Depression may be another reason one feels tired all the time. Proper diet and exercise helps, but it's best to seek medical attention.
Tired of Being Tired
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Re: Tired of Being Tired
#12What are your metrics for this kinda thing?
Tiredness and productivity seem like very subjective things, hard to measure. Don't get me wrong, there's some good points there, that aren't hard to believe. But i'd love to know how i can measure this kind of well being stuff so i can better myself.
* as the saying goes, "what gets measured is what gets improved"
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#13What are your metrics for this kinda thing? Tiredness and productivity seem like very subjective things, hard to measure. Don't get me wrong, there's some good points there, that aren't hard to believe. But i'd love to know how i can measure this kind of well being stuff so i can better myself. * as the saying goes, "what gets measured is what gets improved"
I believe that NASA and aviation researchers developed fatigue tests some time ago. There's also discrimination-timing tests.
For example, if the object on the screen is a blue circle, press the right side shift; if it's a red square press left side. Reaction time is used as the indicator.
But these are only proxies for what is, after all, a largely subjective experience. You will necessarily need to rely on measuring inputs (hours of sleep, caffeine consumed, exercise length and intensity) and using subjective measures for outputs (a bit slow, tired, very tired, exhausted).
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#14I agree that working out is essential, but I believe that putting the right type of food in your body is equally important. For many people, decreasing the amount of carbohydrates after breakfast can provide enormous energy gains. I recommend reading Tim Ferris' 4 Hour Body for some interesting advice on diet, exercise and a very detailed chapter on sleep.
Sometimes I wonder if this is the only book on diet and exercise anyone on HN has ever read.
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
After breakfast? I would include breakfast as well. My energy levels after a breakfast of bacon and eggs is far steadier than after any breakfast cereals, toast, muffins, pastries, etc. Avoiding any large carb intake (post workout _possibly_ excepted) is key to steady energy levels. For a more rational book, try Robb Wolf's "The Paleo Solution", which also has an extensive chapter on sleep and cortisol management.
Obviously this varies person by person. In my own personal experience, I have found that eating carbs in the morning (a reasonable amount) allows me to have a much stronger workout. When I eat NO carbs, it makes it too difficult to maintain a moderate to intense workout schedule. I liked Paleo as well, but I liked Ferris' attempt to look at the "whole body".
I agree, I think carbs have gotten a bad rep unfairly. IMO, people should a lot more good carbs. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-...
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#16That proverb at the beginning is great ("A man grows most tired while standing still."). It reminds me of the quote, "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it."
Which reminds me of the quote, "If you have a difficult task, give it to a lazy man, for he will find an easier way to do it"
Of course he might not do it at all.
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#17Just gonna say this outright...
I've seen colleagues who are constantly on the verge of falling asleep and the common thread has always been that they are fat.
3+1 guide to productivity: Exercise, Eating Right, Sleeping Enough, and, as a bonus, no long commutes.
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#18I use to not eat breakfast everyday for 18+ years. it was something I just didn't do. It wasn't until 2 years ago that I started feeling the effects: chronic fatigue, I was always feeling lethargic, etc. eating breakfast changed everything (a healthy diet really).
Check out this book about Willpower and the role of glucose. http://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Rediscovering-Greatest-Human...
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#19Couldn't agree more on this, throw out your alarm clock, it's killing you. Remove stress from your life, take a shotgun to stress and refuse to accept stressful situations / people. I've lost 100 lbs in the last three years, here's how and how much weight I lost (I tend to have long plateaus).
I started on Nov 25, 2008: 285 lbs
Nov, 08: First Step, got Divorced: Lost 10 lbs - 275 lbs
Jan, 09: Job tells me I have to be in at 9 am or will be fired. Gained 10 lbs - back at 285
Mar, 09: Haven't really been in by 9am, hand in my resignation as part of the earlier agreement. Lost 10 lbs - 275
Apr, 09: Job agrees that I can come in when I'm well-rested. Lost 10 lbs - 265
Aug, 09: Burning Man Lost 15 lbs - 250
Sep, 09 - Jan '10: Start seriously cutting refined fructose Lost 10 lbs - 240
Jun, 10 - The 30 people they hired to rewrite my code are finally done, I get fired. Lost 5 lbs - 235
This is the point at which I really start losing weight as I'm sleeping much more naturally
Jun, 10 - Mar, 11 - Sleeping completely naturally and start cooking all my meals Lose 15 lbs - 220
Mar, 11 - Startup Bus - Having a blast helps! Lost 10 lbs - 210
Jun - Jul, 11 - Spend two months in SF, eating mainly homemade veg tacos (walking more) Lost 10 lbs - 200
Jul - Aug, 11 - Get back from SF, get an office downtown, start trying to get in by 9am. Gain 10 lbs - 210
Aug, 11 - Now - Give up on 9am, walking more, eating a little more veg Lost 20 lbs - 190
Pretty much everything that's led to weight loss for me has been all about enjoying life and cutting stress. Small improvements to diet and exercise as well but I don't go to the gym or stick to any sort of diet plan.
Re: Tired of Being Tired
#20I just recently suffered a terrific burnout at the end of the university semester. Forcing myself to take a couple of days off to just hit the painkillers and play Minecraft is one of the most sensible things I've done for my health in recent times.