Still tired?
So you read my posts last week about how an excess of activity, food and drink can cause fatigue. But you still feel tired even though you know you are not overdoing or overindulging in anything. Well, maybe it’s the other side of the coin that’s causing the problem. Excess is of course yang, but deficiency is the yin, and as we know, according to Oriental medicine there has to be a balance of both to create a healthy mind/body.
There are three main deficiencies that can cause fatigue: lack of fresh air with shallow breathing, lack of qi flow through meridians, and poor blood circulation.
The breath
Do you work out in a gym or fitness club, especially at this time of year when it’s cold outside? Have you ever thought of what the air you are actually breathing inside the building is like? Typically the room or space you are in is nowhere near an open window, and the indoor air has been circulating and drying out since the building was built! So when you are sweating beside your fellow workout buddies, lifting weights, doing aerobics, or even just breathing deeply in a relaxing yoga class, in all probability you are filling your lungs with stale, dry and dust laden air. Gross! Many people spend most of their time at home or at work inside in heating or air-conditioning, so – even if you are in an area of higher air pollution – getting outside at least for part of the day will be much more beneficial for your lungs. Dress appropriately for the weather and try doing some of your exercise routine in the park.
Not only is air quality important for the body, but also how we breathe makes a difference. Do you actually know whether your breathing is shallow or deep? Tight chest muscles cause constriction of the ribs preventing the lungs from opening up to breathe more fully. Many people only take deep breaths when they yawn, by which time they are already tired. Yawning forces the body to get rid of stale air and allows the blood to become more oxygenated. Take a moment to yawn and see how that feels. If you think shallow breathing is causing your lack of energy, try to consciously breathe from your abdomen.
Deficiency in qi flow
In Chinese and Indian holistic medicine it is believed that we are all born with a certain amount of qi which we receive from our parents and even our ancestors. This original or vital qi is slowly depleted with age but can be enhanced through proper breathing, good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle so that qi flow is constant through all organs and meridians. If there is a deficiency in one or more meridian, the body becomes weak and fatigued. Checking your diet, getting adequate exercise in fresh air, and having a regular acupressure massage or acupuncture treatment will all help strengthen vital qi.
Blood circulation
If fatigue is accompanied by a dislike of cold, numbness and tingling in hands and toes, or a weak pulse, poor blood circulation from a congested liver may be the cause. In TCM qi flows through the liver meridian between 1 and 3 am enabling the liver to filter and regulate blood flow. Early morning stretching and breathing exercises can help stimulate poor circulation and encourage any remaining blood in the liver to flow through the body. Using prescribed herbal remedies and reducing stress will also help a sluggish liver to combat fatigue.