Why am I so Tired?

It's not just because winter is coming

You are tired because your digestion is out of balance, you're doing too much, you have some habits that aren't helping you, but you can change that.

Autumn is here...

The days are shorter. The rain has started. It’s colder and occasionally there’s a nice autumn storm. And if that’s not enough, we also turn the clock back an hour. Nice chaos in your system the following week…

I used to get my autumn/winter cold every year. That meant filling the bin with snotty tissues for 2-3 weeks, going to bed with a hot water bottle for my cold feet and hoping that at least one nostril would remain open so I could breathe, otherwise it would be a long night. Fingers crossed, carry on as normal, cat on my lap and hope it passes quickly.
Now it’s different. I’m always in the Netherlands in October and I’ve learned to always take my headband with me. When I go for a walk in the woods with my parents in the fresh breeze, I save myself the earache and subsequent headache.

In times of great change, you need extra energy and it is important to create routine and stability. Do you recognise that? You get up late, you don’t have time for your morning routine, you skip breakfast and your whole day is a mess. In the summer, I can get away with eating late, but now, that’s not an option. If I’m not careful, my legs start shaking and I can’t function. Your body needs nutrition, which is why digestion is so important. No digestion = no nutrition = tiredness.

Oil is Ayurveda's thing, BUT...

And my eye-opener is nasya, oil for your nose. Ayurveda loves oil, on your skin, your hair, nose, ears, you name it. BUT your digestion has to be able to handle it! So if you suffer from bloating, flatulence, skin problems or the like and don’t poop easily every day, you’re probably better off leaving the oil alone for now.

If you do use it, apply the oil before eating and before showering (huh, what?). Apply the warm oil to your skin (almond or sesame are good for this season), massage it in, give your body time to absorb it, and then take a WARM shower (no Wim Hof stuff…). This will prevent the unabsorbed oil from clogging your skin and giving your digestion another blow, which will make you tired or keep you tired…

Autumn is challenging because so much changes.

In Ayurveda, we call this a vata time, when your body and skin dry out and feel rough, you lie in bed with cold feet, and the weather outside is all over the place. Vata weakens your digestion, leaving you feeling low on energy. Warm oil does exactly the opposite: it nourishes you and brings you back into your body.

A client of mine, in her early thirties and suffering from severe migraines for most of her life, first worked on her digestion. Once that was sorted and she added warm oil to her routine, she noticed after a few weeks that her headaches had reduced and she had more energy.

So you are tired because your digestion is out of balance, you are doing too much, you have some habits that are not helping you, and the season is not helping either. But with targeted action, you can change that!

much love,