#275: Why We Are So Tired and How to Take the First Step to More Sustainable Energy with Dr. Amy Shah

If You Want to Gain More Sustainable Energy and Stop Being So Tired, You Should:

1. Stop viewing burnout as a badge of honor
2. Tap into your circadian rhythm to get deep sleep and recharge
3. Stop eating 3 hours before bed and get natural light in the morning
4. Set time, people, and energy boundaries as a form of self-care

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Episode Summary

Have you ever asked yourself, ‘Why am I so tired?’ Most women have, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. Unfortunately, our society has told us that feeling burned out is a badge of honor when in reality, you are only hurting your physical, mental and emotional state. The good news is that you can get your energy back by natural means through simple, effective, and free ways.

Transforming Your Physical, Mental, and Emotional Health

Dr. Amy Shah is a double board-certified MD with training from Cornell, Columbia, and Harvard Universities. She was named one of mindbodygreen’s Top 100 Women In Wellness to Watch in 2015 and has been a guest on many national and local media shows. After a car accident changed Amy’s perspective, she dedicated herself to helping busy women transform their health through fasting, utilizing the power of the microbiome, and balancing their hormones.

Are You Feeling Stressed, Wired, and Tired?

The truth is, we can only run on fumes for so long before it all catches up to us. Feeling exhausted all the time is the biggest symptom of burnout, and your energy is a direct result of what is going on with your body. 

If you are feeling stressed, wired, and tired all at the same time, it is time to step out of your to-do list and examine your life through Dr. Amy’s tools and recommendations. You can get your health back through habits and rituals that honor the rhythms of your body.

Habits and Rituals to Heal Your Energy

Getting a good night’s sleep is primary to energy and mitochondrial function. Dr. Amy’s ‘Circadian Fast’ routine helps to promote deep sleep by turning down blue light, limiting nighttime snacking, and turning off the stressors of your day. Taking the time to get your mental stress out during the day will ensure that it doesn’t all catch up with you at bedtime and that you can get a good sleep.

In addition to circadian fasting, simple tools like eating for your menstrual cycle, getting natural light in the morning and setting time, energy, and people boundaries are crucial to getting your energy back. This Rushing Woman’s Syndrome has got to stop, and with Dr. Amy’s help, you can stop asking yourself why you are so effing tired, and start being your best self again.

Are you ready to stop putting a badge of honor on your burnout and start taking care of yourself? What are you most excited to do with all of your newfound energy? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!

Quotes

“In the end, what I learned is that I had to do something. I had to do something to stop this madness, this mad life that I was living.” (11:04)

“In my mind, I was making healthy choices, but I realized that I was just fueling that inflammation, the cortisol, the hormone imbalance. No wonder I was feeling exhausted, I was bloated, I was anxious, I was short with my family. I can’t even believe that the day that I structured that I thought was going to be good for me was actually really damaging my hormones and my gut health and my immune health.” (16:35)

“When you sleep, when you eat, the amount of light you are getting during the day is going to determine how good you feel, how healthy you are, and how energetic you feel.” (19:56)

“Sleep hygiene includes emotional hygiene. So you really want to figure out little pockets of the day where you can unwind and get that mental stress out so that it doesn’t come haunt you at night.” (25:36)

“Time boundaries, people boundaries, energy boundaries. You don’t have to give your energy to everyone, and you don’t have to receive energy from everyone.” (35:12)

In This Episode

• How Dr. Amy redefined how she wanted her life to be after a major car accident (13:28)
• The role of your circadian rhythm and how it affects your energy production (18:02)
• Tips for winding down before bed and getting necessary deep sleep (22:27)
• Learn about different types of fasting and how they activate your mitochondria (27:22)
• Critical ways in which you can eat for your cycle and support your body in each menstrual phase (31:49)

Resources Mentioned

I’m So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life

Dr. Amy Shah Website

Follow Dr. Amy on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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