Dr. Oz Shares Tips on Extreme Fatigue and How to Fight It

It’s a drag to always feel tired. I’ve been fighting fatigue for pretty much 10 years.

I came to the realization that yes… I wake up still tired. And it’s this tiredness that is taking over my life. So I realized I need to make a change.

I’m taking back the control. I’m losing the brain fog and about 100 pounds of sluggishness.

I first want to mention a disclaimer:

***Extreme fatigue could be a symptom of something serious. It’s always best to get any fatigue that you can’t shake for over 2 weeks checked by a medical professional. Another cause of fatigue could be sleep apnea. This is a sleep disorder that disrupts your breathing cycle. It can be extremely debilitating to your daytime energy and can wreak havoc on your physical health.

So now after getting the medical stuff out of the way, here are some tried, tested and true methods I’ve used to provide some relief against chronic exhaustion.

Exercise Everyday

I know this sounds daunting with the tiresome struggle but it works. Harvard published an article on ‘Exercising to Relax’. Scientists have been telling us for years that exercise increases endorphins, and this provides us with naturally occurring energy. Something that feels better than a gallon of coffee. Exercise is commonly used among athletes to reduce stress and anxiety which can cause fatigue.

Drink Water All-Day

Water provides energy, dehydration causes fatigue.

Taken directly from the US Government’s website USGS-Science for a Changing World; “According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.”

Pass the water, please! I’m suddenly feeling a little parched.

Fresh Air

As soon as the weather is nice, however, I live in Vancouver and it rains a lot… But as soon as it’s warm and dry enough to sit outdoors I’m the first one out. I’ll sit on the deck, or take a blanket to a park or beach, breathe the fresh air and either write or organize my life.

I’ll take my notebooks, my reference books and my laptop outdoors and revitalize as much as I can before the rains come again. I find I’m far more productive outdoors listening to the hum of the city.

To put it bluntly, I feel less like passing out 10 minutes into my work. You get it, right?

Eat Oranges

If you want a quick jolt of feel-good energy, there’s nothing like the natural sugars and tart, juicy sweetness of an orange. Okay, now I’m craving one, sorry guys!

But seriously, an orange or two gives me a natural boost of energy without the crash of caffeine.

Caffeine of course

Okay, this is obvious, and I know not everyone can drink caffeine. The downfall, however, is that I will get that caffeine jittery feeling and racing heartbeat which in turn, drains me of energy and I want to nap. Totally counterproductive.

Although I love my latte and drink caffeine every day religiously and suffer caffeine withdrawal headaches to prove it. I will try other organic methods as often as possible during the in-between coffee times. It keeps me from feeling complete lethargy.

Get Your Eyes Checked

A lot of times fatigue comes from eye strain which makes sense! Since I purchased my reading glasses I find myself feeling less like passing out after 10 minutes of reading!

Further symptoms of eye strain can include:

headaches,

red and dryness of the eyes

blurred vision

Keep a sleep schedule

According to The National Sleep Foundation, sleep improves our ability to fight off illness. We have proteins called cytokines which are produced and released during sleep. Therefore, a night of better sleep can keep our immune system working hard during the day.

Eliminate Processed Foods

If you’re anything like me… and a whole lot of other people, this will be a tough one. I love potato chips, and cheese and poutine and all kinds of processed foods, but it’s not our friend.

The Washington Post published a story about a study of 12 healthy men who ate nothing but junk food for 5 days. This in turn, after only a few days caused a diminished ability for glucose to turn into energy. This diet also led to poor digestion and a rise in blood sugar leading to an increase in insulin eventually causing the blood sugar level to crash, resulting in fatigue.

Dr. Oz explains it best here:

Talk to Your Doctor about CFS

Chronic fatigue syndrome is unfathomably unbearable. CFS is usually diagnosed in patients who feel chronic fatigue symptoms for at least 6 months without any other illness diagnoses.

It’s a difficult disorder to pin down because basically, the diagnosis is through the method of elimination. A lot of tests are done, and if the tests come back negative and the patient is still exhausted with aches and pains after 6 months, it’s often considered Chronic fatigue syndrome.

CFS Symptoms

Extreme post-exercise fatigue

Problems with memory or concentration

Sore throat

Headaches

Enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits

Unexplained muscle or joint pain

Dizziness that worsens with moving from lying down or sitting to standing

Unrefreshing sleep

If these symptoms sound familiar then you might want to discuss CFS with your doctor.

Eliminate Stress & Meditate

I had an unexplained panic attack one day. It was horrible, to say the least. A racing heartbeat, doubling over stomach pains and feelings of passing out. Basically, I was almost too weak to stand. I made it home and the first thing I did, after having a glass of water, was to try meditation for anxiety.

This was a game-changer. I googled meditation podcasts and played it in my Google Home and It was incredibly helpful.

I’ve even memorized some of the mantras and now use them on a regular basis.

Meditation has honestly been a lifesaver for me. I’ve attached a few videos similar to what I used. It’s a must for anyone who suffers anxiety, stress and fatigue.

Eliminate Toxins of All kinds

I noticed that once I stepped back from toxic people, my mindset improved.

Stress will exhaust us even further. Like we need that right?

I challenge you to spend less time with the people in your life that bring you down or stress you out. We can sometimes be a product of those we spend time with if that makes sense.

Fatigue has been the bane of my existence for so long now. I understand how debilitating it can be. I hope that these steps and meditation videos help in some small way!

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