🪷 Wellbeing
✦
Nov 28, 2024
✦
6 min read
Every morning, it’s the same routine that restarts. You’re already tired before you’ve even finished your coffee. It feels like every task takes so much more energy than usual. SOS, what’s happening?
You’re probably wondering why you never seem to have energy and why you always feel exhausted, maybe even from the moment you wake up. Well, in this article, we’re going to shed some light on the issue and, more importantly, give you practical tips (simple and free) to help you regain some vitality in your daily life.
What causes constant lack of energy?
We’re rarely tired for no reason. In fact, we often “ignore” certain aspects of our lifestyle, hygiene, or health that are behind our lack of energy. Why? Because sometimes it’s easier to ignore than to change. You know, it’s called "denial." 👀
If you’re not sure what we mean, here’s a list of key things to monitor and take care of in your everyday life:
💤 Poor Sleep Quality
We often forget, but the body needs at least 8 hours of sleep per night, and for some of us, even more. This rest is essential for our body, more than just a want—it’s a need.
But having good sleep isn’t just about getting 8 uninterrupted hours of rest. It’s also about respecting the process of falling asleep, allowing your body to enter "deep sleep" instead of staying in a light, superficial sleep.
"The prevalent cultural norm of sleep deprivation as essential to achievement and success." — Arianna Huffington
With all the distractions and stimuli today, it’s sometimes hard to respect this process. You know: heavy eyelids, repeated yawns, and that urge to just… sleep. Many of us skip this ritual, opting instead for scrolling through social media, binge-watching shows, or watching YouTube videos until we crash from exhaustion rather than going to bed when we really should.
🫣 Excessive Stress
We often underestimate stress and its impact on our daily lives. We tend to think of stress as just anxiety about certain events (work, personal life…), but it’s more than that. Today, we’re often competing with others—and ourselves. We put pressure on ourselves to always be more “interesting,” “perfect,” and that creates a low-level stress for many of us.
This pressure can be positive, motivating us to get things done, but it can also become harmful, especially when we stop doing things for ourselves and start doing them for others.
🍔 Poor Diet & Hydration
Recently, we came across some articles highlighting the connection between poor diet and depressive states. Many people view eating as a mere obligation to meet physical needs, "I eat because I have to." They don’t pay attention to what they consume: junk food, too much sugar, fats, etc.
These bad habits can be the root cause of many of our daily issues. The body needs quality nutrients, and it’s important to maintain proper levels of vitamins. Junk food, for example, is loaded with additives (designed to keep us addicted) but doesn’t provide the nutrients needed for our bodies to function properly. Why do you think you’re hungry again two hours after eating a burger?
🪑 Lack of Physical Activity
In a world that moves fast, where we spend more and more time being sedentary, we sometimes forget to simply… move during the day. The result? We’re too immobile, and our bodies aren’t getting the exercise they need. Many of us are mentally exhausted, but not physically—and that’s a real problem.
Being physically active not only keeps the body fit but also helps release the tension and stress from the day. Ever wonder why you have trouble falling asleep at night or get irritated at the slightest thing? Well, ask yourself how much exercise you’ve gotten that day. The goal isn’t to become an Olympic athlete but to have regular physical activity (even walking counts!).
How does fatigue affect our well-being?
Once you start feeling tired, it becomes a vicious cycle. You get more irritable, frustrated, and less patient. This impacts many aspects of your life, both professionally and personally. The more irritated you are, the more exhausted you become.
"By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are. And in that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away." ― Arianna Huffington
The thing is, fatigue builds up quickly. One tired day leads to another, creating what’s known as “sleep debt.” In a sense, you owe your body some sleep.
Does this sound familiar? What if I told you this could even lead to burnout? Yes, sleep deprivation isn’t something to take lightly, despite what some people might suggest on social media.
So, how can you feel less tired and regain your lost energy?
We’ve searched the internet and scientific studies for the simplest methods you can implement for maximum results. We’re not fans of vague or recycled advice, so we’ve really put effort into bringing you valuable content (as always!).
🌜 Create a Sleep Ritual
The body is very sensitive to habit changes. Even if today’s society seems “anti-routine,” it’s important to give your body structure. The key takeaway is that our brain memorizes certain logical actions to save time when processing information. This allows it to predict behaviors, anticipate reactions, and so on. This is what we call a “habit,” meaning an automatic behavior.
When you change your habits, you disrupt your body, forcing it to navigate the unknown, create new responses quickly, and recalculate its actions… which is very taxing. This is why habits aren’t such a bad thing!
The ideal bedtime routine involves: 1) going to bed at the same time every night (within 30 minutes), 2) waking up at the same time every morning (even on weekends, ideally), 3) avoiding screens in the evening, especially right before bed (they overstimulate the brain and can affect the falling asleep phase).
To help with this, you can use the Jomo app, available for free on the App Store. You can set a recurring “Wind Down” session that automatically activates every night. We suggest blocking distracting and addictive apps to protect your sleep.
😮💨 Manage Stress
To live a less exhausting life, it’s essential to manage your emotions, especially stress. Nowadays, we face social pressure to always be more, to do more, leading us to constantly question ourselves: “Is what I’m doing good enough?”
This underlying stress can sometimes leave us feeling drained when poorly managed. I agree, it’s easier said than done, but here’s a great method to help manage it: journaling!
It’s very easy to start and allows you to reflect at the end of the day, noting what went well and what didn’t. It’s an excellent way to clear your mind and rest peacefully.
🥗 Eat Well
Cooking isn’t a waste of time, and it’s not very complicated either. Like everything, you start small and gradually work your way up. There’s no point starting a video game at the final boss—success would be unlikely, right? Well, cooking is the same.
Taking time to cook is about taking care of yourself. Remember: we only get one body for life, so we need to take care of it. The things you do now might have consequences many years down the line. There are plenty of ways to find easy recipes or track your nutritional intake.
💪 Stay Active
Thirty minutes a day—that’s the official recommendation from the WHO. It’s really not much… and yet too many of us don’t meet it. Sure, we might think it’s no big deal. But, once again, it’s like eating well—it’s a ticking time bomb!
I know, staying motivated is tough. In winter, it’s too cold to go outside, and in summer, the heat makes it unbearable. So, when are we going to do it if we only listen to excuses?
At Jomo, we believe that if you had a real reason to stay active, the weather wouldn’t matter. That’s why we created “Health Goals” (you can find them in the Rules section > + > Actions). Set a health goal (running, swimming, walking, or exercising) to unlock access to certain apps. No cardio workout? No TikTok.
If there’s one thing to remember, it’s that you’re rarely tired for no reason. Whether you’re aware of it or not, something is holding you back from moving forward smoothly. It’s up to you to identify it and take action. Remember: you only have one life, and you’re in control of it!
