Why are you so tired every day
Have you ever felt like:
Every day after work, always feel tired, do not want to do anything, just want to stay paralyzed;
Clearly every day sitting in the office, do not do anything, but feel physically and mentally exhausted;
Often feel like the brain rusted, turn not to move, encounter a lot of problems are not willing to think;
The weekend, finally have time to study, but still feel very tired, often sleep, watch a play, imperceptibly in the past...
Many people may attribute them to stress in life, stress at work...
But“Stress” is a phenomenon, not a cause. What we need to think about is: how does this“Exhaustion” come about? And what can we do to improve the situation if there is no way to make a radical lifestyle change for the time being?
If you have such a problem, then, I hope today's article, can give you some inspiration and thinking.
Why do we sit every day and still feel exhausted? What's happening to the brain?
First of all, let's think about: when you feel“Heart Tired”, what is the most common performance?
These are the two most common:
Or feeling unmotivated. Clearly know that there are a lot of things to do, but there is no motivation, just want to collapse on the sofa, do not want to think, do not want to do.
Or, in a very bad mood... A little thing, can make you feel very irritable, depressed, depressed, always easy to lose your temper for no reason, feel that everything is very gray...
In fact, both conditions are closely related to two neurotransmitters in the brain: dopamine and serotonin.
As I said in a previous article, what is the role of dopamine? Is to provide us with“Motivation”. Simply put, dopamine is what makes you“Willing” to do something. And if it stimulates a lot of dopamine, you're going to want to do it, and you're going to be very uncomfortable not doing it, and that's what we call addiction.
You know that there are a lot of things that are“Important” and“Must be done”, but you just can't get motivated and you don't want to move at all-that's typical of a dopamine deficiency.
So why, when we are“Heart tired”, even though we know we must study, exercise and do useful things, we still collapse on the sofa to play games, watch movies, catch variety shows and play mobile phones? The reason: the latter, without any effort, can provide us with large amounts of dopamine, making us feel“Good.”.
So Don't beat yourself up if you feel the same way. It doesn't mean you're“Undisciplined,” it doesn't mean you're“Corrupt.” In fact, it's human nature, and we all are-you just happen to be in a bad place.
It's a lack of motivation. “Bad Mood”, on the other hand, is closely related to serotonin.
Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine, is a very important neurotransmitter. What is its central function? Is to maintain emotional and emotional stability.
For example, serotonin acts on the amygdala, increasing the communication between the cerebral cortex and the amygdala, allowing us to be more“In control.”. Without serotonin, the amygdala is on its own, making it difficult for us to control our anger.
In addition, serotonin inhibits boredom. When the serotonin-producing neurons were activated, the participants showed greater patience and motivation. Even if hit the wall one after another, will not lose control and impatience.
Similarly, studies of people with depression have shown that people with depression have low levels of serotonin in their brains, so they are more susceptible to negative emotions and are more likely to indulge in them, it's hard to“Get out”.
(thus, there is a common class of antidepressants, called SSRIs, that increase serotonin levels in the brain by inhibiting serotonin absorption.)
In other words: when the brain lacks serotonin, it is easy to fall into the“Emotional instability” inside. Either you're depressed, bored, pessimistic, and the world around you is a dark place, or you have a hard time controlling your impulses and aggression, and you lose your temper, get upset, and don't like anything...
In general, when we feel“Heart tired”, it is because of the lack of these two neurotransmitters.
So why the lack of dopamine and serotonin in normal conditions? What causes their overconsumption?
After a while, the task is done and removed from cognitive resources. As a result, the brain goes into a temporary state of rest, consuming less energy, and adenosine begins to be reassembled into ATP, which is consumed.
This is a good, ideal state.
But in this day and age, this state of affairs is extremely difficult to achieve. Every day, there will be countless information into our minds, our hearts will produce countless thoughts, plans and worries. For example: the future plans, the task and work of worry, worry about interpersonal relationships...
They live in the brain, a long time can not be resolved, so has been“Refused to leave.”. The accumulation, will occupy a large number of cognitive resources, leading to our“Background” become congested.
In other words: every day, our brain“Background”, are in a state of high load, has been running non-stop.
What does that mean? The brain has been consuming so much energy that the metabolic production of adenosine has been unable to be reorganized and consumed, thus piling up.
The build-up of adenosine, on the other hand, signals to the brain that it is“Tired, time to rest”. It then spreads through the brain in a series of neuronal responses, suppressing the excitability of the cerebral cortex, reducing dopamine production, lower serotonin levels.
This leads to fatigue.
In summary: constant“Overthinking”, leading to a build-up of adenosine, which in turn leads to a decrease in dopamine and serotonin, is what makes us lament how tired we are every day.
This is especially true for highly sensitive people. Because they are more likely to“Ruminate deeply” about information, they stay in the background longer and process it more.
By understanding this basic principle, we can have a clearer understanding of many phenomena.
Like flow.
Why say“Flow” can let a person feel happy, happy, get rid of fatigue? That's because it works both ways.
On the one hand, flow allows you to maintain a high level of concentration, which temporarily empties the back of your brain and allows you to focus on the task in front of you, easing the burden on your brain.
On the other hand, when you are in flow, you will constantly face a small challenge, solve a small challenge, and then face a small challenge... ... and every time you tackle a small challenge, it triggers a dopamine surge that makes you“Horny” and highly enjoyable.
In other words: the essence of flow is the same as playing games (many people do experience flow in games) . By allowing you to“Lighten the load” and“Beat the odds”, you get feedback that allows you to break free from fatigue and move on to a more positive cycle.
A few more simple examples.
Why is coffee refreshing and uplifting? That's because caffeine binds to adenosine receptors, which are the receptors that the brain“Blocks” some of the adenosine -- adenosine needs to bind to send messages to the brain, caffeine literally takes their place.
However, the caffeine effect is only temporary, it only blocks the adenosine channel, and does not really solve the problem. Therefore, can only give you a“Refreshing illusion”.
Another example: why is meditation relaxing and reducing stress? One possible reason: meditation allows you to focus on the present moment, thereby reducing unnecessary thoughts and thoughts in your mind and temporarily clearing the background.
And so on.
Also, before reading this article, you may have a dilemma:
Why sometimes feel a day is very busy, but at the same time very substantial, not only do not feel tired, but will feel“More than enough”;
And sometimes, when you feel like you haven't done anything all day, you're so tired you don't want to do anything?
Here's where you get it: What does it mean when we feel“Fulfilled”? It means we“Get” a lot of things done. Now that it has been done, on the one hand, these things can be cleared out of our backstage and not become a burden on us;
On the other hand, this sense of accomplishment in“Getting things done” can greatly stimulate the release of dopamine, which makes us feel satisfied, happy and happy.
On the other hand, sometimes it feels like we haven't done anything all day, but it's that kind of“Not done” that keeps a lot of tasks and ideas piling up in the background, and coming back to us through the“Chekani effect.” We The Hours to regurgitate and feel tired.
So, through these phenomena, you should be able to understand:
How do you get rid of fatigue? The most important, in fact, is two points.
On the one hand: from the cognitive level, try to focus on the“Now”, reduce the mind of worry, anxiety and worry, reduce the burden of the brain as much as possible;
On the other hand, start with dopamine and serotonin, by regulating their levels, to keep themselves in a good state.
This is the strategy we can consider.
So what are some of the things that can help us get rid of fatigue?
1.Simplify decision-making
Every day, we make decisions about what to wear, what to eat for breakfast, what to do to pass the time, how to write the report, what to choose... ... and so on and so forth.
In fact, it's a trade-off, no matter the size of the decision. On the one hand, this process takes cognitive resources and consumes our energy; on the other hand, a decision is not actually released completely from the brain after it's made -- there may be a little bit of residue, “Is this the right decision?”“Did I make the wrong choice?” And so on.
As a result, the more decisions you make during the day, the more likely you are to overload the back of your brain, leading to fatigue and irritability.
This is called Decision fatigue.
In a 2011 study, researchers looked at 1,100 parole offers made by American judges. They found that it was not the crime, background and confession that mattered most when a person was paroled, but the timing of the judge's decision: in more than 70 per cent of cases decided in the morning, parole was granted Less than 10 per cent of those sentenced in the afternoon were granted parole. Even the latter have lesser charges and shorter sentences.
The reason is simple: after a long day of trial and reflection, the judges are exhausted by the afternoon, so they tend to downplay the prisoner's confession and pass judgment more hastily.
So You've probably heard the saying, “Don't make important decisions at night.”. For the same reason.
How to deal with decision fatigue? One way of thinking is to simplify the decisions you need to make.
I will try to protect my precious brain power, for some unimportant, small decision-making, as far as possible to let them“Not mind.”. Either design a set of rules that apply directly, or choose one at random and don't spend too much time on it.
What do you mean, set the rules? For example, “If the fund goes down a certain point, buy a certain percentage” is a simple rule. By taking action to get feedback and fine-tuning the rules, you can turn decisions over to the rules and avoid having to think and weigh them over and over again.
Another example: like what to eat, what to wear, how to pass the time, such minor things, not to mention. Either pick one or let someone else decide. Don't waste any brain power.
Your energy should be reserved for issues that are really important and require careful consideration and trade-offs.
- Break down the task
In life, a very common situation is: We always have a large number of tasks every day, overwhelming, let us gasp. It could be a big project, it could be a travel arrangement, it could be a tough job, it could be a new client you've never met...
Although many tasks can't be done right away, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there, it's there.
This is the most common cause of heartburn.
What is my most common approach to this situation? Break it down. Write it down.
- write down all the worries and tasks that are on your mind and“Clear Your Mind” of them.
- break them down: What I can do first, then what I can do later, roughly when I can do it.
- when you're ready to take action, focus on the first step, not the rest. Let yourself“Do it first”.
It's an effective way to tell the brain that it's been memorized, that I can handle it easily, and that I don't have to worry about it anymore.
Most of the time, what is the source of our troubles? From thinking too much. Many clearly may not happen, we will always worry; many clearly is not complex problem, we will always go to fear, worry...
In other words: our fear, often not from the object itself, but from the fear of uncertainty.
So, this is a way, to break down our fear of uncertainty, and let us know that it's not a big deal, that I just have to do this first, and then this.
Each step may not be easy, but that's okay -- every time you decompose it, you make it a little less uncertain, a little less complex. If it's still massive, repeat these three steps to Divide and rule it down.
There are a few tips along the way:
For information uncertainty, I will generally be decomposed into: a month a day to communicate with such-and-such, to determine such-and-such matters. Then, I want to know the questions, a brief list, then directly to fill in.
For more troublesome matters, I will generally take the most difficult to gnaw that step out, arrange well, the other is simple. For example: one thing is very troublesome, I need to deal with the process of a trip to Shanghai, I will first pick it out, roughly arranged between a certain day to a certain day, and other things around it to arrange. So much more at ease.
For matters that require waiting for an outcome, I usually consider a“Contingency plan”, that is, “What should I do if the outcome is not satisfactory? It doesn't have to be perfect. Just come up with a plan, write it down, and let yourself know“How to act.”.
These tips can effectively turn anxiety into action and help reduce stress in your brain.
- Put the pieces together
In our daily lives, we often encounter a situation: all day long, busy dealing with all kinds of trivial matters: chat back, write email, adjust data, change documents, ... Back and forth to confirm requirements, pass information...
If you say you didn't do anything, you don't. But if you say you did something, you don't know.
Keep in mind that our outputs and outcomes are largely determined by“Monolithic” things. Many trivial things, not that they are not important, but on the one hand, their value is not high, on the other hand, they will create a large number of“Thought fragments”, piled up in the brain, greatly increasing the burden on the brain.
In particular, when we're constantly switching between tasks, each time we switch, it takes some resources to adjust the state, to“Reload,” and that can lead to the fragmentation of the whole piece of information, greatly increased the occupied“Backstage space”.
A lot of times, this is what makes us feel exhausted the most.
So, one of the most basic techniques for managing time and energy, is to do things that are fragmented, and to do them together in as much time as possible, to free up time for something more meaningful.
For example:
Can you set aside some time each day to deal with all communication?
Every communication can think about: How can I put the message a one-time clear, as far as possible to reduce the number of back and forth to confirm?
If something takes 5-15 minutes to do, think about it: does it have to be done now? Is there any way you could put it in a different time slot and do something else with it?
If you find yourself switching between tasks, ask yourself: Are These things important? Can I put something else on hold and get one thing done?
……
Make this a habit and you'll find that your daily routine is still pretty much the same, but it doesn't seem that boring anymore.
- Stay focused
By focusing, I don't mean focusing on one thing at a time without any distractions -- that's impossible.
But: think about what is the most important thing for me right now? Other than that, can I just say no or put it off as long as I can?
That's what I always say: minimize“Ask me to do” and focus on“I will do.”.
This can be difficult for many friends because it requires you to say no (especially to highly sensitive people) . But it is a step that must be overcome. Know this: In this world except you, others are not responsible for you.
So, I've often said, what is the nature of decision-making, not choosing between the good and the bad, which makes no sense, but choosing between the two bad, which is“Less bad”; Or you can choose between two good ones and leave out one that's not so good.
But if you obsess over loss aversion, want to do everything right, want to have it all, many times you just get yourself into an overload situation and can't get out of it.
Where does this lead. The more stuff you carry, the less likely you are to get it all done, the worse you will be, and the worse you will end up doing... ... a negative cycle.
To get out of this cycle, you have to give up the excessive burden on yourself and accept your own“Imperfection”, “Imperfection”, “Inappropriateness”.
Only in this way can you truly live for yourself.
- Expect rewards
What is reward anticipation? In short, is in their own life, spread some possibility, let oneself harvest the unintentional joy.
Here's an example: I'm a big advocate of 5-minute giving: spending about 5 minutes a day in your life, giving a helping hand, giving a little help.
When you offer help to others, you get a sense of well-being based on good“Social connection,” and when others benefit from your actions and thank you, you get strong feedback and satisfaction.
What is its nature? It is through the“Anticipation reward” that dopamine is activated, allowing us to feel positive and positive emotions.
There are many other ways to give besides“5 minutes of giving.”. For example, tell yourself that if work goes well, buy yourself something you've always wanted as a small reward. This keeps us looking forward to life and maintaining good dopamine levels.
Another example: in their spare time, to participate in some groups, activities, so that their“Meet more interesting people”, “New life experience” expectations, it's a powerful way to fight the languor and exhaustion of everyday life.
These are all ways to fill your life with sunshine.
- Take it easy
Finally, have a quick chat about how to get your dopamine and serotonin levels up in the brain and keep yourself in good shape by relaxing properly.
Get More Sun. Sunlight can effectively promote the secretion of serotonin, so that their emotions become soothing and gentle. Especially in this seasonal affective disorder season, walking outdoors in the sun is a very effective way to heal.
Exercise more. Studies have found that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can effectively improve serotonin levels, which effectively alleviate anxiety, stress and improve well-being. About 120 minutes of aerobic exercise a week will do the trick.
On the other hand, high-intensity exercise can produce endorphins, which play a role in pain relief, but also can make people feel“Comfortable.”.
Watch some interesting videos. As mentioned earlier, thinking for a long time can lead to adenosine accumulation and fatigue. As a result, I often have little videos between jobs, usually documentaries about travel, scenery and food. It is not easy to get addicted, and can know some strange knowledge, but also let oneself get effective relaxation.
By the way: There are a lot of foreign studies on this area, many of them are for the“Cute kitten” video... ... the results are similar: watching cute kittens at work can help relieve fatigue and increase productivity.
Diet. Cutting down on carbs and increasing your intake of high-protein foods with a balanced amino acid profile, such as meat, eggs and milk, can help your body make serotonin.
Store the energy. I mentioned in sensitive you that some positive motivation and feedback can help you get your motivation back and your state back. The simplest way is to put others on their own recognition and affirmation of the collection, the state of low turn out to see, to encourage themselves...
I hope this article can inject a little energy into you who are also troubled.
Life is not easy,
because it's not easy,
all the more reason to enjoy it.