You wake up tired. You slug through the afternoon. You think, “This must just be what getting older feels like.” Nope. Rally is calling that one out — and he’s got the research to back it up. From what you’re eating to your meds, there are some surprisingly simple things that could be quietly draining your energy. Rally’s got five things to look at, and one simple challenge to get you energized again.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
RALLY:
Hey there, Beautiful People. Welcome to the Silver Beast Podcast.
I’m Rally Preston. Seventy years old here – and today I’m just going to say it: I’m tired of feeling tired.
Yep, I’m fed up with the fatigue. It’s so annoying.
I used to have so much energy. Of course, I used to have more hair too.
Well, losing the follicles, I can blame that on aging. That’s ok. I have a bunch of baseball caps.
But being tired? I’m not ready to chalk that up to getting older.
So how about you? Are you tuckered out a lot?
How many of you wake up tired? That’s the worst, isn’t it?
Or maybe you’re dragging yourself through the afternoon feeling like you’re walking through wet cement. Right? Yeah, afternoons are the toughest for me.
So being tired, fatigued, lethargic, – whatever you want to call it. Is that normal for older adults? Or is there something we can do – other than drinking the kids’ energy drinks?
Well, I did some research…sitting down of course, and with a strong cup of coffee. And here’s what I found: Always feeling run-down is not a normal part of getting older. Seriously.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins — smart people, they say flat out: Getting older does not automatically mean lower energy levels. It doesn’t have to be this way.
So if you’re feeling wiped out practically all the time? That’s your body talking to you. And let me translate that for you; here’s what it’s saying: Hey, something needs to change here. And the good news here is you can actually DO something about it yourself in most cases.
Now — before we get to the good stuff here — I do need to throw in one important note. If you’ve been exhausted for several weeks and nothing’s helping, please go see your doctor. That kind of chronic fatigue can signal something going on that needs medical attention. There’s stuff like anemia, thyroid issues, sleep apnea. Your doc can check for all those kinds of things.
Alright. Let’s talk about what you can do, starting today.
Number one — take a hard look at what you’re eating.
Now I know, I know — here’s another random dude telling you to eat your vegetables. But hear this one out.
Processed foods — the packaged, salty, heavily preserved stuff — they’ll drag your energy right down. That’s just what they do. Your body has to work harder to deal with all of that junk, and it wears you out. But real, whole foods — fruits, vegetables, the stuff that doesn’t come with a seven-ingredient label — those give your cells real fuel. The high octane stuff.
So try this: eat more of the real stuff and a little less of the processed stuff. One meal at a time. I think you’ll be surprised how much better you feel. I can feel the difference when I eat right – so make that your first step.
Alright, number two — check your vitamins. Specifically, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12.
This is one a lot of people miss, I guess.
Vitamin D is huge for your energy and your mood. And here’s the thing: As we get older, our skin has a harder time turning sunlight into Vitamin D. So even if you get outdoors, you might still be running low. Johns Hopkins says ask your doctor about a simple test to check your levels. If you’re deficient in Vitamin D, a supplement might be just what you need. Your doc can tell you.
And B12 — Vitamin B-12 – that’s another big one for energy. People who take metformin for diabetes, or anyone who doesn’t eat much meat — you could be running low on B12 without even knowing it. A lot of non-dairy milks are fortified with it, which is kind of nice. But again — worth asking your doctor about it.
Very simple fixes. If your Vitamin D or B12 levels are low, upping those could be a real boost to your overall energy.
Number three — move more. Even just a little.
Yeah, yeah, okay. So you knew this one was coming. It’d be nice if there was a magic fix instead, but there’s not.
So even a few minutes of movement, a few times a day, can prevent those energy dips you feel. So walk to the mailbox. Walk around the block. Get up from the couch between TV shows. And I’m going to start walking after lunch – that’s when I have the most problems, so that should help.
And here’s a bonus tip — if you can get outside for that walk in the morning, that’s even better. My wife and I do this pretty religiously. Morning sunlight helps set your internal clock, which actually helps you sleep better at night. All this stuff connects.
Now, if moving is tough on your joints, no problem. I read this, I read a mini trampoline — they call it a rebounder — is actually a great, low-impact option. It’s easy on the knees, and you can use it right in your living room. Might be worth hopping on that one.
Alright, number four — review your medications.
This one surprised me. They say a lot of common medications — and we’re talking blood pressure meds, allergy meds, antidepressants, diabetes medications — they can zap your energy as a side effect. And most people have no idea.
The recommendation from Johns Hopkins is to sit down with your doctor every few months and ask: “Do I still need all of these meds? Are there any alternatives?” You know, just have that talk. Might be an easy fix here you didn’t even know about.
Alright and number five — look at your lifestyle habits.
Three quick ones here…might be easy fixes…
So, too much caffeine — and I say this as someone who loves his morning and afternoon coffee — but too much caffeine, especially in the afternoon (yikes!) or evening, messes with your sleep quality. And then you’re tired the next day. And then you drink more coffee. It’s a vicious cycle only a Starbucks could love, right? So try cutting off the caffeine around noon. And I’m really going to try that.
And the same goes for alcohol. Now I know, it feels relaxing while you’re sipping it, but it actually disrupts your sleep. And disrupted sleep makes you tired. So easy on the booze, boomers.
And here’s one you might not expect: boredom. Yeah. Boredom makes you tired too. If your days are kind of empty, and you don’t have much to look forward to, well that will drain you. So the solution here is to stay engaged as much as you can. Have something on the calendar. Volunteer. Call someone. Make plans. But staying engaged helps keep you energized.
Now, there’s one last little trick I want to throw out here. This one comes from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and okay, it’s a little out there.
They say to keep a fatigue diary. So this is all about just jotting down when you feel most tired during the day, and, when you feel pretty good. Do it for a week. You should start to see some patterns there. Maybe it’s always after lunch. Maybe it’s on the days you skip breakfast. Maybe it’s Wednesday — I don’t know; hump days are tough sometimes.
But once you find the pattern, what’s draining your energy, you might be able to do something about it. So that’s what the fatigue diary is all about.
Alright, Silver Beasties — let’s bring this one home.
So according to the latest research, you’re not sentenced to a life of feeling run-down. That’s not normal aging. It might be a bunch of things that can actually be changed.
So here’s your challenge for this week: Pick just one thing from this list. Just one. Maybe it’s a walk in the morning. Maybe it’s cutting out the afternoon coffee. Maybe it’s getting your Vitamin D and B12 levels checked.
Just try one thing this week. And you know what, you may have more energy to try something else the next week. Just baby steps here.
Because here’s what I know about Silver Beasties. You aren’t quitters. You’re not one to roll over and accept the status quo, right? You’ve made it this far — and that took some doing.
Don’t accept being tired. And I say fight back. C’mon, you’ve got this.
Alright, this is Rally Preston — hey, get some energy going, and I’ll see you next time right here on the Silver Beast Podcast. Take care!