Always Tired? Get up and move!

Auki Henry 2011

Auki Henry says "Get up and Move"
Photography - Katies Cottage

I am observing a more and more common syndrome nowadays, the one of people being constantly tired and feeling 'under the weather', 'not the best' or even depressed. Even more worrying is the prevalence of this condition for those who work in an office environment compared to others with more physically active occupations. Statistics reveal that although not completely unrelated, this is less to do with stressful or mundane work, workplace stress and environment than a simple lack of healthy diet and regular exercise.

The correlation of deficiency in workout with experienced constant fatigue and other related ailments speaks volumes in itself, combine that with poor dietary habits and you have an affliction that now pervades a large percentage of modern western society.

The explanation for why this happens is pretty straightforward, the method for counteracting this condition is even simpler.

In short, your body is made for movement. There's nothing you can do to change that fact, it's the way we have evolved to be. Constantly moving muscles and joints conditions your body and keeps it operating effectively. Regularly exercised bodies also require a better ability to use oxygen to cope with the muscle activity, regular exercise adjusts your ability to utilise the oxygen more effectively, your body responds by getting fitter. Due to our modern convenience geared lifestyle this no longer occurs for the majority of people during the course of the day, so it is important to set aside some time for exercise to achieve this instead.

The most common factors that combine to cause the constant fatigue most people will experience are due to the fact that:

• Sedentary lifestyle and insufficient exercise reduces cardiac output.
• Sedentary lifestyle and insufficient exercise reduces the ability of your body to take in and utilise oxygen efficiently.
• Poorly oxygenated blood leads to reduced brain functions including a decrease in alertness, focus and concentration.
• Reduced serotonin levels due to lack of physical activity result in reduced melatonin levels at night which are attributed to lack of sleep or disturbed sleeping patterns.

Luckily, increasing physical activity will mostly result in the opposite of the above:

• Greater lung capacity results in more oxygen in your blood.
• More oxygen in your blood means your muscles get the oxygen required to function efficiently and avoid lactic acid build up.
• More oxygen in your blood also leads to increases in alertness, focus and concentration.
• The increased seratonin levels from exercise result in higher levels of converted melatonin at night which help with sleeping patterns and a deeper sleep.

Obviously to effectively maintain yourself through exercise, your body and mind will also need a healthy diet, plenty of water, plenty of sleep.

Pretty much the message here is to get out there, get some exercise.  If you are honest with yourself and put in a little effort you will notice improvements quite quickly.

*Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise routine.