It is natural for the body to get tired and demand proper rest. However, if this exhaustion is continuous, it is possibly a sign of physical burnout. Understand that the human body has a limit to everything. Working hard and pushing your boundaries is great. But not giving your body proper rest is bad. Instead, it can lead to physical as well as mental exhaustion.
Needless to say, it will also affect your work, relationships, and future goals. Therefore, you must take proper measures to combat fatigue.
But before that, let’s understand the signs of burnout!
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of physical burnout include:
- Difficulty in concentrating on work.
- Getting distracted from the goal.
- Frustration and irritability with colleagues.
- Muscle tension, insomnia, and back pain.
- Frequent headaches.
- Loss of appetite or stomachache.
If you experience any of these symptoms, it means you need to stop all your work and give your body proper rest. The best way to rest is by eating healthy food and sleeping well. However, if you have insomnia or a loss of appetite, you must visit your doctor immediately.
Effects
A burnout might look like simple exhaustion, but it has severe effects. For instance,
- Declining work performance.
- Health concerns such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, etc.
- Losing interest in hobbies.
Measures
It is crucial to take a break from your routine and let your body recover. Here are 7 tips to revive your energy and get back on track!
- Find Out The Source
The first thing that you need to do is to identify the source of constant fatigue. It could be due to a high amount of work stress or a rigorous schedule. Likewise, fatigue could be because of an underlying health condition such as heart disease, anemia, arthritis, sleep apnea, or thyroid. In fact, sometimes medications for blood pressure, diuretics, or antihistamines also result in a lack of energy.
Any one of these sources can make you overwhelmed, thus causing burnout. Learning about the cause can help in reducing its effects. So, your body will get proper rest.
- Drink Plenty Of Water
Have you ever observed that even after sleeping properly, you wake up feeling tired? It might be because your body is dehydrated. Yes, you read it right! Several studies have shown that dehydration leads to exhaustion of mind and body. As you already know, your body requires energy to perform everyday tasks. But, when you are dehydrated, the energy gets zapped, which affects your performance.
It also affects concentration and alertness. So, you might feel slow while doing even the easiest work, like everyday chores. So, you must drink enough water. It will help keep you alert and keep the fatigue away.
- Eat Smaller Meals
Exhaustion happens due to a lack of energy. That’s why you need to eat proper food to help you survive the whole day. But what if you have a loss of appetite? Well, in that case, you shouldn’t force yourself to eat a regular meal. Instead, eat in small portions. But, you must eat frequently.
Include fruits and greens in your meals. It will provide you with enough carbohydrates and proteins. Also, make sure that you consume enough amino acids as they are known for faster recovery from fatigue. In addition to this, they also help boost exercise performance and reduce muscle loss.
- Understand Your Circadian Rhythm
There are generally two types of people.
- Early birds: Those who have immense energy during the day.
- Night owls: Those who get a boost of energy at night.
The energy pattern of both types of people is entirely different. It is determined by brain structure and genetics. Therefore, changing this pattern is quite challenging. Instead, it might affect the body’s functioning. So, you should try to understand the circadian rhythm of your body.
This way, you can create a proper schedule to do your work. In simple terms, schedule your most demanding task when your energy level is highest. This way, your mind, and body will be prepared to do the work, and you might also get more effective results.
- Try To Get At Least 8 Hours Of Sleep
Insomnia is one of the main symptoms of burnout. Therefore, you should try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. You should consult your doctor, as they can help understand the cause of insomnia or might prescribe you some medicines. To improve your sleep, you can try yoga or take a hot bath before bed.
Apart from this, if you can not take a full night’s sleep. Try taking small naps instead. For instance, you can take a nap after lunch. It will help your muscles relax, and you’ll be able to perform better after the nap. Not to forget, a good rest will also help improve your mood.
- Try Exercising
Working out might be the last thing that you’d like to do when exhausted. However, it can actually help reduce exhaustion. Seems unbelievable, right? But it is the truth. Several studies have shown that physical activity can help in boosting energy levels when exhausted. It improves the working efficiency of muscles, lungs, and heart. In simple terms, it will improve your overall health.
Note: For exercising, you should consider warm-up exercises. As your body is already exhausted, do not go with high-intensity workouts. Exercise is just to give your body a little push. If you feel intense pain, you must visit your doctor immediately.
- Talk To Someone
Last but not least, physical burnout is indirectly related to mental health. Therefore, if there is anything that’s bothering you, you should talk about it with someone. It could be work or study pressure or extreme boredom from routine work. The reason does not matter, but your health does. So, vent out your feelings to reduce the exhaustion.
To Sum It All Up!
Working hard to achieve your goals is great. However, you must not ignore the signs of exhaustion that your body gives. Otherwise, it will lead to burnout. Instead, take a break whenever you feel tired. It will help you perform better and more efficiently. Apart from this, follow the measures written above.