It used to be that your work day ended when you got home, and your work week ended on Fridays at about 5 pm. However, personal computers, the Internet, mobile phones, and email have made the traditional work schedule a thing of the past. Instead, it has been replaced by a faster paced world that never seems to give you any time to slow down enough to catch your breath.

As a result, many people experience chronic fatigue. How can you beat this fatigue without using a medication with side effects? Here, Temecula, CA chiropractor Nathen Horst discusses six ways to overcome fatigue.

Regular Chiropractic Care

When most people think about chiropractic care, they assume that it is only for back pain. While chiropractic care is effective for back pain, it can also work for fatigue.

It does so by relieving pressure on the nerves that pass through any misaligned vertebrae of the spine and lead out to the various organs of the body. The vertebrae can become misaligned due to illness, injury, or chronic stress.

If they press down on nerves, it can interfere with proper signaling to and from the brain, leading to fatigue. Dr. Horst relieves this pressure by shifting the vertebrae back into proper alignment.

Exercise

We all know that exercise is good for us, but we never quite seem to find the time to make exercise a regular part of our day. In addition, we may feel guilty when we don’t exercise.

An easy way to fit exercise into your busy schedule without feeling guilty is to break it down into smaller chunks. For example, try giving yourself a goal of 10 minutes of getting up from your desk for every hour you work. This might include taking a lap or two around your office floor; doing a few sets going up and down the stairs; or walking over to the accounting department, instead of calling. You can even do some of these on your lunch break and instead opt to eat your lunch while you work.

Healthy Diet

Of course, a healthy diet goes hand in hand with exercise to help keep your body properly nourished so you have the energy to get through the day.

This type of diet includes lean proteins, such as chicken and turkey; fresh fruits and vegetables; and whole grains. It also eliminates sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Dr. Horst can help you put together a diet that is tailor made to your needs for fighting fatigue.

Regular Sleep

We all know the old saying about needing 40 winks. Unfortunately, in our efforts to cram as much as possible into every waking hour, we often shortchange ourselves on the sleep that we need to recharge our bodies. Instead, we try to make do with as scant hours as possible, which can lead to slow metabolism, and a higher risk for obesity and cardiac issues.

The best way to tackle poor sleep habits is to set yourself rules to get you into a regular sleep pattern. You should get in the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time, even on weekends. Your bedroom should only be used for sleeping, rather than using your laptop or tablet computer, watching TV, or reading. Finally, invest in some luxury bedding to make your bed an inviting place to sleep.

Reduce Stress

Stress can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. Whether the root cause is money, health, relationships or something else entirely, constant stress can start a vicious cycle in which we start dwelling on that cause, which then emotionally upsets us, leading to a physical response of holding our bodies in tension. This can lead to neck, shoulder, and back pain. A daily routine of yoga and meditation, even if only for as little as five minutes a day, can help you refocus and center yourself.

Quit Smoking and Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Unfortunately, it can be easy to use bad habits, such as tobacco and alcohol use, as a way to combat stress and fatigue because they stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain. However, these substances can also be detrimental to your health in the long run.

In addition to being addictive, tobacco and alcohol use may also lead to other health issues such as cancer, and cardiac and liver disease. Replacing tobacco and alcohol use with healthier habits to help beat fatigue will be more beneficial.