Another day…you slowly get out of bed to the ringing alarm. You sleepily get ready and head off to work or school, or maybe you wake up at the crack of dawn to the baby crying.  Perhaps you’ve eaten enough food, and gotten the sleep you need, but for some reason you still find yourself pouring cup after cup of coffee to combat a constant state of tiredness. Well, that’s because there is much more to our energy than just eating three square meals a day and getting 8 hours of sleep. Our emotional, mental, and chemical health has a tremendous effect on how much energy we have. Juggling a hundred different things at once, not dealing with strains in relationships, holding on to past regrets, and even living in an environment that makes it difficult to get moving (such as a cluttered house) are things that can cause us to feel fatigued. Here are a few little lifestyle changes and tips that can help you feel “up and at em” once again! 
    -Get enough sleep, about 8-10 Hours a night is recommended
    -Want to feel less tired waking up? Avoid caffeine, alcohol, television, and big meals right before rest.
    -EXERCISE! Regular activity boosts your energy, and it allows your body to relax and fall asleep more quickly and easily at night.
    -Eat foods high in nutrients found in fruits and vegetables and if you don't think you are getting solid nutrition through your food consistently, supplement your diet with high-quality vitamins.  
    -Get outside! Sunlight tells your body to be active by releasing the hormone Serotonin.
    -Manage your stress by giving yourself time and space to relax and clear the mind.
    -Give your eyes and mind a break by getting away from the screens on your phones, TVs, and Computers. A British experiment showed that when people simultaneously juggle work and email, their measured IQs dipped by 10 points. Give yourself a break! 
    -Treat Yourself! Do something recreational that you love in balance with your hours at work.
 
“People who stick to a reasonable schedule and a regular regimen do better at fighting fatigue in the long run.” Says Rochelle Rosian, MD, a rheumatologist in Cleveland, OH. 
All it takes is a little organization, and some small lifestyle changes, to get back the energy you need to make the most of each day.  It is up to you so make the changes you need to live your life to the fullest!

SOURCES

-http://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/9-energizing-tricks-fight-fatigue
-https://sleepfoundation.org/media-center/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
-http://www.everydayhealth.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/living-with/how-to-fight-fatigue

Humans were designed to stand upright, yet in this day and age, we find ourselves spending hours hunched over the little screens of our smartphones. The average American spends 2 to 4 hours a day in this unnatural position while texting or scrolling through social media. That adds up to a whopping 700 to 1,400 hours a year!​

"The success of social media is has led to an epidemic of bad smartphone posture." –Jessica Firger, CBS News

Over time, especially with children that are developing and growing, there is an incremental loss of the natural curve, leading to hunched postures. This, in turn, increases stress on the cervical spine, making us more vulnerable to degeneration, neck pain and tension, and lower quality of spinal health. Good posture is key to optimizing your health; it is defined as ears aligned with the shoulders, with the shoulder blades retracted. However, good posture goes beyond just our physical health. Studies have found that good posture elevates testosterone and serotonin in the body, and also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Good posture has even been linked to personality traits such as tolerance for risk-taking. Not to mention it makes us appear more confident and looks better. It is a tough predicament to acknowledge because it is almost impossible to avoid the technologies that cause these issues.  In the meantime, the best thing for you to do is encourage your kids to look at their phones with a neutral spine. (Ears over shoulder over hips).  Moreover, maybe it is a caution to humanity that we need to put down the screens more often and be more present to the world around us.