Why am I so tired when I’m doing all the right things?

You go to bed at a reasonable time. You try to eat fairly well. You keep going, get your work done and manage everything that needs doing.

So why are you still tired?

It’s very easy to look for one explanation for low energy. Perhaps you need more sleep. Maybe you need to exercise more. Perhaps you should eat better.

But our health rarely works in such neat, separate boxes.

Your energy can be influenced by your sleep, stress levels, what and when you eat, hydration, movement, digestion, hormones and whether you ever properly switch off.

And these things affect each other too -

If you’re under pressure, you may not sleep as well. After a poor night’s sleep, you might reach for quick sources of energy or another coffee. You may be too tired to exercise, or sit at your desk for longer because you’re getting through things more slowly.

By the end of the day, you’re exhausted – but perhaps still too wired to properly relax.

Then the cycle begins again.

Sometimes pushing harder isn't the answer

When there is a lot to do, our natural response is often to try harder - that is certainly what I have a tendency to do.

We work a little later.

Skip the walk.

Eat lunch at the desk.

Have another coffee.

Tell ourselves we'll catch up on sleep at the weekend.

On an occasional basis, that isn't a problem.

But when it becomes our normal way of operating, it can gradually affect how we feel.

You may notice that you have less energy, your concentration isn't as good, you're more easily irritated or overwhelmed, or you simply don't feel quite like yourself.

Rather than asking, "How can I make myself do more?", it can be more useful to ask:

"What might be making this harder than it needs to be?"

Looking at the whole picture

This is why I take an all-round approach to health.

If somebody comes to see me because they're exhausted, I don't just want to know how many hours they're sleeping.

I want to understand what else is happening.

Are they waking during the night?

Are they under a lot of pressure?

What are they eating?

Are they moving regularly?

Are digestive problems affecting them?

Do they ever stop and recover?

Have things changed hormonally?

Often by the time someone seeks help there isn't one enormous thing that needs fixing - there are several smaller things that, together, are having a significant effect on how somebody feels.

And that can actually be encouraging. Because it means there may be several places where we can begin to make things easier.

You don't necessarily need to completely overhaul your life.

Sometimes feeling better starts with understanding what your body needs – and making a few changes that are realistic enough to keep doing.