Tired? Here’s how you can get your energy back

“Scrolling has become a kind of acceptable break. But it's actually quite a significant cognitive load to deal with everything that's happening on your phone,” says psychologist Tomas Myklebust.

Portrait photos of Tomas Myklebust and Liv Selland.
Tomas Myklebust and Liv Selland have both written books about how we can have more energy in our everyday lives.
Elise Kjørstad journalist
Published

Do you often feel drained of energy? Does every plan or task after work feel like a burden? Are you tired and exhausted all the time, wishing you could just collapse onto the couch?

There are probably many people who recognise themselves in this description, says Tomas Myklebust, a psychologist and specialist in clinical neuropsychology. Clinical psychologist Liv Selland agrees.

They have both written books about bringing more energy back into your life. According to the psychologists, collapsing onto the couch to watch a TV show with your phone is not always the best way to recharge.

What tires you out?

Myklebust says that there are different forms of fatigue. You can be tired for physiological reasons, for example, if you've used your body extensively, eaten poorly, or slept too little.

“Then there’s cognitive fatigue, which is the feeling you have after sitting and working intensely on a task, such as after an exam or a long day of meetings,” he says.

If you don't recover properly afterwards, it can lead to exhaustion.

You can also become tired from a lot of psychological pressure. In caregiving professions, people talk about empathy fatigue, says Myklebust.

“You get so tired from dealing with all the people you have to help that you're no longer able to empathise with them,” he says.

All three of these factors have an effect and it can be useful to be aware of them, according to Myklebus.

“If you feel tired, the first step on the way to feeling better may be to reflect a little on what might be wearing you out,” he says.

Sick leave statistics: "Something is affecting us"

“Something is affecting us. We seem to be getting more tired, we're reporting more exhaustion, especially younger people, even though our work is highly adapted and well supported,” says Myklebust.

Are you overstimulated?

An important reason many people experience low energy, Myklebust believes, is overstimulation.

“We live in a society where we're bombarded with information. We're more accessible than ever before through emails, apps, social media, and so on. A large part of the mental load, both cognitive and psychological, actually comes from the smartphone,” he says.

Portrait photo of Tomas Myklebust.
“Shielding yourself, learning to tolerate not constantly stimulating your brain, is one of my most important pieces of advice,” says Tomas Myklebust.

A podcast in your ear

That's why the first recommendation Myklebust makes is to become aware of how you relax.

“Scrolling has become a kind of acceptable break. But it's actually quite a significant cognitive load to deal with everything that's happening on your phone,” he says.

Many people are good at going for walks or doing activities. But even then, the brain often doesn't get a break.

“We listen to podcasts, we listen to music while exercising, or we go hiking with an audiobook,” he says.

That's fine, but he says we should be aware that this also provides stimuli to the brain.

“Shielding yourself, learning to tolerate not constantly stimulating your brain, is one of my most important pieces of advice,” says Myklebust.

Be mentally present

When you give your brain a break from external stimuli, you may find that worries and emotions arise that you don't want to confront.

“It can be uncomfortable, but I think we need to regain the ability to sit with it for a while,” he says.

Myklebust recommends practicing being present and mindfulness.

“If you have a lawn that needs mowing, drop your headphones and spend the time reflecting on your day. Take your time brewing that cup of coffee. Simply doing one thing and being fully present in it actually provides an incredible amount of recovery,” he says.

When the brain gets to rest

When we focus on something external, whether it's our phone, a work task, a movie, or a conversation, a particular part of the brain is active, explains Tomas Myklebust.

It's the part of the brain that extends forward from the ears, known as the frontal lobes.

“This part of the brain is able to override all other brain activity so that we can stay focused. But that takes energy," says Myklebust.

“As soon as we stop focusing on something external and start looking out the window or letting our thoughts wander while sitting on the bus, something interesting happens,” he says.

At that point, the brain's resting network becomes active. Larger parts of the brain are activated.

“Regions of the brain that don't usually communicate with each other begin interacting,” he explains.

This facilitates new thoughts and ideas.

“We access our experiences and knowledge in a different way than when we sit and focus on something,” he says.

In stress mode

Psychologist Liv Selland points out that there may be medical reasons why we feel that we have no energy. She therefore recommends getting checked by a doctor first.

She also highlights stress as a major contributing factor.

“There are probably many people in today's society who struggle with varying degrees of an overloaded nervous system,” she says.

Stress that comes and goes is natural and necessary for us to function well. But when the system is constantly on alert, it wears us out.

'Rest is the opposite of stress,' she writes in her book Create your life of vitality.

Selland has personally experienced burnout and now helps others regain balance in their lives through therapy, an app, a blog, and a podcast.

Chronic stress

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems take turns being in control, Selland writes in her book Create your life of vitality.

The sympathetic system activates you when needed, while the parasympathetic system is responsible for rest. The goal is not to be at rest all the time, but for the system to regulate itself appropriately depending on the situation.

If the stress response is constantly activated and there is not enough time to rest, the balance can be disrupted, leaving you in an almost permanently activated state, Selland writes. That leads to exhaustion.

The nervous system also needs rest

Many people today have a sedentary job that can still be highly demanding on the brain and emotions. This makes us mentally tired, says Selland.

“You’ve been switched on all day, often without enough breaks. Many people today have very full lives, with plenty to manage outside of work as well. We may be getting enough physical rest, but not enough mental and emotional rest,” she says, adding:

“We need to think not only that our muscles deserve rest, but that our nervous system does too."

Some things demand more of our mental capacity than others.

“Frequent shifts in attention are among the biggest drains on mental energy,” she says.

Selland says these include constantly switching between work tasks, feeling pressured to respond to messages quickly, interruptions from your phone, and noise.

“Deep work in the flow zone, when you're fully immersed and lose track of time, isn't nearly as taxing on the brain,” she says.

Portrait photo of Liv Selland.
“When we're distracted, we don't notice that we’re still anxious inside or that our shoulders are still tense,” says Liv Selland.

Micro-breaks

Selland recommends taking small breaks during the working day. Not in the form of reading emails or talking, but rather by seeking out some silence, taking a short walk, making a cup of tea, looking out the window, or stepping outside for a few minutes.

If you know a breathing exercise, mindfulness practice, or relaxation technique, this is a good time to use it.

“This is very calming for both the nervous system and brain,” she says.

A meta-study from 2022 found a small but statistically significant effect suggesting that micro-breaks can give you more energy and reduce fatigue.

Tomas Myklebust also recommends taking restful breaks.

“If you have a sedentary job that involves a lot of mental focus in front of a screen, rest involves using your breaks for something else,” he says.

For example, you can break up your workday by going out for a walk and buying a coffee or taking a phone call outside with an earbud in your ear.

Do the opposite

What about when we get home from work?

“I think the most important thing is giving our brains and emotions a break. In the past, when many people worked on farms or in forests, it was our bodies that needed a break,” says Selland.

If you have a job that requires a lot of mental focus, it's nice to get your body moving a little when you get home. You can exercise or go for a walk.

She adds that you have to pay attention to the intensity. If you are already burned out, intense training can make things worse.

Myklebust also highlights the value of active rest.

“Physical activity, or even a good workout, can provide better recovery than lying on the couch if you have been very inactive throughout the day,” says Myklebust.

What helps lower your stress level?

When Selland herself was burned out, watching TV shows was what she craved because it numbed her emotions. But underneath, she may still have been highly stressed.

“When we're distracted, we don't notice that we’re still anxious inside or that our shoulders are still tense. Maybe the body and nervous system need something else to truly settle? This differs from person to person. The key is to listen to your body. What actually helps me?” she asks.

For some people, hobbies or flow activities are the answer, says Selland. These activities help us calm our emotions and be present in the moment.

These can be activities such as tidying around the house, reading a book, tending to the garden, or sitting down to knit.

Resting yourself into exhaustion

Chronic stress is not good, but some stress is helpful. The stress hormone cortisol helps us get out of bed, says Myklebust.

“If you've had an extremely relaxed period, such as a two-week beach holiday where you spend most of your time lyin in the sun, many people can actually become sluggish and end up with less energy," he says.

“This is a paradox for some people on sick leave, who reduce their activity level dramatically. It can become very difficult to get going again because your body has become accustomed to a very low level of activity. Sometimes that's necessary. But it's important to be aware that you can actually rest yourself into exhaustion,” he explains.

Nine key takeaways

The final piece of advice Myklebust highlights is sleep.

“Data suggests that many of us aren't getting enough sleep, especially young people,” he says.

Ensuring that you get enough sleep can give you more energy without having to make any special changes to your everyday life, he points out.

To summarise:

  • Reflect on what makes you tired. Is it something medical, physical labour, mental overload, or emotional strain?

  • You may be overstimulated. Set aside periods during the day when your brain is free from stimulation and entertainment.

  • Practice being fully present in whatever you're doing.

  • If you're dealing with a lot of stress, try to find activities that help calm your nervous system.

  • Flow activities, hobbies, and quiet tasks around the house are often beneficial.

  • Build small breaks into your workday that lower stress and give your brain a chance to recover.

  • If you have a sedentary job in front of a screen, it can be good to do the opposite when you get home, such as light physical activity and exercise.

  • Be aware that it's possible to rest yourself into exhaustion.

  • Ensuring you get enough sleep can be a simple step to boosting your energy levels.

Reference:

Albulescu et al. "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance, PLOS One, 2022. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272460

 ———

Translated by Nancy Bazilchuk

Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

Subscribe to our newsletter

The latest news from Science Norway, sent twice a week and completely free.

Sign up

society and culture stress health psychology
Powered by Labrador CMS