I feel tired all the time. How can I get more energy?

If you feel tired all the time, you’re not alone. This is one of the commonest symptoms that we doctors are asked about. It is advisable to see your doctor because important physical causes of fatigue (such as anaemia, infection, thyroid deficiency and diabetes) need to be ruled out.

Investigations often fail to find a cause for the tiredness. It usually comes down to what I call ‘flat-battery syndrome’. Physical and emotional demands have been draining your energy faster than it’s being replaced; eventually, there’s no juice left.

The answer is to recharge the battery. Sadly, it’s no use plugging yourself into the mains overnight. Stress management and time management are part of the process. You need the right balance between work, sleep, rest, relaxation and exercise.

Good nutrition is essential too and there is usually a lot of room for improvement here – even in health-conscious people on a ‘good diet’. Apparently small changes can make a big difference to the overall nutrient balance of the diet. The 28-day plan can really perk up your metabolism and when the 28 days are up, you’ll find it easy to keep following the plan – as loosely or closely as you want to.

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