# No energy and lethargic



## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 6, 2012)

Hi guys,

Over the past 2 weeks Ive been waking up without any energy and just feeling plain lethargic and even hopeless sometimes. I get a good 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but when i wake up it feels like ive been up all night. Im less than occupied at the moment and looking for more jobs (Ive got 2, but with very little hours) so im guessing that doesnt help either, but it also wasnt a problem before,

Has anyone ever experienced the same? Its getting quite annoying.


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## Demiurge (Apr 6, 2012)

I don't believe that it's that uncommon to get that way. There might be other mitigating factors, though: How well are you eating? Are you exercising? How much do you drink? Are you depressed?


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 6, 2012)

I dont know if im depressed. I do get kind of frustrated sometimes for no reason (not at people) and im losing interest in playing and practicing, while i have an important audition in 2 months. Other than that I just feel kinda sad because I may have wasted the past 5 months of my life in my opinion (Not entirely without the influence of the lethargic feeling Ive had on and of over this period of time). 

I just eat a regular ammount: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Im not over or underweight.
I should probably drink more water though, and excersizing is kind of slipping, but mostly because im tired, so that&#347; kind of a cycle I have to break through i guess


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## Necris (Apr 6, 2012)

It definitely _sounds _like depression from that short description.


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## Bevo (Apr 6, 2012)

I would start with your routine and what has changed before this started. Also look at what you do during the day, are you actualy tired when you go to bed? if not maybe you spent to much time on the couch.

Diet and food is also a huge factor in causing this to happen, you may not eat to much but you may not eat well.
Excersize is also important, you want to use up some of that energy to help you sleep not to mention help clear your mind.

Good luck!


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## Ill-Gotten James (Apr 6, 2012)

Sounds like you just have a lot going on in your life which is causing some stress. Stress can cause temporary bouts of depression, that can manifest itself by causing you to feel lethargic. I can sympathize with how you are feeling, because I have been feeling the same way for a few weeks now as well. Life is just busy and stressful sometimes. 

The prior posts all give good advice. Diet and exercise can really make a huge impact on how you feel on a day to day basis. Hope you feel better soon.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 6, 2012)

You sound tired. Between my job, commute and home life I can end up feeling the same way you do a lot. Do you still take time to do things that you enjoy during the day? Sometimes that kind of break can relieve some mental fatigue and help out when you're feeling the way you seem to.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 6, 2012)

It may be depression, but if so only a mild one.
The thing is I don't really have anything to make a routine out of at the moment, since i'm not in school right now and because i have not found a job that will let me work a bit more yet. So its not that i'm working too much, but I do have a lot stuff on my mind.

Since i've got a lot of empty time I do a lot of choirs for my parents and besides that there is of course guitar, guitarclasses and driving lessons. I'm on a gapyear of some sort between highschool and university, which i decided to take at the very last moment (since I had no clue what to major in) with very little planning and i havent been to succesfull so far. I did do an audition for a musicschool though, that is now my main focus. That's about the whole story

I am usually tired when I go to bed, but its more or less a decreased feeling of the tiredness that i get when waking up. 

But ill make it a daily thing to do some excersizing, and start drinking and eating better,
(and try to leave the past months behind me ).

Thanks for the replies!


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## Explorer (Apr 7, 2012)

I was getting more and more tired, and started falling asleep readily immediately after getting home.

It turned out I was anemic, thanks to my diet having changed and having cut out the meat. Both my doctor and my nutritionist friend noted that non-heme iron (meaning not from animal sources) don't get absorbed as readily as heme iron (animal iron).

So, now I have to consume animal iron intentionally. Doctor's orders.

Just a thought!


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 7, 2012)

And a good one! If this wont pas im going to my doctor and ill bring that up.


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## Bevo (Apr 7, 2012)

Thats interesting that your iron was down so low, those are the symtoms.
For me and lots of Vegies/vegan males we don't go out our way to get additional iron, its in the food we eat hopefully since we are ok.

Good tip though!

OP, a routine does not need to involve changing your entire day.
Try to get up 40 min sooner take a leak grab your shoes and MP3 and go for a 30 min walk while rocking to your tunes. After that have a good breakfast with eggs toast and no sugary cereal.
This will set the tone for the day, you will be charged up ready for the day and the music will be with you all day and you will be stoked to get back to your guitar!!


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## Baelzebeard (Apr 7, 2012)

It couldn't hurt to see a doctor and inquire about a sleep study. Sleep disorders are fairly common even in otherwise healthy people.


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## wlfers (Apr 7, 2012)

^ agreed about seeing a doctor. Recently I went through a similar bought, and it was complimented by an increase of sleep paralysis events. 

For me, oversleeping made it much worse. Try to immediately do an activity after waking everyday. On days I didn't have school or work it would be volunteering at an animal rescue- it really helped me get my energy levels up.

Hope this blows over soon for you man.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 8, 2012)

^Thanks Atha

The 30 minute walk sounds good, I'll try that. My parents think i should see a doctor too, so i'll probably see one this week. 

Thanks all for the great replies


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## Bevo (Apr 8, 2012)

Doctor is good advice but at the same time I would try everything in my power to fix it myself.
The problem with doctors is that if they dont see anything on your tests they may perscribe you something that you may not need but will give you the result your looking for.

If there is a tea shop in your area see if they have a tea from South Africa called Roobos (sp) or a tea to help you sleep. If I have an event the next day and can't sleep I have some and can't get through a half cup and its a deep sleep.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 8, 2012)

I already have that tea, Ill take a cup tonight


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## mountainjam (Apr 8, 2012)

Do you regularly eat raw fruits and veggies?


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## Bevo (Apr 9, 2012)

^ that plus do you eat before bed?
It takes like 40% of your energy to digest the food which may keep you up.
Also complex fatty food takes even longer and may give you a sugar high.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 9, 2012)

I could eat some more fruit, but I do get good veggies at dinner.
I also eat stuff like cookies (not a ridiculous ammount) about an hour before bed so ill stop doing that too.

I felt better today! Im not my old self completely yet, but I went for a walk or two with friends, and ate a good breakfast instead of my usual cereal breakfast. Slept pretty well (as usual) and woke up a little less fatigued. And im practicing my guitar again more diligently. Got some catching up to do


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## texshred777 (Apr 9, 2012)

It sounds like a mild bout of depression or stress getting to you. Being under stimulated can put stress on your body as easily as being overworked. 

I'm glad you're feeling a little better. 

I've gone through those types of things and keeping yourself occupied, doing things that don't necessarily appeal to you at the moment can help you feel better. Even small things like taking a walk, listening to some music or cleaning the house can help you inch your way out of a rut. I know just sitting around doing nother will make me feel exhausted. 

Nutrition can also play a big role, do you eat a lot of veggies and/or fruit?(just saw someone already asked..)

If nothing gets better for you speaking with a therapist may help. I know many people(especially men) have issues with speaking with therapists but I'd recommend a therapist over an MD if you're having signs of depression-especially if you don't want to be medicated. Therapists(not necessarily psychotherapists/psychiatrists) will give you strategies to deal with an issue without resorting to anti-depressants. I had a doctor put me on Zoloft for anxiety, when speaking with a therapist about it helped me work through the underlying issues that caused the anxiety in the first place. Many also work on a sliding scale for payment so it may not be as expensive as you'd think.


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## highlordmugfug (Apr 9, 2012)

Explorer said:


> I was getting more and more tired, and started falling asleep readily immediately after getting home.
> 
> It turned out I was anemic, thanks to my diet having changed and having cut out the meat. Both my doctor and my nutritionist friend noted that non-heme iron (meaning not from animal sources) don't get absorbed as readily as heme iron (animal iron).
> 
> ...


That is interesting. And strange to me, since I used to be tired all the time, and was falling asleep a lot right after I got home, but this was before I switched to eating vegan.  My fatigue was probably caused by something else though, as my diet DRASTICALLY improved after I became vegan (actually eating fruits and vegetables, less fried foods, no fast food but burritos every once in a while, etc.).


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## warhead78 (Apr 9, 2012)

highlordmugfug said:


> That is interesting. And strange to me, since I used to be tired all the time, and was falling asleep a lot right after I got home, but this was before I switched to eating vegan.  My fatigue was probably caused by something else though, as my diet DRASTICALLY improved after I became vegan (actually eating fruits and vegetables, less fried foods, no fast food but burritos every once in a while, etc.).



I'm actually in the process of switching over to being a raw vegan from a full on carnivorous diet. I can say that after a couple of weeks, depression/anxiety/fatigue and general moodiness have all but disappeared.


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## Bevo (Apr 10, 2012)

Some of us are veggies/vegans but we would never push it on anyone.

Making a few small changes to a veggie meal a day would give your body a chance to clean itself up a bit.
Digesting food and sugar really can really take a toll on the body by making you tired or hyper then once it's done your more tired.

Keep at it, your on the right track!


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## avenger (Apr 11, 2012)

Go get a blood test would be my advice. Could be something serious that hasn't fully reared its head yet.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 11, 2012)

Well so far I´ve felt better the past week (due to the advice in this thread  ), had a bit of a relapse this afternoon, but it´s in the process of being solved so unless it´s still around in the next month, im gonna go see a professional about it

EDIT: Feel pretty ok now! Still not to energetic, but i haven´t done my daily excersizing yet. Thanks again dudes!


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## Weimat01 (Apr 16, 2012)

Try doing lots of exercise because, exercising stimulates an increase in endorphin release (in your body) which makes you feel good


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## Stealthdjentstic (Apr 17, 2012)

IDK if you take any medications but for the longest time I was tripping the fuck out because I was tired all the time and kept having the worst nightmares and assumed it couldn't have been my painkillers because they were a lot more mild than the oxy I was taking before and the doctor had told me, "lol bro no sides, dont worry dawg". So I looked it up and it turns out sleepyness was only one of the sides -_-


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Apr 17, 2012)

Fucking doctors, just want a write off on a prescription so they can get paid.


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## Adam Of Angels (Apr 17, 2012)

Not to mention a lot of the garbage they prescribe ends up causing other conditions that need to be treated.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 17, 2012)

Scumbag doctor  and no, im not on any meds.


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## AK DRAGON (Apr 17, 2012)

AngstRiddenDreams said:


> Fucking doctors, just want a write off on a prescription so they can get paid.



Shrinks fuck with your mind for your dollar then tell you that you need meds to get more of your dollar.

I know someone it took them 25years, 7doctors, half a dozen scripts to find out he had ADD and not depression. After getting on the proper script he seemed a lot happier and better.


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## ElRay (Apr 17, 2012)

Ocean_Ashes said:


> ... I get a good 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but when i wake up it feels like ive been up all night ...


By beat-up, do you mean all over, or just your throat/sinuses? Do you snore? It could be sleep apnea. You're getting enough rack-time, but your sleep is garbage. The chronic lack of (decent) sleep could lead the to depression-like feelings.

Ray


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 19, 2012)

ElRay said:


> By beat-up, do you mean all over, or just your throat/sinuses? Do you snore? It could be sleep apnea. You're getting enough rack-time, but your sleep is garbage. The chronic lack of (decent) sleep could lead the to depression-like feelings.
> 
> Ray



All over fatigue. I don't snore by the way, so I don't think it's sleep apnea. Thank you for the reply anyway! 

On a side note, I kinda had a mental breakdown of some sorts yesterday  I am feeling less tired, but I really have to find a way to change my life.

EDIT:
By the way just wanted to thank you all again. This thread is almost two pages full and the replies have been nothing but kind and helpfull


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 23, 2012)

Sorry for double posting, but I'm now seriously considering going to my doctor. I've been eating better, doing more things and exercizing more, but I still feel like crap physically and mentally it's only gotten worse


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## Explorer (Apr 24, 2012)

Gee, more than two weeks later and you haven't gone yet?


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## Ocean_Ashes (Apr 24, 2012)

Nope, it´s less worse in the morning, but I crash hard when it´s about 13:00-14:00 again. Seeing the doc in an hour!


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## Boleslaw (May 23, 2012)

I am planning to start doing morning cardio,
and i'am wondering if it is good or bad,
should i take protein before ???


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## texshred777 (May 25, 2012)

Boleslaw said:


> I am planning to start doing morning cardio,
> and i'am wondering if it is good or bad,
> should i take protein before ???


 
Taking in some protein and carbs isn't a bad idea.


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## ghostred7 (May 25, 2012)

You said something about an important audition. Could it be possible you're grinding/practicing for that to the point of being burned out on "the grind?" Aside from that, what everyone else said.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Jun 11, 2012)

Nah I dont think it´s related. I got it finished in time, was content with it. I got a reply that my entry was good, but I wasn´t what they are looking for. I wasn´t even phased slightly (dont know if that is good or bad)

On the plus side I´ve been working a good job the past 40 days, but all the work they had for me has almost been done. I also have to pick what to do next year uni-wise (Ill have to go, but Im not motivated at all), Music has been slipping away lately. Some friendships are also crumbling a bit (at least that´s how I´m perceiving things), I felt good for a while, but the past 3 days the tiredness is coming back. Generally a bit bored with everything. Meh.


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## troyguitar (Jun 11, 2012)

I feel like this frequently and haven't figured out a way to fix it. Good diet, bad diet, exercise, no exercise, lots of sleep, little sleep, no difference. Even when everything in my life is going great, I will still occasionally have a day where just getting out of bed is a herculean task. Fortunately it's not so bad that I can't do things that I need to do (i.e. go to work) but if I don't _need_ to do anything then I'll lay around all day.

I think it's actually stress related to some kind of social anxiety issue. Being around people physically wears me out. It's gotten better as I've worked on it over the past 15 years, but I still need to take a day at home alone once every couple of weeks or so.


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## TheBigGroove (Jun 11, 2012)

two things come to mind, and I'm sure they've been mentioned before.

1) anemia (iron deficiency)
2) restless sleep/sleep apnea


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## Fat-Elf (Jun 11, 2012)

Ocean_Ashes said:


> Has anyone ever experienced the same? Its getting quite annoying.



Well this may come a little late but yes. For the past week I've been feeling very tired and even getting off the bed seems almost impossible. Like this morning, I slept 12 hours but still I felt very tired and could have keep sleeping for the whole day. 

I've been a little depressed lately but it seems that I'm already starting to get better but I still feel very tired all the time.


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## Ocean_Ashes (Jun 14, 2012)

Fat-Elf said:


> Well this may come a little late but yes. For the past week I've been feeling very tired and even getting off the bed seems almost impossible. Like this morning, I slept 12 hours but still I felt very tired and could have keep sleeping for the whole day.
> 
> I've been a little depressed lately but it seems that I'm already starting to get better but I still feel very tired all the time.


 
Damn man, I´m sorry to hear that 

That sounds worse compared to how I am now.


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