The pace of the world keeps increasing, and we keep trying to keep up with it, but that means more demands placed on us, more places to be, and less time for ourselves. Well, less time in general! It’s only a matter of time before we get drained of our energy and end up feeling fatigued. Slowly, it becomes harder and harder to get up in the morning, and you struggle to make it through the afternoon at work. By the time you get home, you don’t have the energy left to enjoy your life outside work, because you’re so pooped.
It might be easier than you think to get your vitality back and Naturopathic doctors can help you do it- together!
Why am I so tired?
Let’s be clear, everyone gets tired every once in a while – It’s only natural for your body to tell you it’s had enough for the day. What’s not natural is to constantly feeling tired and not have enough energy to get through a fraction of your day. Fatigue is a serious problem in our society and can dictate almost every aspect of your life, but the good news is when we find the cause of your fatigue, we are able to reverse it!
Some of the most common causes of fatigue are simple to identify and fix. Your diet plays a huge role in how much energy you have. How well you sleep clearly plays a role in how energetic you feel throughout the day, and how much exercise you get is directly related to how energized you are. Most people who have fatigue will see increased energy with appropriate changes in diet and exercise, and NDs are trained to diagnose and treat the underlying conditions as well!
With those initial suggestions, there are many common underlying conditions that might be causing your fatigue. Nutrient deficiencies like iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired, or your thyroid and adrenal glands, which govern your metabolism. Diabetes, heart disease, and depression can all cause low energy, and chronic fatigue syndrome makes you feel tired all the time, no matter how much rest you get.
We need to identify which systems are out of balance, and develop a treatment based on the cause of your low energy.
How soon will I get my energy back?
Naturopathic doctors love getting you as energized as possible in as short amount of time as possible. We get you feeling better by helping you optimize your diet, your sleep patterns, and your lifestyle to get you quickly feeling better. Lifestyle changes work best, but can take longer to develop lasting results.
There are many supplements and lifestyle changes designed specifically to boost energy levels, to bring your body back into balance, and to support your cellular metabolism.
All you need is the energy to call and book an appointment and we’ll give you every ounce of ours to bring you back up to speed!
Insomnia
You know those nights where you lie awake, staring into the darkness, counting those sheep over and over until they themselves fell asleep. Maybe your mind won’t be quiet, or maybe your legs won’t stay still. Each morning is a new struggle and a new level of exhaustion.
Sleep is the time for your body to heal and restore itself. Without proper sleep your health is sure to suffer- Mood, immune system function, and pain levels are all improved with proper sleep. Insomnia is a real problem that affects at least one third of adults at some point.
What is insomnia?
There are two kinds of insomnia:
- Sleep onset insomnia is when you have trouble falling asleep
- Sleep maintenance insomnia is when you fall asleep ok, but you can’t stay asleep.
Some people have both, and both do well with naturopathic treatment. You don’t have to be an insomniac. Either way though we can help!
Sleep onset insomnia
Have you heard of monkey mind? Probably not. Monkey mind is a Buddhist expression that refers to a mind that is unsettled, uncontrollable, and restless. It’s kind of like a hamster running on a wheel. Most people who have trouble falling asleep have a mind that won’t be quiet. Whether you’re replaying events from your day, or thinking ahead to plans for the coming week, your mind just can’t go to sleep no matter how tired you feel.
If it takes you more than half an hour to fall asleep, you’re losing valuable sleep time that may cause you to feel tired for the entire next day.
Naturopathic doctors get to the root cause of what’s making you lie awake, so we can prescribe the proper treatment to turn you into an as-soon-as-your-head-hits-the-pillow kind of person.
Sleep maintenance insomnia
Sleep maintenance insomnia is when you can’t stay asleep through the night. Maybe you wake up several times to use the bathroom, or maybe you notice yourself waking up at the same time each night. Many people have a hard time getting back to sleep after they arise. These lost minutes, or hours, add up and probably play a part in the fatigue you feel during the day.
Other causes of insomnia
Sometimes, your insomnia could be caused by an underlying condition, and naturopathic doctors help you find the root cause of your insomnia. People who have anxiety, depression, or high stress can have a hard time sleeping, and thyroid problems and adrenal gland dysfunction can contribute to altered sleep phases and fatigue. Your insomnia might be a side effect of medications you’re taking, and caffeine can have stimulating effects even hours later, meaning that afternoon cup of coffee might be what’s keeping you up. We know what questions to ask and which lab tests to order to figure out why you’re not sleeping. And we know what treatments work to get you resting well.
How long until I can sleep again?
Some natural therapies work very quickly, and you might even be able to have a good sleep tonight! Naturopathic remedies don’t have the same hangover that sleeping pills give you. Herbs and supplements can be used short-term that will get you sleeping while we work on treating the root cause of your insomnia.
Waking up in the night is frustrating and naturopathic doctors can help you find the right remedy that works for you.
Fall asleep before all the sheep are counted! Call and book an appointment now!