“Why am I so tired? ” is one of the most common search terms in google!
Many of you are tired all the time and you think it’s normal. We think it’s a part of modern life. Or part of getting older. Or part of having a family. We tend to “self-medicate” with coffee and sugar and energy drinks.
Being tired is NOT normal. It’s not how you’re supposed to feel during the day. When you’re in perfect health, you have no symptoms and you have energy all day!
If you’re tired, something isn’t working right in your body. Of course, when you don’t sleep well, it’s normal to be tired. But what about the nights you do sleep ok? Do you have the energy you want to have the next day? Do you have enough energy to feel passionate about your work, to play with your kids, to get fresh air and exercise?
Besides not getting enough sleep, there are 5 other reasons you feel tired:
1. Not getting good quality sleep
Even if you’re sleeping around 8 hours a night, if you wake up tired it could be because you aren’t getting quality sleep. This can happen if you don’t have enough melatonin, if you aren't getting enough deep or REM sleep or if your body is releasing cortisol that is keeping you in the lighter stages of sleep.
2. Hypothyroidism
One of the most common signs of being hypothyroid is fatigue. The thyroid regulates your metabolism so if it’s sluggish you’ll feel tired. You can learn more about thyroid disorders in this blog post.
3. Hormones
Hormone imbalance can also cause fatigue. Low estrogen, testosterone and melatonin, cortisol and DHEA can make you feel exhausted. Any hormone imbalance is a sign that your body is depleted and stressed. The DUTCH test is the best way to find out what’s going on with your hormones because it shows your cortisol rhythm throughout the day and measures your hormones and their metabolites so we can see exactly how your body is using and detoxifying those hormones.
4. Copper toxicity
Many of my clients have toxic amounts of copper in their bodies, especially my female clients since birth control is a major contributor. Copper toxicity causes many different symptoms because it accumulates in the liver and the brain. Besides fatigue, other symptoms include insomnia, anxiety, irritability, brain fog and a racing mind. The Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis shows whether you’re copper toxic so we know if this is contributing to your insomnia and fatigue.
5. Food
The foods you’re eating could also be making you tired. One of the main things my clients notice when they stop eating gluten is that they have more energy. If you’re eating any foods you’re sensitive to, your body has to use valuable energy fighting the inflammation that those foods cause.
Like insomnia, feeling tired often is another sign that your body isn’t functioning properly. The best way to sleep better and have more energy is to find ALL the things that are out of balance in your body. If you just work on your hormones but you don’t address copper toxicity, for example, you aren’t going to feel much better. You have to take care of everything that is stressing your body so it can heal.
If you’ve tried one thing at a time, one supplement at a time, one hormone at a time, and nothing has helped you sleep or feel better, it’s time for a different approach. You can book a free call with me to talk about your sleep, what you want your sleep to be like 6 months from now and I’ll explain how we can look at everything that’s causing your insomnia. I know how much it sucks not to sleep. I want you to get the sleep you need to feel rested, motivated and full of energy for the rest of your life!