Avoid taking naps in the late afternoon, as this may prevent you from falling asleep at bedtime. 20 minutes is the ideal length for a nap if you want to wake up feeling energized. If you nap much longer than this, you risk feeling even groggier when you wake up. [2] X Research source Never take naps during the day if you suffer from insomnia. This will further disrupt your sleep pattern and make it harder for you to fall asleep at night. [3] X Research source
Try to incorporate a walk into your daily schedule if you want to prevent feelings of lethargy before they happen. Any light to moderate exercise will help, but walking tends to be the easiest one to do spontaneously. Try walking or running up and down the stairs. Stretch breaks are often socially appropriate and even a few moments can help. Your body may benefit from some extra fuel if you are feeling especially sluggish. Try a light, healthy snack to help give yourself some energy. This will be especially helpful if you have not been eating nutritious foods throughout the day. [5] X Research source Try giving yourself a protein boost with some nuts, nut butter, or low-fat cheese. Fruit is also a healthy choice that can give you the burst of energy you need. Eating healthy meals throughout the day will help prevent you from feeling de-energized to start with. Try to choose foods that are high in protein and fiber, but low in sugar, salt, and fat.
Caffeine may worsens menstrual symptoms for some women, so be cautious. If you find that you have worse cramps or other symptoms when you drink caffeine, steer clear during and right before your period. [7] X Trustworthy Source US Office on Women’s Health U. S. government agency providing resources for women’s health Go to source Caffeine can be taken as a supplement as well (either in pill or powder form). No matter what form you take it in, you should not exceed the recommended dose of 150 – 600 mg.
Avoid excessive amounts of sugar, salt, fat, caffeine, and alcohol. These foods will not provide you with long-lasting energy, and they may cause you to feel even more tired. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These will give you the long-lasting energy your body needs.
Substitute healthy options for cravings. You may want some really unhealthy food, but you may be satisfied with a healthier alternative. For example:[10] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source Instead of a milkshake, try a strawberry yogurt smoothie. Instead of apple pie, try a baked apple with cinnamon. Instead of regular pizza, try a pita topped with a small amount of cheese and olive oil. Instead of a bacon cheeseburger, try a veggie burger. Try a frozen banana instead of ice cream. Coat it in the crumbs of a crushed chocolate wafer if you want some chocolate. Want a chocolate bar? Try a nice hot cup of cocoa. It has far less calories and fat, and may satisfy your need for a chocolate fix. Sometimes cravings are your body’s way of telling you that it needs a specific nutrient. If you find that you are consistently craving a specific kind of food, you may want to see your doctor for a blood test. For example, soda cravings may indicate a calcium deficiency, red meat cravings may indicate an iron deficiency, and chocolate cravings may indicate a magnesium deficiency.
Folic acid (400 micrograms) Calcium with vitamin D (1000-1300 mg, depending on age) Magnesium (400 mg) Vitamin B-6 (50 to 100 mg) Vitamin E (400 IU)
Try the 10-minute rule. Do your workout for 10 minutes, and then decide if you are up for the workout. Very often once you get going, you will keep at it. If after 10 minutes you still feel terrible, that may be a signal to slow down or stop. Feel free to switch up exercise according to comfort. For example, if your chest is tender from retaining water, maybe your jump rope workout would really be uncomfortable. In such cases, trying an alternate workout may make sense. If exercise is not fun because you are in pain, you will not exercise. Each week, aim for two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (like running). You can also achieve your goal with a combination of moderate and vigorous activities. Incorporate some strength training. You can try lifting weights or doing push-ups. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or naproxen if you are suffering from cramps, or try using a heating pad or stick-on heating strip. You may find that you have a lot more energy to move around once your cramps are gone.
If these changes aren’t enough, take an over-the-counter pain medication. There’s no point in suffering through a poor night’s sleep just because you have some cramps. A heating pad may also be beneficial if you have painful cramps. Try sleeping with one on low heat. A warm bath before bed may provide the same benefit.
The ideal sleeping temperature for most people is between 60 and 67 °F (15. 6 and 19. 4°C). If you have a programmable thermostat, set it to automatically adjust to your ideal sleeping temperature right before bedtime. You can also try taking a warm bath before bed. The contrast between the warm water and the cool room will help your body temperature drop faster.
Talk to your doctor before you start taking any new supplements. They may interact with other medications you are taking. If you want to confirm that your body is lacking melatonin, you can ask your doctor to test for it. Make sure you get tested during your period for accurate results.
In order to determine if you have a hormonal imbalance, you will need to have your levels tested at several different times throughout the month. This can be done with blood or saliva tests It helps if you track your sleep problems and any other symptoms you may experience before seeing your doctor. This will help your doctor understand whether or not your symptoms are related to your menstrual cycle.
In order to diagnose anemia, your doctor will want to do a simple blood test. You may also need to undergo additional tests, such as an ultrasound to check for uterine fibroids that could be causing excessive menstrual bleeding. There may be other medical causes for your fatigue as well, although anemia is the most common cause for fatigue that occurs during menstruation.
Proteins such as beef, pork, chicken, and fish Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale Peas and beans Fortified grain products like cereal and pasta Dried fruit like raisins and apricots
Your doctor may also recommend that you take Vitamin C, which aids the absorption of iron. This is available in an over-the-counter pill form as well. You should take this with an acidic juice high in vitamin C such as orange juice, grapefruit juice, or lemonade. These help increase iron absorption. Always take the recommended dose of supplements. Don’t stop taking them or change your dose without talking to your doctor.
It may take months to get your iron levels back to normal. The good news is that if supplementation is working for you, you should start to feel a difference in your energy levels after about a week. For some people, iron deficiency anemia is caused by a condition, such as celiac disease, that prevents the absorption of iron into the bloodstream. [21] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source If this is the case for you, simply adding more iron to your diet will not solve the problem. [22] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
