tired

In my first trimester of pregnancy, I sat at work in the middle of the afternoon with heavy eyelids and low energy. I had heard that expectant women were more lethargic, but it was like I was drugged for three straight months.

To find out more about my lazy days, read more

We all have a favorite excuse for not working out. If yours is "I am just too tired," I have something to tell you. Exercise will give you energy. For reals!

When you are tired, it is difficult to remember how great you felt at the end of your last workout. Chances are really high you felt better post exercise than you did before, and you probably felt more relaxed too. Exercise promotes oxygen exchange, out with the stale air and in with the fresh. Motivate yourself with the carrot of the post exercise euphoria!

Exercise can help you sleep better, and a night of restful sleep will help you stay more energized the next day.

When I am feeling weary and therefore wary of exercise, I have to work through the mind games I play to talk myself out of exercising. Once I finally get moving, I find my energy is there and I am for a full workout. So fight the "too tired" excuse with the mantra "exercise to energize." It may be a little cheesy, but sometimes all it takes is two words to get me off the couch.

Source

Being depressed or upset about breaking up with your boyfriend or getting in a fight with your best friend is a totally normal response. We all feel sad sometimes, or have short periods of time when we're in a funk, but being clinically depressed is completely different.

This serious medical condition can make a person feel upset for no reason, or it can be triggered by an event, such as losing a loved one. What's different is the person doesn't just "get over it." They continue to feel down, and can even have physical symptoms such as lack of appetite, fatigue, and headaches.

What can you do if a close friend of yours is battling depression? Here are some ideas:

• Learn all you can about depression. Research online, read books, or talk to professionals about it. Knowing the facts will make you feel more comfortable and able to offer them help.
• Encourage your friend to see a psychiatrist and look into medication if necessary. If they are already seeing one, encourage your friend to keep their regular appointments.
• Find out if there is a support group in your area for people with depression. Suggest it to your friend, and offer to go with them.
• Call your sad friend often, visit them, exercise together, and make plans to go out. Keep up a relationship with them so they don't feel alone. Having something to be happy about, and to look forward to always helps.

There are other ways you can help. To find out how read more

Dear Sugar--
I'm beginning to notice that I'm feeling tired all the time. I can never be bothered doing anything. Do I need to eat less or more? Exercise more regularly? I'm not nodding off to sleep like Sleeping Beauty, but I just feel, lazy and lethargic. Thanks for your help! -- Lifeless Leslie

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Since reading FitSugar, you've probably experienced a few days of muscle soreness (hopefully you have). I am thinking that since I've given you all these ways to get those muscles sore, I should also give you ways to help make that soreness easier to bear.

How about a good soak? Not just any average soak though, an effervescent muscle soak. The Apres Sport Muscle Soak ($18.00), by Jane Inc., is muscle therapy in a jar. Naturally fizzing sodium bicarbonate relaxes muscles and refreshes the skin while epsom salts ease muscle tension. The soak also has wintergreen to soothe and stimulate muscles. Ahhhhh....

So go ahead and hit the gym hard today and keep that bath as motivation to really work those muscles. Buy it from Kitson online.

We all have our favorite excuses for not working out but if yours is, "I'm just too darn tired after work to go to the gym," then here are some tips for you:

• Go straight to the gym after work. Stops at home or anywhere else (where people are not working out) may lessen your chances of making it to the gym.
• If you workout at home then don't sit down. Whether it's working out with a video or hopping on your at home elliptical, get right to it.
• Change before you leave. I know it sounds weird, but duck into the bathroom and change before leaving the office. This way you're armed and ready to go.
• Strength in numbers. Convince a co-worker to do it with you, for whatever reason we are less inclined to let others down (while we have no problem letting ourselves down).
• Get to work earlier (if possible) so you can leave earlier. This only works if your job is a bit flexible but leaving even 15 minutes earlier may motivate you because you'll be done sooner.
• Eat a late afternoon snack with lean protein and complex carbs. Whole-grain crackers with cheese, for example, will give you a little boost of energy.
• Get enough sleep. This one is pretty self explanatory.
• Don't go every single day after work. This way going to the gym won't feel like a life sentence.
• If all else fails, workout sometime other than after work. Maybe you're better suited to workout before work, or maybe you're a lunch workout warrior. You'll never know until you try.

Is this not your excuse? Check out my other tips on getting over excuses for not working out.

I've heard I need 8 hours, 7 hours, 10 hours, take naps, don't take naps, sleep in, go to be early - so what's the deal sleep?

The answer is unfortunately a little vague - individual needs vary. There are short-sleepers and long sleepers. Some people can function on 5 hours of sleep a night, while others need at least 9 or they're useless. How much sleep you need depends on a few things:

• Genetics
• What you do during the day - Do you drink coffee or alcohol? Do you smoke? Do you exercise?
• The quality of your sleep - Do you toss and turn all night? Does it take you a long time to fall asleep? Are you a light or deep sleeper?
• Your personal circadian rhythm (your inner clock)

You should get enough sleep each night so you wake up feeling rested and have enough energy to last until bedtime.

Not getting enough good quality sheet time reduces daytime alertness and could impair memory as well as the ability to think and process information. Think about the possible accidents that could occur by being too sleepy to function - if it gets to this point, be sure to catch a quick nap or get to bed a couple of hours earlier to catch up on your sleep.

Fit's Tips: If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, and have tried every insomnia remedy in the book, you may want to see your doctor to find out what you can do to help get your zzzzzz's.

Why is it that when I yawn, without a doubt, the people around me yawn too?

It's a tough question because the reason why we yawn in the first place is a bit of a mystery. Not much research has been put into answering this question because yawning isn't really considered a problem.

There are many theories though. You yawn because you're tired, or when you're bored. And many people think you yawn because you need oxygen. But in 1987, Dr. Provine tested this theory and the results showed that yawning has nothing to do with needing more air.

Contagious yawning is a visual response. But not everyone catches the yawn bug. People who are more self-aware and empathetic tend to be more likely to catch yawns. You see them yawn, and subconsciously want to let them know you understand how they're feeling.

Another theory is that yawning is a way to stretch our lungs. Stretching and yawning often go hand-in-hand, and together help to flex our muscles and joints, increase our heart rate, and make us feel more awake.

Yawning is not a learned behavior - babies in the womb spontaneously yawn too. Want to see the video? read more