8 Holistic Strategies to Help with Fatigue
Feeling tired isn’t a fun feeling- I know, I’ve been there. I spent so many years of my life feeling deeply exhausted and wondering why.
There were times when my fatigue even fueled anxiety- How would I get through work? Would I fall asleep driving? Would I need to cancel my plans with friends? How many hours did I have until I could get into my bed? There were points where I felt like giving up- that this was just something I’d have to live with.
But I refused to accept it as normal (here’s more on why), and I don’t want any other woman to either.
Healing my own fatigue has been a journey and it took time- especially getting down to the root causes and even facing them in order to address them! And it wasn’t linear- postpartum, I struggled with symptoms of depletion and intense fatigue returned. This time, the stakes felt higher-caring for a baby and going through the shift into motherhood while feeling utterly drained is so stressful and overwhelming.
My own experience with fatigue- especially as a mom- has taught me a lot: about myself and about women’s bodies and health in general. It has been a catalyst not only for my personal healing, but for my quest for information and my passion as a practitioner for helping other women heal their bodies and reclaim their energy.
And while today, my energy is better than it's ever been before, I also have gained a lot of awareness of its ebbs and flows. I know when it’s normal to feel a bit more tired and also when it’s a signal from my body to adjust something. When I feel tired, I can navigate it more productively than I did in the past- not panic, tune in, support my body, and return more quickly to balance.
So I wanted to share some empowering information I’ve learned about fatigue in this post as well as provide holistic strategies for supporting yourself when you may be experiencing it.
Whether you’re experience more tired days here and there, have been struggling with low energy for weeks, or are going through a longer season of fatigue, know that there’s hope for you. Our bodies are so wise, so dynamic, and have an innate ability to heal- they just need the right tools and environment.
Instead of just giving up on ever feeling good again or even pushing through fatigue and ultimately burning yourself out more, you can utilize this as a roadmap to help guide you to naturally rebuild your energy, restore your vitality, and feel amazing in your body.
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.
Before you take any action, first pause to reflect: Is there a reason you’re more tired?
Try to can identify any energy drainers and/or potential blocks to your energy production.
Some example areas to explore:
What phase of your menstrual cycle are you in? (Late luteal and menstrual phases can mean lower energy, feeling more introspective, and even wanting to be alone).
Has your sleep recently changed at all? (i.e. Are you going to bed later? Are you waking during the night more often?)
Have you been under-eating? (Perhaps intentionally restricting calories or cutting food groups or maybe just skipping meals or grazing?)
Have you been moving your body less than you need? (Lack of movement can negatively affect your energy....)
Are your workouts too intense for you right now? (…while too much can drain it, especially if you’re stressed or are healing).
Are you under more stress? (Whether mental, emotional, or physical, stress increases our energy demands).
Have you been spending more time inside? On screens? (This can mess with your body’s energy rhythms)
What have you recently been saying yes to? No to? (i.e. Are you spreading yourself too thin?)
Is your body currently growing or nourishing a baby? (Not something we easily forget, no, but it’s sometimes helpful to remind ourselves of the energy our bodies are expending in these seasons)
The answer may be blatantly obvious (i.e. you were cluster feeding a baby throughout the night) but it’s also okay if you don’t know or even can’t figure it out. While knowing the root cause(s) can help guide the tools you use to help yourself, you don’t need to always have the answer.
Now of course if you’re struggling to improve your energy on your own, it can absolutely help to pinpoint underlying reasons and get specific guidance on ways to address them! Especially if fatigue is a symptom you’ve battled for a while and/or it’s really getting in the way of your life, find a functional, root-caused focused practitioner to help you!
Now, see if you can decipher what your body is telling you it needs.
If you’ve identified the underlying cause(s) for your fatigue, this can help guide you toward possible solutions. And if not, you can still connect with your intuition and ask your body what it may need from you.
So often, we're accustomed to seeking external direction that we become disconnected to our body's own wisdom communication.
Another helpful thing to explore here is how your fatigue is showing up for you- is it physical? Mental? Emotional? Are you feeling sleepy or maybe wired? Are you anxious or maybe “stuck”? Is it manifesting in your mood- i.e. feeling more sensitive, irritable, angry? There’s no right or wrong and it may be a combination and even change each time, but this can further help guide you toward the tools that are best for you.
And I know this can be tough because sometimes, it’s not so simple to provide what your body needs- i.e. rest, which is often the most blatant requirement for restoring energy.
Yet while we often do need to still show up through fatigue- care for our kids, go to work, etc.- we don’t need to push past our limits. It’s also okay to slow down and lean in to what you’re feeling if that’s what your body is asking of you. There are ways to make even subtle shifts to support yourself and doing things that take just a few minutes make a big difference- it doesn’t need to be all or nothing.
Sometimes, even just a mindset tweak can help a ton. Thinking or even saying “I’m tired” is subtly different from “I feel tired.” The former is identifying with your fatigue, almost having it control you. The latter is separating yourself from it and acknowledging its temporary presence.
Then, implement some strategies to support your body and restore your energy.
Now that you’ve done some preliminary research (or maybe not-if you’re too tired to even think or expend any more energy with the “why” or “how”, just jump right in), here are 8 things you can do to improve your fatigue.
Sometimes, you may be able to do a few things but sometimes, you can only do (or need) one! As always, adjust this to whatever you need at the moment and have the capacity for.
Either way, you can be confident that while these can bring immediate energy improvements, none are quick fixes or going against what our bodies need (like the most common energy “booster” caffeine actually does). You can turn to these in acute situations but also use them more long-term to support your healing journey.
1) Rest.
This is the most obvious one yet also often the most challenging, especially when you have responsibilities and commitments. But don’t get discouraged- there are lots of different forms of rest.
Sleep is the deepest form of rest so if it’s possible to get more, get it. Go to bed earlier. Sleep in. Take a nap if you can. There are even ways you can optimize the sleep you are getting, even if you’re not necessarily increasing the quantity.
But if you can’t sleep more, you can rest in other ways. Some examples of rest: Time spent laying horizontal- especially with your legs up the wall or on a chair or couch- is deeply restorative. Meditation or breathing exercises can help switch your body into a rested state. Saying no to things is also a form of rest- like skipping the gym or cancelling plans so you can relax at home.
Rest can also come in a mental, emotional, or even sensory form- for example, taking short breaks through the work day (using a Pomodoro timer is a cool strategy), getting off social media, stepping into the other room for some quiet, even just spending time doing nothing- forget being productive and stare out the window at the trees in the wind.
2) Adjust your meal balance and spacing.
If you’re feeling tired, your body is likely under some extra stress- whether it’s from what’s causing your fatigue or how fatigue is impacting you. And stress is directly correlated with the body’s handling of blood sugar, which is a way we regulate energy (sugar is our body’s primary fuel currency). It’s all so intricately connected.
The best way to support your blood sugar is with consistent, balanced meals (think protein + carb + fat). On a regular basis, this may mean eating a meal or snack every 4ish hours, but when you’re more tired, you may do better with every 2 or 3 hours because your blood sugar handling system is a bit more vulnerable. This closer spacing helps prevent dips in your blood sugar which can intensify fatigue, disrupt sleep, and even cause anxiety.
Experiment to find what works best for you but aim to at minimum 1) eat breakfast ASAP after waking (and before coffee), 2) don’t go long periods without food (listen to your hunger but also other signs you need fuel like brain fog, irritability, shakiness, lightheadedness), and 3) have a pre-bed snack if there’s a few hours between dinner and bedtime (this can help you sleep better, too!)
3) Get sunlight in your eyes.
Our body’s circadian rhythm (or our internal clock) is regulated by environmental light changes. The ideal rhythm is when our hormones cortisol and melatonin are in an inverse relationship- cortisol is highest in the morning (helping us be energized and alert) and melatonin is highest at night (helping us become tired and get healthy sleep). Fatigue can be a sign that our rhythm is “off.”
Viewing natural light is especially important for resetting our clock- especially because most of us don’t get enough. This free tool can powerfully help energize you, especially when you get it in your eyes first thing in the morning (at least a few minutes when you wake up). But any time is helpful- even getting multiple short exposures during the day- to help re-regulate your rhythm to naturally boost energy.
It’s also helpful to limit your artificial blue light exposure (from screens like your phone and TV), especially at night which can suppress melatonin and negatively impact sleep.
Plus, supporting this natural light rhythm not only helps with energy, but supports overall metabolic, hormonal, and mental health.
(Two things that can help: 1) If it’s a struggle to get light in, consider investing in a red light, which can help with energy production along with many other benefits! And 2) If you are on screens later in the day/at night, consider some blue light blocking glasses.)
4) Have an adrenal cocktail to get energy-supportive minerals.
Minerals act like our body’s spark plugs- they directly impact our metabolism and energy production especially because they help and build enzymes, which speed chemical reactions in the body.
But many of us today are depleted of minerals- due to things like soil depletion and modern farming practices, processed food, stress, and pregnancy (each one takes around 10% of our stores to give to our baby).
There are certain minerals that are especially vital for energy (particularly from a metabolic and hormonal lens).
Three specific minerals that can help in restoring energy are sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Sodium and potassium are electrolyte minerals and are regulated by the adrenal glands, which are a main player in the body’s stress-handling system. Stress directly impacts our levels and chronic, long-term stress can deplete them, making it difficult to effectively respond to stress as well as balance our blood sugar, utilize thyroid hormone, and get nutrients into our cells!
Magnesium is a key mineral in cellular metabolism- it’s directly involved in energy production as well as sugar and stress handling. We burn through this rapidly when stressed and when sodium and potassium are low, it becomes more difficult for magnesium to stay inside our cells.
One of my favorite tests I use in my practice, HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis), shows this time and time again. On the tests of my clients who are struggling with fatigue, I often see low sodium and potassium, and magnesium that’s either low or high (showing the body is burning through it at a fast rate).
Adrenal cocktails are a great way to help replenish these key minerals, nourish the adrenals, and support energy- plus they are quick and easy to make and taste delicious!
There are lots of different variations of this drink and the original one does not have magnesium, but you can tweak it! Here’s one you can use:
3/4 cup of coconut water (I love this brand)
The juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (I love this brand)
A few drops of Trace Minerals or a small amount of magnesium bicarbonate (Start slow: 5 drops = around 30mg of magnesium. You could also add a few drops to other beverages you drink during the day.)
Mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon can be good times to have one. Or, you can try drinking one at the first sign of fatigue or even better, if you know when you typically feel tired (i.e. a mid-afternoon crash), have it before it happens! (And if you’re already regularly drinking adrenal cocktails, you may want to add an extra one on days you feel tired).
5) Limit your caffeine intake.
This one is surprising for some and can also sound ridiculous for others. But the truth is that caffeine can be problematic for your energy, even though it can feel like the opposite. So many people use caffeine as a crutch and even a band-aid to cover up their fatigue when there are deeper root causes that can be addressed.
You don’t need to avoid coffee forever but it just may not be best for you right now depending on what’s going on! Especially if you’re dealing with chronic fatigue and/or struggle with anxiety or any wired energy, caffeine is not going to be supportive because it can fuel dysregulation and make you even more tired due to its impacts on your blood sugar and adrenal glands.
If you’re just having a more tired day or few days- i.e. you didn’t sleep well, you have a sick child, you’re on a work deadline, etc.- and coffee gives you the boost you need, so be it. Caffeine isn’t always problematic and in a healthy, resilient, nourished state, it can be metabolically supportive!
As always, tune into how it makes you feel when you have it. You may notice when you’re tired, coffee makes you feel worse- maybe jittery, anxious, or irritable or maybe it spikes your energy but then you crash hard.
If you want to take a break, some other supportive and equally enjoyable drinks could include: matcha (still caffeine but can be less stimulating), homemade hot cocoa, bone broth, golden milk, herbal tea (see some specifics below), a mushroom or adaptogen “coffee” like this one, or simply decaf coffee- or yep, you guessed it- an adrenal. cocktail!
6) Move your body (even just a little bit).
This can also seem counterintuitive (plus sometimes the last thing you want to do when you’re tired is move), but it can be super helpful especially if you’re feeling “stuck.”
And as always, there’s nuance. Movement doesn’t need to be intense or draining. It doesn’t even necessarily mean exercise! it can be as simple as standing up and stretching your body, putting on some uplifting music and dancing, or going for a short walk.
If it feels good, you can definitely work out when you’re tired. Especially if you’re in a season where you can’t control factors impacting your energy like a wakeful baby or shifted responsibilities at work, not exercising at all can be just as stressful and even draining as doing too much.
This is simply where meeting yourself where you’re at is important. Adjust your exercise so that it's not draining your energy more. You shouldn't feel worse afterward.
For example, you can do a shorter session than usual. You can build in longer breaks during your strength training sessions or do less reps. You can choose a walk instead of a higher intensity class.
In fact, this is a good approach for everything in your life when you’re tired: match your energy output as much as possible to your current energy level. If you only have 50%, you can’t give 100%! If you're draining your cup faster than filling it, you’re going to continue to be tired.
7) Enlist help.
We cannot do it all, period. And we shouldn’t have to. And especially when we’re tired, it can be difficult to even do the bare minimum and that can be even more exhausting and frustrating. Getting support can help you offload some tasks, reduce your mental load, and give you some space to restore.
While the villages we historically lived in have mostly disappeared, I’d bet anything you have people in your life that love you, want you to be healthy and happy, and are willing to help however they can. Sometimes, they just don’t know when you need help or how to give it. Sometimes, it’s us that struggle to ask for the help, even accept it!
It can be hard, but try to start communicating more to those in your life and explicitly asking for some help. If it feels safe, let them know what’s going on- explaining you’re having a hard day or a tougher time lately and in order to restore, you need to offload some things. Whether it’s help with school drop-offs or someone to watch the kids for an hour or two so you can have alone time, it can make a big difference in your energy.
You can also outsource tasks if it’s in your budget- this is sometimes an “easier” way to get help because we don’t necessarily have to ask. This means paying for services like laundry, house cleaning, grocery delivery, meal prep or even take out a few times a week. It can take the physical task but also the mental stress off your plate.
And even if you’re not a new mom or mom at all, many of these ideas can actually be applicable to whatever stage you’re in.
8) Consider certain food and herb-based supplements.
Food is absolutely medicine, and beyond eating balanced, consistent meals and focusing on nutrient-rich foods, supplemental support can be really powerful- especially if you are healing from depletion, restoring your metabolism, and/or need extra help getting all you need.
The supplement industry is vastly under-regulated and there are definitely way more poor quality supplements out there than high quality, so be mindful. But there are definitely plenty of amazing whole-food and/or herb-based supplements that can help nourish you and support your energy production systems.
Note: This isn’t medical advice, nor is anything on my blog or site! Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
Some of my favorite food-based supplements for energy include:
Desiccated grasss-fed liver (“nature’s multivitamin)
When it comes to herbs, there are so many that can help to improve energy, nourishing and balancing the body on a deep level. Many are actually classified as adaptogens- natural substances that help our bodies better deal with stress! You can consume these in tea or tincture form and some can be used in cooking and baking, too.
Some specific nourishing herbs that can be supportive for fatigue include:
Nettles
Holy basil/tulsi
Licorice
Milky oats
Lemon balm
Passionflower
Rosemary
Rhodiola
Ashwaghandha
A few special herbal blends for fatigue include:
When it comes to fatigue, you want to choose mindfully. Some herbs can be stimulating and others more soothing, so it’s helpful to do your research and work with an herbalist.
Bonus: Do something fun!
Fun is a missing element in so many of our lives- especially in adulthood and sometimes even more once we become moms. Even if we’re playing more with our kids (which is great and also has benefits), we can forget what feels fun for us as individuals.
What does this have to do with energy? A lot actually! Doing things that are pleasurable releases feel-good neurotransmitters, reduces stress, improves sleep supports connection with others. Play is actually directly correlated with your nervous system state.
Think about what makes you feel like you, what brings you joy, what brings you pleasure, what makes you smile or laugh or even just feel in a “flow” or lose track of time. If you can’t do it in the moment, schedule it in! Make it a regular practice and show your system that having fun is safe for you.
Here are some ideas if you need them:
Have a weekly or monthly game night with family or friends.
Plan a date or girls night involving play- mini golf, bowling, an arcade, painting, etc.
Start a new hobby- painting, knitting, pottery, etc.
Take up a sport- look for a local class or club that meets to play- pickleball, kickball, etc.
Ultimately, as common and as frustrating- even debilitating- fatigue can be, there are actually so many impactful solutions. Especially when you take a root-cause approach and honor your body’s deepest needs, you can have the energy you need to meet life and deal with the stressors you face.
If you need more support in finding the root causes of your fatigue or other symptoms and addressing them in a holistic way, apply here to work 1:1 with me! We will do a deep dive into your health history, assess your symptoms, perform functional assessments, and create a step-by-step plan to restore your energy and vitality together.