Tired all the time? Re-energise!

Occasional tiredness is normal and affects everyone at sometime of their life, but increasing numbers of women admit to feeling tired all the time, a condition often referred to as TATT (tired all the time)

We are especially prone to tiredness when we are under stress and when our hormones are playing up (for example, because of PMS, the menopause, or after having a baby). Women are also more likely to feel tired when juggling different aspects of their busy lives.

Common causes of female TATT

• Stress and anxiety
• Over-exertion
• Following an over-strict slimming diet
• Lack of exercise
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Looking after young children
• High-pressured job
• Poor-quality sleep
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) from irregular meals

The right foods

You'll be surprised how much better you will feel if you eat a healthy diet. Cut out sweet, stodgy, fatty foods and eat more fresh fruit, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, such as wholegrain bread, wholemeal pasta and brown rice.

Ideally, you need to include five portions of fruit or vegetables per day, not counting potatoes.

Vitamins and minerals

Adequate supplies of vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy metabolism. If these become short in supply, you will soon feel tired all the time. The B-group of vitamins are especially important, as they are needed to produce energy in the body.

Sources of B-group vitamins include yeast extract, wheatgerm, wholegrain bread and cereals, brown rice, pulses, nuts, dark green vegetables, meat, dairy products and seafood.