6 Unique Ways to Overcome Fatigue

Strategies to Overcome Fatigue

We notice as we get older, it is more common to experience tiredness & fatigue. This is a regular part of aging but if the amount of fatigue experiences is more than expected it could be a sign of larger underlying health issues.

Managing fatigue is very important for enjoying the fruits of life to the fullest. So we at Senior Stairlifts will share with you our top 6 tips on how to manage fatigue so that you can do the things that you want to do.

1: Consider your Medications

If you are taking any medications, It is important to have a look at them & see if chronic fatigue is a known side effect. If it is & the fatigue is getting to be a problem now is the time to consult your GP or healthcare professional about this medication.

Looking for an alternative medication that does not have fatigue as a side effect will be a good idea if it is proving to be a large problem with day to day life.

2: Improve Sleep Quality

As covered in our post with 8 effective tips to enhance sleep quality, Sleep plays a pivotal role in our mental sharpness, balancing our mental health & even our physical health. If you are experiencing fatigue it may be because your sleep schedule is being thrown off by either internal or external factors.

If you are struggling with sleep you can try these three tips, or look at our more detailed post about sleep.

1. Establish a Routine: Decide on a set time to go to bed & allow for between 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night.
2. Create a sleep friendly environment: Make sure that your bedroom is quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature for sleep to be undisturbed.
3. Limit napping: Whilst naps can help with managing tiredness throughout the day, longer naps will affect your night time sleep negatively.

3: Maintain a Healthy Diet

Eating the right food will have a direct correlation on your levels of energy. Making sure that you are eating the right food for your body is essential for keeping energy levels up. Here are some considerations to take into account when looking at your diet:

• Vitamins: Vitamins like Vitamin A, C & D are important to balance effectively. Vitamin A comes from eating foods such as pâté or liver. Its not recommended to go over having 1.5mg of vitamin A per day. Vitamin C comes from fruits & vegetables & Vitamin D comes from supplements & sunlight.
• Iron: You should eat plenty of food with iron in to keep your body fit & ready for life. Some good foods with plenty of iron in are eggs, bread, green vegetables & oily fishes
• Eating less salt: Try to limit the amount of fast food that you consume & keep salt intake at a minimum, as salt can cause imbalances in energy. It is worth trying to replace salt with other spices such as chilli powder, paprika or black pepper.
• Calcium: Having good calcium intake is especially important for older adults, as it will help with bone strength & preventing Osteoporosis. Good sources of calcium are dairy products such as Yogurt or Milk. Trying to go for reduced fat versions of these are ideal.

4: Regular Exercise

Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you are feeling tired, but making sure that you are active during the day will allow for your body to naturally set a healthy sleep cycle & with consistency will increase your energy.

• Start Slow: When you are not used to regular exercise, its very easy to over-exert yourself & then not be able to continue a healthy exercise routine. When beginning an exercise, ensure that you are warmed up & ready to go at a steady pace.
• Stay Consistent: Sticking to a exercise plan will lead to better results in the long term. Keep at it & results will soon follow.

5: Manage Stress & your Mental Health

Making sure that your levels of stress & your mental health are in check are vital for reducing fatigue. A report by Ceri Sutherland, Aidan Smallwood, Tom Wootten & Nancy Refern called Fatigue and its impact on performance and health shows that there is a direct correlation between your mental health & chronic fatigue.

• Consider Therapy: Reaching out & talking to a therapist can help with sharing your thoughts & feelings in a safe environment.
• Mindfulness & relaxation: Taking part in deep breathing exercises & constructive reflection on past experiences can help with stress.

6: Check for Health Issues

Having regular check ins with your GP can help with spotting any health issues that would be out of the ordinary when it comes to increased fatigue.

• Regular check ups: scheduling regular check ups with you GP is a great idea, especially when you are older. This will allow for any problems to be caught early so that they do not develop into larger problems later on.
• Blood tests: Blood tests will allow for the detection of any issued such as vitamin deficiencies or anemia which may be causing any fatigue.

Make use of Technology

If you are an older adult or someone who experiences mobility issues regularly, it may be beneficial for you to have a stairlift installed. Senior Stairlifts provide a wide range of stair lifts to fit many different types of homes, expertly installed by experienced engineers.

Conclusion

Fatigue is something that we will all experience regularly when we get older, but there are many ways to make sure that our levels of fatigue are manageable. With lifestyle choices & actively engaging with solutions we can increase the amount of energy that we have in our daily lives so that we can enjoy our lives.