of recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours every night for optimal health and functioning. 💤
Pay attention to your body. Start to notice subtle shifts in your energy. If you're constantly tired, your body is telling you something important. Listen up! Allow yourself to rest when needed.
Get outside. Isn't this the solution for everything? Prioritize getting sunlight on your skin and fresh air in your lungs. Sunlight stimulates your mitochondria (increasing your energy efficiency) and increases the circulation of oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. It also triggers the release of oxygen and serotonin to support your mood and fatigue. Of course, it also regulates your circadian rhythm which supports sleep. If that doesn't convince you to get some sun, I don't know what will!
Embrace hormetic stressors (in moderation). 🧊Try subtle shocks to your system like cold exposure, saunas, or short periods of fasting. These can stimulate your mitochondria and improve mental clarity. It's important not to overdo them, though. Otherwise, they will have the opposite, energy-draining effect.
Avoid energy-drainers. Ultra-processed food can cause blood-sugar spikes that cause energy crashes. Be aware that alcohol can disrupt your sleep and ultimately deplete energy. Lastly, be careful how much coffee you're drinking! If you rely too much on stimulants, you might mask your body's cries for rest or experience energy crashes.
As always, these steps are low-cost and no-fluff. Remember: simple changes can lead to big results.
Thanks for reading!
With love and health,
Sophie Francis
P.S…Can you refer this issue to a friend?
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Great thoughts - and spot on.