What does vacation really mean?
The holiday is expected to be the time when you should be super social, spend money, have time to repaint the house, go on one or more trips and at the same time have time to rest. The result of all these high expectations can be an overwhelming feeling of fatigue or will it simply be the time that fulfills all expectations?
Feeling tired during the holidays is not unusual and can be a natural reaction to hard continuous work and stress over a long period of time. The body and mind need time to recover so that you can let go of tensions and responsibilities. It is important to allow yourself to rest and prioritize recovery during the holidays to avoid burnout and overload. At the same time, it can be the best opportunity to relax and listen to your body and prioritize your health.
When fatigue persists during the holiday
What happens if the fatigue does not go away despite adequate rest? Is it then worth checking out? The answer is yes. In many cases, fatigue can be a sign of underlying health problems that should be investigated. We can all probably relate to feeling tired and lacking energy between laps, but when the energy level is still low after rest, we should stop and listen to the body a little extra. It may even be wise to consult a doctor to rule out any medical causes of the fatigue, or delve into some of the common health markers that can identify fatigue.
Common causes of fatigue
A common cause of fatigue is a lack of sleep quality, your sleep is essential for your body to rest. Although you are free and have more time to sleep, sleep can be affected by changes in routines and sleep patterns. Irregular sleeping times, jet lag after traveling and other changes in the environment can negatively affect sleep and several different processes in the body. Creating a routine for sleep and sticking to it even while on vacation can help improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue.
Diet and nutrition
Fatigue is also strongly related to diet and nutrition. During the holidays, many people tend to eat more unhealthy food and drink more alcohol, which can negatively affect energy levels. Choosing nutritious foods, avoiding too much sugar and alcohol, and making sure to get enough fluids can help increase energy and reduce fatigue.
Physical activity and exercise
Physical activity plays an important role in energy levels. Taking exercise during the holidays, which we don't really have time for in everyday life, can be the recipe for getting the energy back. Being physically active during the holiday, for example through walking, padel, yoga, running, swimming or other forms of exercise, has been shown to contribute to increased energy and reduced fatigue. Regular physical activity releases endorphins and increases blood circulation, which can provide a sense of well-being and energy.
Health markers that can indicate fatigue
To understand why we feel tired, we may need to go deeper and take a look inside our bodies. A health check based on blood tests can be one of the keys that opens the door to improved general health. By gaining insight into your values, you get good conditions and valuable information about your values.
Let's explore some of these health markers that may be worth checking out. Hemoglobin HB, the amazing substance builder that transports oxygen through our blood vessels and gives us energy. A low hemoglobin level, often associated with a low iron level, can be an indication of anemia. Anemia is a condition where the body does not have enough red blood cells to deliver enough oxygen to the body's tissues and results in fatigue and low energy.
But it is not only iron that is important for our energy level. A hidden powerhouse, vitamin B12 is essential for red blood cell production and energy metabolism. Lack of B12 can result in a slow and silent exhaustion that creeps up. It's like our body plays an evil defense strategy and shuts down our batteries.
Vitamin D, can also play a significant role in our energy store. Although vitamin D levels in the body are at their highest during the summer, it may be worth checking during the holidays. Now that we finally get the chance to enjoy the sun's rays, a lack of this important vitamin can affect our tiredness. It's like the sun's rays no longer reach inside and replenish our energy levels.
Take control of your health
So what can we do to take control of our fatigue and get our energy back? By checking our health markers via a blood test, we can get valuable answers and guidance. Gaining insight into our iron and B12 status, thyroid function and blood sugar levels helps us identify any imbalances and put us on the right course towards regaining our energy and zest for life.
Use the holiday to rest up
Getting the right amount of rest during your vacation is important to getting the most out of your time off and recovering properly. Take your time and try to prioritize all the must-haves. The holiday should really be completely undemanding, even if it is difficult. In many cases, it is enough to reduce expectations and make sure to establish a routine for sleep and diet. If you're still feeling tired at the end of your holiday and want to find out what could be behind this debilitating condition, it may be time to invest in a health check.
