First, rhythm and fatigue

Due to the influence of the wake-sleep cycle, people will feel drowsiness at the same time every day and also feel energetic at the same time, making things twice as effective. Adhering to this rhythm and ensuring sufficient sleep is extremely important for eliminating fatigue. For example, if a person falls asleep between 11 pm and midnight, his expected peak of excitement will appear around 10 am in the morning. Some people also have a second peak of excitement, which appears between 6 pm and 9 pm, and may have a feeling of fatigue between 1 pm and 4 pm.

The wake-sleep rhythm is mainly governed by light, but it is also influenced by various activities, such as exercise, talking with people, etc. Therefore, when you start to ‘nod’ in front of your desk, it is not a bad idea to get up and chat with your colleagues, and the sleepiness will disappear without a trace.

The best way to deal with rhythm is to synchronize your schedule with it. For example, put tasks that involve dealing with people, such as making phone calls, taking children to the playground, etc., in the afternoon, which will help you get through a listless afternoon, and use the two peaks of excitement at 10 am or 6 pm to complete tasks that require concentration, such as paying bills, reading reports, etc.

Second, diet and fatigue

Whether you are tired or not largely depends on what you eat.

Types

Carbohydrates can increase a chemical substance in brain cells called serotonin. This substance has a sedative effect. If too many carbohydrates are consumed at noon, the whole afternoon will be drowsy. High-fat diets, due to their difficulty in digestion, cannot provide ‘fuel’ to the brain and muscles in a timely manner, and excessive intake will also make people become ‘lazy’ in the afternoon. To maintain vitality throughout the afternoon, it is necessary to mix carbohydrates with protein-rich foods. In addition, a decrease in the content of vitamins and trace elements in the body will also lead to fatigue, so it is necessary to consume an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables. There is an element that is not well-known to people – boron, which plays an important role in concentration and fatigue elimination. Foods rich in boron include grapes, carrots, apples, pears, peaches, peanuts, etc.

Quantity

Maintaining a balanced blood sugar level is beneficial to continuously supply ‘fuel’ to brain cells and muscle cells. The best way to achieve this is to change three meals a day into five meals. In addition, do not eat a full meal before doing important work to keep your mind clear.

Candy

Some people often hope to recover their energy by eating a piece of candy or other sweet food when they are tired, but it is often not helpful, at least not for a long time. This is because sugar is absorbed by the human body very quickly, enters the bloodstream, and raises blood sugar levels, but can only maintain it for half an hour. At this time, it is advisable to eat foods such as cake, biscuits, or fruit, which are complex carbohydrates. These foods can maintain a balanced blood sugar level for a long time, so people will not feel tired.

Coffee

A certain amount of caffeine can improve thinking ability, but a large amount of caffeine cannot enhance the anti-fatigue effect.

Third, exercise and fatigue

When tired, if you go for a walk outdoors, your energy can be temporarily restored because adrenaline secretion increases at this time. However, to maintain a lasting burst of energy, it is necessary to engage in regular physical exercise — 4 to 5 times a week, each for 30 to 40 minutes of brisk walking, or 3 to 4 times a week, each for 30 minutes of jogging.

Short-term exercise also has a certain effect. You can start with 3 times a day, each for 5 to 10 minutes, and increase to 2 times a day, each for 8 to 12 minutes. After a month, you can start a one-time long-duration exercise.

Exercise must be effortful to benefit, but also pay attention to avoid overexertion. If you can’t maintain exercise for a few minutes each time, it means that you have exerted too much physical effort and need to adjust.

Fourth, mood and fatigue

Physical fatigue is often a signal of poor mood, especially evident when there are depressive or angry emotions. Severe fatigue and feeling that physical strength is declining should be regarded as a red signal from the body. In addition to trying to rule out organic diseases, one should also consider whether it is related to environmental factors. Such as having a new supervisor who makes you anxious or something at home that makes you angry or depressed, etc. The suppression of emotions also requires a lot of energy. It should be recognized that although the environment cannot be changed, one can learn how to view and cope with the various unpleasantness brought by the environment, and try to get rid of depression and recover vitality.

Fifth, breathing and fatigue

In intense sports competitions, athletes are too busy to take notice of fatigue. Their special trick is to practice deep breathing exercises — to draw energy from the air. The method is to slowly and deeply inhale air through the nostrils (count from 1 to 4) until you feel the lower abdomen is filled with air, then hold your breath (count from 1 to 8) to let the air circulate within the body, and finally exhale slowly while contracting the abdomen. Repeat this process 3 times. When facing another type of ‘competition’: such as a supervisor waiting for your report, or facing someone’s provocation, when emotions are high and close to the ‘boiling point’, it is not a bad idea to try this trick, which may help you stabilize your emotions and eliminate fatigue.