Why you're tired all the time
Energy boosters that aren't "get more sleep"
Energy is a tricky thing to describe, but you know it when you have it.
It’s when you feel capable of physical exertion like going for a run, or mental exertion like a work project, or emotional exertion like a difficult conversation. It’s so key to life, it seems crazy that scientists have not spent much time looking into how to get more of it.
Or have they?
“They haven’t, really, until pretty recently,” says science writer Caroline Williams. “At least in the sense of what it means to ‘have energy’ and what that has to do with health. That’s not a criticism of western science - it’s pretty obvious to everyone who is alive that energy and health are connected! The problem has been that you need to be able to measure them, to work out how one affects the other, but they’re difficult to define, let alone measure.”
In recent years though, things have been changing. Psychologists have developed a questionnaire called the Subjective Vitality Scale, to measure the feeling of aliveness that comes with good health, and the World Health Organisation has started looking at biomarkers for what they call intrinsic capacity.
I love this phrase and am going to start using it, like: “Sorry, I don’t have the intrinsic capacity for that right now.”
Elsewhere, the science of the mitochondria (tiny compartments within cells that convert food into energy) is advancing rapidly. “What’s exciting is that researchers like Martin Picard at Columbia are starting to put these things together,” says Caroline, “to ask if there’s a connection between the energy our cells have to work with, and how energetic we feel. The answer seems to be yes!”
Caroline’s new book is Inner Sense: How the New Science of Interoception Can Transform Your Health. The new science of erm what…?, you might ask.
“Interoception is a catch-all term that describes how we detect and interpret signals from inside our own bodies,” she explains. “For example, when you feel hungry, notice your heartbeat or breathing sensations.”
It’s an ongoing body-brain conversation about whether you feel strong and capable or anxious and vulnerable. “These sensations form the basis of our feelings and emotions, which exist to motivate us to act in certain ways to maximise our chances of survival,” says Caroline. “Feeling full of vitality is an interoceptive message that all is well, and that you have energy to spend on whatever you like. Feeling a lack of energy is a sign that something is off and you should probably be cautious and not overdo it.”
This is why stress and anxiety can make us feel disinclined to socialise, exercise, have sex or do anything that might expend precious energy. Instead, we want to curl up and eat calorie-dense foods. As most of us have experienced, that generally doesn’t actually lead to more energy.
“So working out how to feel more energised rests on working out what is behind the interoceptive message to save energy,” says Caroline.
That might sound complicated, but there are common causes of low energy that, happily, have relatively easy fixes.
Caroline adds a disclaimer that she is not suggesting anyone with chronic fatigue should “think themselves better”. She’s talking about everyday levels of fatigue and malaise. “Chronic fatigue is a sign that there’s something very wrong in the body-brain energy assessment,” she says, “and there’s usually a physical issue, even if it’s not easy to find.” So if your fatigue is relentless for several weeks, it’s worth seeing your GP to investigate any underlying issues.
Otherwise, these five things could be sapping your energy without you realising. Even small changes in these areas can lead to big boosts in energy, mood and productivity.
Too much food
“Mitochondria release energy in a series of steps that can’t be rushed without causing metabolic gridlock so, when too much fuel arrives at once, the cells have to pause releasing energy, to store the excess,” explains Caroline. “This leaves us with less energy, rather than more.” As someone who spent years hitting the vending machine at 3pm for a chocolate bar to “power me through” the rest of the day, it suddenly makes sense why I was always exhausted. “Reaching for a sugary snack when you need a pick-me-up can backfire,” she confirms. “It reduces energy and mood, while going for a quick walk does the opposite.”A lack of support
“In studies where people were asked to exercise to exhaustion, those with a supportive friend were able to keep going for longer and burn more calories before giving up,” says Caroline. This will not be news to those of us who know that running with a friend is weirdly less tiring than running alone, even though you’re chatting. “Researchers believe the presence of a trusted friend helps us dig deeper into our energy reserves, knowing that we have back-up if we need it.”Not enough movement
Physical activity obviously increases the demand for energy, so you might expect it to make you more tired. But, explains Caroline: “When done regularly, the cells adapt by getting rid of inefficient mitochondria and creating new ones to increase capacity. That’s why, even though exercising burns energy, you end up with more in the long run, because having more mitochondria means that more energy can be released - not only when you’re exercising, but all the time.”Stress
“Stress makes cells burn through energy 60% faster,” says Caroline. “One way to stop stress from draining your energy is to make time for ‘deep rest’. Try a short period of ‘resonance breathing’, in which you take 6 breaths per minute (in for 5 seconds and out for 5 seconds). This is a sweet spot that not only maximises oxygen intake but also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body, plugging the drain of energy.”Lack of purpose
“Your body-brain connection is constantly assessing: ‘Is what I’m about to do worth the investment of energy?’ If the answer is no, the energy to get stuck in can be very hard to come by,” explains Caroline. “That’s why you can wake up perfectly rested and still feel exhausted at the prospect of a full day of meetings, but can feel instantly energised when you leave work to meet a friend.”
The trick here is in reframing the situation. If the idea of attending a meeting/bathing your kids/going for a run feels exhausting, take a moment to appreciate your job/kids/body. Tell yourself that you don’t ‘have to’ do those things; you ‘get to’ do them. “Energy is a fickle beast but, when motivation is hard to come by, a change of mindset can help to release a bit more when you need it.”
Inner Sense: How the New Science of Interoception Can Transform Your Health by Caroline Williams is out tomorrow
This week I’m…
Loving Eva Wiseman’s column on the scourge of efficiency and how relentless optimising can suck the joy out of life (I’m not giving up my Oura ring though).
Learning to be more resilient in a chaotic world with Shatterproof by Dr Tasha Eurich, which Brené Brown describes as “insightful science and wise guidance for overcoming and reclaiming.”
Constantly referencing Secrets of Adulthood: Simple Truths for Our Complex Lives, the new book from happiness OG Gretchen Rubin.
Leaning in to ‘deep rest’, thanks to Touch for Cancer Care, a brilliant new initiative from ESPA founder Sue Harmsworth and the Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care, to connect those living with and beyond cancer with SATCC-approved spas, wellness breaks and trained therapists.
Thank you Rosamund. This was fascinating!
Brilliant piece, Rosamund. Loved how you connected subjective vitality with the biology of mitochondria and the emotional logic of interoception. That line—“I don’t have the intrinsic capacity for that right now”—is going straight into my vocabulary. Also fascinating how purpose and social support are as energizing as food or sleep. It’s like Maslow meets mitochondrial science. Thank you for giving science a human face.