EXHAUSTED??

I’M EX-OR-STED”

Exhaustion is not something to be taken lightly. We bandy it around as if it’s trendy at times “Oh I’m exORsted” …..right? But it’s nothing to be proud of and certainly isn’t a trophy. We don’t realise the danger zone we are in when we are feeling this way.  Being overly busy is a sign that our time management could do with an overhaul and that we may need to revisit our priorities and where we are focusing our energies. Perhaps you are someone who takes on too much and says yes to everyone around you and your wellbeing comes bottom of the list – sound familiar? We absolutely MUST take care of ourselves and the first port of call is sleep. We are no good to ANYONE when deprived of sleep. We become snappy, can’t cope with stress, become short tempered, unable to make good decisions, a tricky colleague, an impatient parent and a very grumpy partner!

 

Signs of exhaustion are : lack of motivation for things you once enjoyed, irregular heart beat, poor memory, breathing problems, dizziness, lack of appetite, even an inability to sleep!

SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN CAUSE HEART DISEASE

 

 

 

It’s a fact that most people can last for nearly a month without food. However, you would most probably die within 10 days of having no sleep. Sleep deprivation has a huge affect on the functionality of your brain and can result in memory lapses/loss and even hallucinations. On top of all that, there are recent studies which suggest that sleep deprivation may be linked to heart disease and mental illnesses including psychosis and bipolar disorder.

So, what are you going to do about it?

First port of call is to get the RIGHT amount of sleep for you. They say that if we get less than 6 hours on average, we increase the risk of heart disease dramatically. Between 6 and 8 is optimum (personallyI need between 8 and 9 …..and I’m useless with less!)

Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep a night - in bed!

You might also do well checking out your intake of sugar and other foods. Food intolerance can cause terrible weariness so if you ARE getting the right amount of sleep and are STILL feeling tired, try to cut out soft drinks, check for any allergies, make sure that you are getting the right amount of iron in your body and focus on the good things around you – focusing on the negative is draining! We all have things in our life which act as hurdles and obstacles, if we spend all day looking at them, they look like mountains and have the potential to drain all the hope and joy from our souls.

Pushing on, and pushing on, and pushing on IS DANGEROUS

…..it can lead to a breakdown, or worse.

So take care of yourself, starting NOW!

Tagged as: Health, Lifestyle, Parenting, Stress