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Writer's pictureVicki McKenzie

Fatigue and Exercise, "I’m just tired of being tired!"


We feel you!

Fatigue is a condition affecting almost 1.5 million Australians a year according to the Better Health channel and even if you haven’t been formally diagnosed most days a lot of us can feel tired or fatigued. These reasons could be from not sleeping properly, chronic conditions, poor diet, stress or just over doing it in our everyday lives. So, the last thing we really want to do or think about when we are tired is exercise. And we will often think to ourselves that if we are tired won’t exercising just make it worse??


The answer can be found in studies such as the one completed by a university in Georgia which found that a group of exercising fatigued volunteers reported a 20% increase in in energy at the end of the study. With a decrease of 65% in fatigue through engaging in regular, low- moderate intensity aerobic exercise.

Why this happens is not exactly figured out (the CNS system and chemical release might play a part) and while science figures it out we can do a lot to manage our tiredness and fatigue. Its very important to choose a time of the day that suits you and your lifestyle. If you are absolutely exhausted at the end of the day or struggle to find motivation, exercising in the morning when you are fresh. If the thought of getting out of bed before 9 sends a shiver down your spine, the afternoon when it’s a bit cooler might be the best option. But this option requires commitment and motivation to make sure you don’t skip the gym and head straight home after work.


I can say from personal experience working with patients that had a range of conditions from Multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and just those with very busy lives. I have had many come back to me and were in utter shock at how much better and less tired they felt after exercising. And not just a day after, how they felt throughout the week and even slept better.

Which leads into my next point, make sure that you look and assess your lifestyle and dietary habits as well as they could be contributing to your fatigue. If you are consuming a lot of caffeine or having stimulant type drinks these can cause an energy spike followed by a crash. The recommended coffee dose is up to 400mg per day which if you are having anywhere near 3 coffees a day its easy to hit that number. So it pays to keep a track of what you are drinking and try avoid any caffeine later in the afternoon.

Treat Me Right Rehab

WE ARE A MOBILE EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY SERVICE Neurological | Rehabilitation | Disability Exercise

"WHAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TODAY WILL SOON BECOME YOUR WARM-UP"


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