Summer is now officially over and Autumn is here. Since this transition, I have seen an alarming amount of ‘I love Autumn’ posts on social media that have left me baffled and confused! Statements such as, “I can’t wait to snuggle up under a blanket on a cold dark night,” have been rife.
I would take an extended Summer over Autumn in a heartbeat. The arrival of Autumn has forced me into actually taking my daily vitamin tablet daily! Autumn makes me think of that long slog up to Christmas. Miserable weather, no time off and trying not to get ill. The attempt to not catch a cold is pretty much mission impossible.
Apologies to the Halloween lovers and the Christmas obsessed, but I am definitely not an Autumn fan.
Whether you love it or hate it, we are all liable to getting run down at this time of year. I’ve learnt the hard way that it’s important to keep checking in with yourself during this time of the year (I spent the entirety of last Christmas poorly!)
So, here are my tell-tale signs you are becoming run down. If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to take some time out!
Making mistakes
Funnily enough concentration requires a lot of mental energy which we take for granted. When silly little mistakes start to creep into simple day to day tasks and you find yourself becoming unusually clumsy you are most likely in need of some rest.
Struggling to switch off
If you are struggling to unplug from work, emails, social media and daily stresses then you are probably working yourself too hard. Many of us now see being a ‘workaholic’ as something to be proud of. A strong work ethic is great but running yourself into the ground isn’t. It does no favours for your work or your health.
Feeling tired ALL the time
It’s perfectly normal to feel tired after a long or busy day but continually feeling exhausted when waking up in the morning and trying to get out of bed is a warning sign you are suffering from exhaustion.
Low motivation
If you’ve started to lack enthusiasm for doing things that you enjoy you could be experiencing burnout. This lack of motivation to get up and go stems from that over-tiredness of being run down which makes everything feel like hard work.
Craving the sweet stuff
When your energy levels are low, it’s normal to start swaying towards junk food for an energy boost. Your body is trying to raise its serotonin levels which combat the levels of the stress hormone cortisol which is released in your body when you are really tired. Sugar triggers a serotonin release which is why the body starts crying out for it.
Workouts are getting harder and slower
If you start to find it hard to shake off the normal aches and pains of delayed onset muscle soreness after exercise without having increased the intensity of your workout then rest and recovery is needed. Feeling achy and lethargic at the BEGINNING of a workout is an alarm bell!
