How to avoid fatigue

The best way to characterize fatigue is by saying what it's not: energy. When you're fatigued, you may not need to sleep, but you sure don't feel like doing much else. Fatigue can be the result of a condition like depression, cancer, or even certain medications, but about one in four people experience fatigue that's not related to any medical problem. Read on to learn how to combat fatigue.

It's the most obvious way to keep your natural energy up. If you're tossing and turning, waking up in the middle of the night or waking up too early, chances are you will feel more tired during the day. Obstructive sleep apnea, which is associated with severe snoring, is also a common cause of daytime tiredness.

As few as 10 minutes of brisk walking helps power up energy levels more effectively — and for much longer — than eating a candy bar. Just 20 minutes of strolling three times a week can increase energy levels by 20 percent and reduce fatigue by 65 percent.

One study found that people who started their mornings with a high-fibre meal were more alert throughout the morning, probably because these meals take longer to digest than, say, a bowl of cornflakes or a doughnut, so blood sugar levels remain steadier. It also helps to include some protein with breakfast — and every other meal.

Good breakfast options, are whole-grain toast with a slice of cheese or five millilitres (one teaspoon) of peanut butter and a piece of fruit, a bowl of high-fibre cereal (aim for at least five grams of fibre per serving) with milk, or a bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with ground flaxseed.

Common causes of fatigue that a blood test can reveal are low iron levels (you don't have to be anemic to be low on iron) and hypothyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. Both are common in women and often go undetected. One US study found that about 16 percent of women had low iron levels.

Bright light — whether from the sun or a full-spectrum fluorescent light designed to mimic the sun's rays — pumps up alertness levels like a shot of adrenaline. You don't have to sunbathe; in one Japanese study, women who sat near a sunny window for 30 minutes reported feeling more alert than when they sat in a darkened room for the same time period.

Sunlight boosts activity in brain regions associated with alertness and dampens levels of the "sleep hormone" melatonin.

If you need a quick pick-me-up, the smell of peppermint may do the trick. Purchase peppermint essential oil from a natural foods store and rub a drop between your hands once every hour, or place a few drops on a tissue and breathe in the scent

Boredom and loneliness are twin contributors to depression, which is a major cause of fatigue. Join a book group, a bowling league, a knitting club — anything that gets you out of the house, helps you meet new people and gives you something interesting to do.