We live fast-paced, goal-oriented lives. But what happens when your brain and body just can’t seem to keep up?
Oftentimes, it’s easy to ignore the signs that your body is trying to give you to let you know that it’s tired and worn out. If you find yourself with any of the following marks of fatigue, you may want to consider finding a way to start slowing down.
1. Excessive Yawning
It might sound obvious, but constantly yawning is your body’s way of telling you that it’s time to get some rest. When you’re sleep-deprived, it’s usually an involuntary action.
The funny thing there are many theories indicating that yawning is actually your brain’s way of attempting to wake you up. According to MUSC Health, this small action increases your heart rate and alertness for a brief amount of time.
2. Cloudy Thinking
Are you having a hard time staying on track while you’re getting your work done? Or maybe someone waved at you, but you couldn’t remember their name to save your life. In any case, you might be experiencing brain fog.
Healthline shares that when you sleep, your brain organizes the day’s information and cells become repaired. When you don’t get enough rest at night, your brain can’t complete that process in order for you to perform at your best. As a result, you might be a lot slower and foggier when you try to complete a task.
3. Skin Problems
Another way your body may be telling you to take it easy is through pesky breakouts. A major acne trigger is sleep deprivation because it throws off your chemical and hormonal balance.
You may also start to see dark circles appear under your eyes, in addition to puffy eyelids. This can be remedied with cold-pressed eye masks, stone rollers, or serums. But at the end of the day, the only thing that will fix a fatigue-induced skin problem is prioritizing bodily rest.
4. Intense Cravings
If you’re craving lots of sweets and carbs to help keep you going, your body may be trying to warn you that it’s running low on energy. These foods will only give you a temporary fix, so it’s important to replace these cravings with foods that your body actually needs for sustenance.
You’ll also likely find yourself wanting more food in general, since tiredness can skyrocket your appetite. It might even be a bit difficult to tell if you’re simply hungry or you need to take a nap.