How to Handle Tiredness

Feeling tired is a common but unhealthy physical state, especially when you need to focus on a difficult task. Burning the candle at both ends due to heavy workloads and a lack of time easily results in tiredness, that drowsy feeling that seems like everything is going in slow motion. While caffeine is a temporary solution to boost your energy and improve your focus, the key to dealing with tiredness is adjusting your sleeping habits and diet to increase your overall energy and well-being.

Instructions

• 1

  Take short naps throughout the day. An hour-long nap re-energizes your mind and body and can reduce the overall feeling of tiredness caused by insomnia, medication or depression. Brief naps are more effective than longer ones, as long periods of rest can lead to grogginess and make you feel even more tired rather than refreshed.

• 2

  Drink water throughout the day. Dehydration creates sluggishness, as your body requires fluids to stay alert and healthy. Avoid caffeinated drinks including coffee, espresso drinks, tea and soda as they increase urination that can cause dehydration.

• 3

  Eat small meals throughout the day. Large meals take more energy to digest, producing the feeling of tiredness and bloating. Small meals such as yogurt, salads and low-fat shakes provide vitamins and nutrients and are easier to digest. Eat fruits and vegetables as snacks to maintain your energy levels when you're feeling exhausted.

• 4

  Stay active. Light exercise, including walking for 10 to 15 minutes and stretching while breathing deeply, helps manage tiredness.

• 5

  Avoid junk food. Cookies, candy and other sweet snacks provide a temporary boost of energy that quickly drops once the sugar is broken down and processed. Watch out for foods that are high in saturated fat, as these foods sap your body of energy rather than provide energy. High amounts of saturated fat reduce your body's ability to fight inflammation caused by a weak immune system, thus increasing the feeling of tiredness. Limit saturated fat intake to 16 grams per day for a 2,000-calorie diet; your daily saturated fat intake should be no more than 7 percent of your total calorie intake for the day, according to the American Heart Association.