Hey, intensity junkie.
Yes, you.
I’m talking to the one who does it all, lives life to the fullest, and enjoys the pains that come from the chaos you create in your funktacular life! Admit it – we all get tired, and you do too. You might not want to admit it, but the truth is, you know it is true.
Maybe you feel fatigued from time to time, but don’t want to let on to your peers. That’s okay. It will be our little secret. Fatigue and exhaustion are simply par for the course of being an active, type-A personality individual. Let it just be that, without adding unnecessary pressure on yourself to feel as though you should be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all the time.
Rest assured, people pay copious amounts of money to have the type of energy that you do. Caffeine, drugs, alcohol – humans will pump a plethora of contaminants into their body just to have the type of zest you were born with. Feel great about that. I know I do. I have enough energy for about four people and run full tilt the majority of the time. Ask anyone on “Team Willow.”
Never give up what comes naturally. This is a gift, my friend. Keep doing all the epic shit you do, but also allow your body to recover. This will ensure you can keep on and carry on the way you are meant to.
Being exhausted, on the other hand, is a telltale sign that the immune system is working overtime and the body is not recovering to its normal operating capacity. There is too much toxicity in the blood stream from the production of lactic acid, adrenaline, and lymph. Exhaustion is a long sustained symptom of fatigued organs.
Although in our mind we may not think we need much rest, our organs do. Most of the energy and blood is being pumped toward the brain and muscles to promote greater reaction time accompanied by vigilance. A heightened sense of awareness requires the human body to be prepped and ready to analyze, assess, run, or fight at any moment. This keen sense of the surroundings leave little energy to heal the body or provide rest for the organs to sweep up the residue and pump it out.
How do you know you are exhausted? Here are some signs:
- The feeling of fatigue or being tired sustained for more than a few days
- Irritability
- Inability to recall specific words
- Isolating yourself from people
- Feeling guarded or less like opening up to others
- Legs feel like they are lead weights
- Forgetfulness (Ever lose the keys? Ha!)
When the feeling of fatigue sets in and is sustained with irritability, it might be a great idea to consider doing somethings to care for yourself.
5 Tips to Quickly Reduce Fatigue and Exhaustion:
Get a full-body Swedish massage – The long, slow effleurage strokes will put you into a hypnotic, yet lucid state where your belly will begin to growl. This is a sign you are down-regulating your nervous system enough that haustral churning and peristalsis is happening.- Shower or swim in cold water after drinking 20oz of water – Do this, especially post massage, to purge the body from the dirty lymph and toxins in the blood stream. You will feel refreshed with the added bonus of an analgesic effect on the muscles. You will feel less achy.
- Eat more greens and lean proteins – Duh! I prefer kale, chard, spinach, chevre, bison, and chicken thighs, but you have got to know what your body is yearning for and give it what it needs.
- Take vitamins, minerals, and supplements – Double duh! You pee them out all the time and the earth is not what it was fifty years ago, so there are fewer vitamins and minerals in the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds you and the animals you eat consume.
- Give your body a break – Take a nap so you are less snappy at your cohorts and can have a more positive outlook on living the epic life you do.
Don’t ever change who you are. Supplement your energetic capacity with the fuels and tech inspections you need to keep living your hard-core life. After all, a racecar was built out of the necessity to go long, fast, and hard, and even it is fueled with e85 and has to pull in to the pit crew. Think about it.
It might even be a great idea to let someone else do a few nurturing things for you. Like the racecar, sometimes slowing down for a minute can help us catch our breath and give deeper attention to our own support crew. Who knows, you might even like slowing down for a moment. You know at least that your body will be thankful and reward you with more energy after its systems are restored.
Remember: you only have one. ONE life to live the fullest and ONE body as your vehicle.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.
