Do you feel like you’re often tired? Did you know that there’s a connection between tiredness and our mitochondria, as these are the membrane-bound cell organelles that generate or produce our energy?
Now you might be asking, how do we get our mitochondria to generate MORE ENERGY so we feel LESS TIRED?
Great question, as there might just be a recipe on how to get that needed energy boost.
RECIPE FOR GETTING MORE ENERGY
If you feel like you get tired easier than others (e.g. always falling asleep earlier despite doing less work, or not finding the energy to do more because of tiredness), then you might want to consider taking a look at your inner power station – your mitochondria.
HOW IT LOOKS LIKE
The tiredness would sometimes be so bad that it is restricting the patient in their everyday life… holding them back from the life they would like to live.
TIREDNESS HAS DIFFERENT CAUSES
There might be many different reasons for your tiredness – and some are easier to cure than others.
But everyone can do things to make them feel better.
In my work in health care, I see many patients searching for help for their tiredness. Very often that is a sign of something else, as tiredness is not an illness in itself, but a symptom, or a signal that there is an imbalance with something.
Still, another common explanation for energy loss is a hectic life at both work and at home often leading to an unhealthy lifestyle – you end up in a negative circle.
INACTIVITY & POOR DIET
Often, it’s inactivity and a nutrient-poor diet that leads you to a state of lack. You sleep too little, watch too much, and move too little as your eyes are always focused on the screen.
LIFESTYLE, NOT AGE, DOES MATTER
It is not about age or gender – it is about a lifestyle bringing your immune system out of balance.
A disturbed function of the mitochondria in the cells is a central explanation for this lifestyle tiredness. The mitochondria that we have in all our cells deliver energy.
They are like miniature power plants.
TIREDNESS CAN PROTECT YOU TOO
A new interesting theory is that tiredness is a protective mechanism for our health. It’s our body’s way of telling us to pause and take a rest because we need to.
So what are the things that we can do to help our mitochondria gain some balance in giving us the energy we need?
1. ADJUST YOUR DIET
One good thing to do is to adjust our diet to a mitochondria-friendly one.
Lots of greens, berries, and nutrient-packed food with high levels of vitamins and minerals – this diet is what the mitochondria love!
2. MIND YOUR EATING TIME
It is also important “when” we eat.
This schedule is based on 3 main meals a day – and only minor or no eating in between. We are not made for a constant energy intake, and it’s advisable to have at least a 12-hour long break from food intake between supper and breakfast.
Even better if it is more than 12 hours – I usually do 15 hours by the way. You just have to find your best version.
3. MOVE AROUND
Physical activity is also important to help the mitochondria stay in a good mood.
Doing it outdoors adds even more to the benefit. We can even say we need to get outdoors every day.
If you are not used to doing physical things just start with a daily walk of 10 minutes. It is good for your muscles, your lungs, and for your heart. It is also good for your brain to get energy from the light.
But for those of you who already do a lot of training, I will maybe have to warn you to not overdo it. Your mitochondria don’t want too much and you want to keep them happy. They need to rest – and so do you.
Now your mitochondria will cheer for you and be less tired – and so will you 😊
Why am I talking about this again and again – from different angles?
Because this is the basic way we function – there are no quick fixes and don’t complicate it – Just do it and Take care.
