Cures for Being Perpetually Tired

While low-energy days strike everyone from time to time, a feeling of constant tiredness can severely affect quality of life and cause a great deal of distress. Often times, poor lifestyle choices like not getting enough sleep or eating a poor diet serve as the main contributors but in some cases, a chronic lack of energy can indicate a more serious underlying condition and you should see your physician. While no one technique can offer a guaranteed cure, experimenting with different strategies can help you find what works best for you.

Possible Underlying Causes

• Many medical conditions can cause perpetual tiredness, with some being quite serious. Visiting your doctor for a check-up can help identify any underlying causes of your fatigue. If it turns out you have one of these conditions, getting treatment might eliminate or greatly reduce your fatigue. Possible underlying conditions include thyroid problems, electrolyte imbalances, low iron levels, heart conditions, diabetes and liver or kidney problems among others.

Exercise

• While exercise might be the last thing you feel like doing when you feel tired, it is one of the best ways to combat fatigue. Exercise increase the release of chemicals that increase energy and boost your mood and it helps deliver oxygen to your muscles and other tissues, which also increases energy levels. A 2008 University of Georgia study sought to examine the effects of exercise on fatigue in sedentary, otherwise healthy adults. For six weeks, participants either exercised at a moderate-intense pace or low-intense pace 20 minutes three days a week or served as a control. Researchers found that the low-intensity exercise appeared to offer the greatest benefits for fatigue, meaning you do not need to train at the intensity of an Olympic athlete to reap the energy-producing benefits of exercise.

Dietary Recommendations

• The foods you eat contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other substances that your body uses to carry out its various functions and sustain itself. Eating a poor diet lacking these healthy nutrients can lead to a number of serious health conditions and also affect your energy levels. "Psychology Today" magazine notes research has shown a link between diet and energy levels and offers some suggestions on how to reduce fatigue through diet. Stay well-hydrated -- lack of water reduces blood flow throughout the body, which can lead to mental and physical slowdown. Increase your intake of iron-rich foods like red meat, leafy greens, dried fruits, iron-fortified cereals and legumes. Iron helps produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Eat protein and carbohydrate foods in combination suggests MIT researcher Dr. Judith Wurtman. Proteins contain tryptophan, which the body uses to produce serotonin, the brain chemical that can boost mental and physical energy. Eating carbohydrates at the same time increases the amount of tryptophan your brain can process.

Meditation

• A study appearing in the September 2010 issue of "Neurology" looked at the effects of mindfulness meditation -- which involves focusing on a particular target, most commonly the breath -- on fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis patients. Researchers found the practice significantly reduced feelings of fatigue and depression. While this study looked at a specific population, it cannot hurt to try it for yourself.