Stress is a universal human experience. While a bit of stress, in some situations is important to grow, learn and adapt, stress is generally something we should be trying our best to avoid. This is mainly because we become far more aware of stress when it builds up and becomes too much to handle.
Now, let’s move on to energy levels and fatigue. It doesn’t just affect us physically; it can also affect us mentally and emotionally too. If you’re struggling to concentrate, at work or at home, it’s possible that you could be emotionally exhausted. But why does this happen? We look at a few things that can affect our energy and mood, and discover how they are connected.
Low mood and low energy go hand-in-hand
When we’re feeling down in the dumps, it can become difficult to find motivation to actively take part in the daily activities expected of us. This lack of motivation to complete routine tasks can leave us feeling tired and energy-depleted. Feeling stressed or just plain ‘low’ impacts so many areas of our lives, such as our diet, sleep and activity levels. All three of these factors are also extremely important when it comes to our energy levels. So it becomes clearer to see how struggling with low mood can impact our energy levels. Things to consider when trying to increase energy, and in turn, your overall mood.
Sleep
Even if a dip in your mood doesn’t drastically impact a decent night’s sleep and you’re still getting the recommended bare minimum of sleep every night (around 6 hours), you can still wake up feeling less than fresh. The reason? Those who experience low mood and stress generally have poorer quality sleep. It can take longer to get to sleep, and once you do, this sleep is not restorative. You’ll tend to wake up more frequently and also not sleep for as long. Improve sleep and lessen feelings of anxiety with VitaminMe’s Sleep + Anxiety.
Diet
Heard of the term comfort eating? It’s most definitely not uncommon. Low mood and energy can affect our eating habits. The food you eat is your fuel and has a direct impact on energy levels. So, if low mood causes us to lose our appetite, our energy levels suffer too.
When we’re down, we tend to feel like eating more and we often crave all the wrong sorts of foods for a sustained energy level. Usually, when we feel like this we crave sugary foods that give us a temporary spike in sugar and insulin levels. Processed foods also increase endorphins boosting our mood temporarily. Therefore it’s important to eat well-balanced meals to enhance our mood and increase our energy levels throughout the day.
Activity levels
Mood dips can have serious adverse effects on our motivation and self-esteem – even getting out of bed in the morning can become a struggle. People then withdraw from other people, activities and events that would usually be interesting and exciting, all due to not having enough energy to cope. This can be the catalyst for a vicious cycle, where we feel low and then don’t take part in the things we love. This form of isolation is a major contributor to the development of depression.
What’s the difference between tiredness and low mood?
Feeling tired is a completely normal feeling. It’s our body’s way of telling us to slow down. However, if your tiredness persists for more than a few weeks, then it may be time to consider that your mood has a role to play. A good way to determine whether you’re tired or feeling low is to look at how enthusiastic you feel. Often, when we feel low, we experience a lack of interest in things that we usually love.
Easy ways to boost your energy levels
Eat energy-boosting foods
Eating the right sorts of food regularly can help to prevent mood swings and nutritional deficiencies that can cause several unpleasant side effects – low mood and energy slumps included! Check out our blog for some top energy-boosting foods to try.
Exercise regularly
Exercising has been scientifically proven by countless studies to be beneficial for helping lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression. It not only helps to boost energy levels but also helps boost our mood by releasing feel-good endorphins into our system.
Manage your stress levels
Stress and low mood can often go hand-in-hand. When we are stressed our body uses up important nutrients and resources. Stress can result in a whole range of emotional symptoms including low mood, irritability, anxiety and loneliness. Make reducing stress a priority by meditating and practising relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
VitaminMe’s Energy + Mood combines key ingredients that aid in overall energy and mood levels. B12 (methylated for optimal absorption), 5-htp and Folic Acid join forces to:
- Increases energy levels
- Diminishes mood swing tendencies
- Promotes eye, brain and heart health
