Most people deal with energy-draining moments in their day-to-day lives. A poor night’s sleep, a stressful day at work, an argument at home, or even coming down with a cold can make you feel drained. And when these days happen more often than not, burnout is almost inevitable.
But the thing is, even though feeling tired is not something we can avoid altogether — after all, life happens whether we want it to or not — there are actionable steps we can all take to relax, recharge, and recover when our day-to-day becomes too much.
Are you interested in adopting some relaxing self-care tips for when you feel tired? The following activities are sure to help you get through those impossible days.
Do a Session of Yoga Nidra (or NSDR)
Taking a nap is one of the best quick fixes for when you’re less energized than you’d like to be. But the fact is, napping can disrupt your sleep schedule. And, if you find it difficult to relax, it might not even be possible for you to fall asleep quickly.
For this reason, one of the best self-care tips you can implement is to do yoga Nidra or NSDR when you need an energizing pick-me-up.
If you’re not sure how the practice works, think of it as a meditation that you do lying down and aims to put you in a deep state of conscious awareness sleep. This practice has been shown to reduce anxiety more successfully than traditional medication. It can also be a great tool when you’ve had a poor night’s sleep or need to prepare for a challenge later in the day.
Take a Break and Do Something You Enjoy
Have you ever felt that some activities make you more energized? Even if they are not necessarily relaxing?
Enjoying your hobbies can be essential in overcoming tiredness, exhaustion, or even burnout because they promote the release of feel-good neurochemicals. According to Fortune, even thinking about an upcoming activity you enjoy can release dopamine. That’s a great way to become energized and motivated — especially when going through a slump.
So, if you want to do some self-care when you feel tired, consider finding a hobby that puts you in a relaxed state while making you happy. It can be reading, listening to music, playing board games with a group of friends, or going for a hike and enjoying the healing powers of nature.
Invest in Your Nutrition
One of the best ways to take better care of yourself when you feel tired is to optimize your nutrition.
By optimization, we do not mean going on a “healthy” restrictive diet to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Instead, try to find the right meal plan for your needs.
Basically, the aim is for you to have consistent energy levels throughout the day, without spikes where you can’t relax and crashes that can make you feel like you won’t be able to get out of bed.
Perhaps the best way to fix your energy levels with food is to pay attention to your glucose levels. Understanding how your food affects your sugar levels and learning how to prevent the excessive ups and downs (like going for a 30-minute walk after lunch) can be a great way to take better care of yourself and, even better, avoid feeling overly tired all together.
Clean up Your Sleep Habits
If you regularly wake up feeling tired and cranky, it might be time to evaluate your sleep hygiene.
For one, most people don’t get enough sleep. Even though the recommendation for adults is 7 to 9 hours per night, the average person sleeps less than that.
Moreover, most of us have poor habits that harm the quality of sleep we get — whether drinking caffeine too late in the evening, sleeping with the TV on, or allowing ourselves to stray from our regular sleep schedule when we feel like it.
Fortunately, the fixes can be pretty straightforward.
In addition to paying attention to light exposure in the afternoon, avoiding dopamine spikes before bed, and eating at the right time, it’s also a good idea to pay attention to our sleep surroundings. For example, by eliminating harmful materials and chemicals from our bedrooms by using a mattress without fiberglass, we can promote our health and ensure that we’re not losing precious sleep due to allergies or breathing difficulties.
Practice Saying No
Lastly, if you find it difficult to relax and put yourself first when you feel tired, evaluate your boundaries (or lack thereof).
Perhaps you find it difficult to practice self-care when you need it. Or you might have trouble saying no to people when they ask for help (even though you don’t have the time or energy to do what they’re asking). Maybe you just have a tendency to take on too many responsibilities without reserving some time for rest and recovery.
Whatever the case, make sure you know that it’s perfectly okay to say no to people when you feel like you need time for self-care.
Ultimately, refusing to do something at the expense of your health is the right thing to do for yourself. And having a bit less on your plate can be particularly important if you’re feeling chronically exhausted or dealing with burnout.
So practice saying no. Sure, it might not feel all that great at first. But at the end of the day, your goal should be to enjoy life and not merely try to get through the day without crashing.
Final Thoughts
There you have it: some relaxing (and a couple of challenging) self-care tips for when you feel tired.
As you can see, all of these strategies are things you can make part of your day-to-day routine. But getting the habits to stick may take some practice and some support.
So, if you find yourself feeling overly tired, don’t press yourself to achieve instant results. And more importantly, know that you don’t have to do everything alone. Chances are, there are people in your life who’ll be more than happy to pick up the slack and come to your aid when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
About The Author
Sarah is a life enjoyer, a positivity seeker, and a curiosity enthusiast. She is passionate about an eco-friendly lifestyle and adores her cats. She is an avid reader who loves to travel when time allows.
