The Exhaustion Epidemic and How to feel great again
According to Frank Lipman, medical doctor and author of Spent? End Exhaustion & Feel Great Again an exhaustion epidemic is spreading throughout the developed world. Lipman suggests that people are not just a little run down from stress and overwork but are totally ‘spent’.
Deborah Agulnik, from The Guardian, met Lipman in New York. He claims that ‘spent’, is a result of "the way we live our lives today - it's our bodies saying, 'Enough, we can't do it any more.' Everyone who comes to me is exhausted. They often don't complain of exhaustion; they may come with back pain, headaches, insomnia, or no sex drive but, when you delve into their histories, they're all exhausted."
Lipman is using a holistic approach to help people to relax, sleep and banish the feeling of constant exhaustion that so many people suffer from.
Having a good night's sleep is key to Lipman's approach. He suggests an "electronic sundown" at 10pm at the end of the day whereby all computers, mobile phones and TVs are turned off so allow the transition into sleep to take place. ‘Keep your bedroom cool and totally dark - "like a cave," he says - with LED alarm clocks covered up or even disposed of, blackout blinds installed or eye-masks donned’. This is to help keep night-time melatonin production going. Lipman also advises not to turn the bathroom light on if you go to the toilet in the middle of the night as this will fool the body into thinking it's morning again and turn off the melatonin. Melatonin plays a key role in inducing sleep and regulating our body's internal body clocks or circadian rhythms.
Diet is just as important as sleep and breakfast and lunch should be our largest meals in the day as human metabolism peaks around the middle of the day and dinner should be a light meal as our metabolism slows in the evening. We should also cut out sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods.
Regular exercise is important too and moderate exercise such as walking is therapeutic to ones wellbeing and helps aid sleep.Work is the greatest factor which depletes people of energy and causes stress. Lipman suggests having five minutes of eyes-closed meditation throughout the working day to calm the mind. Music can also be a great calmer.
The greatest influence on people's wellbeing comes from what Lipman calls "intangibles": community, friends, family, love and meaning. Helping and caring for others can be a positive boost to our spirit and wellbeing and can help us to learn how to care for ourselves and be part of the community.
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