We all go through stages of feeling exhausted at times – life’s busy and it’s easy to put your mental health second when you have a lot going on. If you find yourself constantly feeling tired, however, it’s time to take a look at what you could be doing differently. Here are a few things that may be wearing you out.

Iron deficiency

If you don’t have enough iron in your diet, your red blood cells are unable to carry a sufficient amount of oxygen around the body. This leads to tiredness, among other things. Try to absorb as much iron naturally as possible. This is best achieved by incorporating foods into your meals that are rich in iron like spinach, red meat, legumes and nuts. Alternatively, you can supplement your diet with iron tablets.

Perfectionism

If you’re a bit of a perfectionist, it’s likely you tend to overwork yourself and subsequently wear yourself out. When you raise the bar just that little bit too high, too often, you constantly push yourself over the edge. While it’s important to do a great job in everything you do, it’s also important to look after yourself and know when to call it a day. Similarly, if you have too much on your plate and feel like you never get any down time, learn to say no. Remember – you’re number one.

Dehydration

Probably the biggest factor of tiredness is dehydration. If you aren’t getting enough water, your body suffers – it’s as simple as that. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Popular studies recommend around 8 glasses of water a day, though this varies according to body sizes. Drink enough so that you feel energised and healthy. Your skin will look amazing, too!

Bad food habits

Two of the most common and easily fixed causes of over-tiredness are skipping breakfast and eating unhealthy food regularly. If you eat foods that have little nutritional value – or even worse, don’t eat at all – your body becomes sluggish. Our bodies need fuel to allow us to go about our day effectively. Without a healthy diet that includes consistent meals, functioning at our full potential is nearly impossible. Eat three balanced meals a day and enjoy light snacks such as nuts or fruit in between.

Using technology before bed

This one’s directly related to sleeping. It has been scientifically proven that looking at screens shortly before you go to bed can cause you to sleep poorly. Not only are the harsh lights of phone and laptop screens bad for your eyes in artificial light, your mind is given no time to switch off and relax before you go to bed. Instead of scrolling through Instagram or checking emails, read a book, listen to soft music or have a short meditation session.