How to get out of a low-energy period?

[Froztwolf]

I regularly alternate between high-energy periods, where I'm excercising regularly, participating in volunteer work, working my normal job and improving myself in all sorts of ways, and low-energy periods, where excercising seems to tiring, I just want to sit in the sofa and watch TV after work and can almost not even be arsed to do my job properly. (Strangely, I've discovered that these low-energy periods normally come with a greatly increased sexual appetite but that's besides the point)

The low-energy period zaps ambition and willingness to act so any action needed to move back to a high-energy state doesn't get done. I know I could get back into the habit of excercising if I only went a few times but as I have very low energy these days I can't be bothered.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to which this happens so my question is: How do you kickstart your energy levels (using the least amount of energy to do so) to get back to a high-energy state?

[Dot]

Froztwolf, how about the idea of taking the descriptions of "high energy" and "low energy" and throwing them in the trash. And get off the yo-yo.

How's your diet? Tell us what you eat and when you eat it. Please list what you've eaten - and when - during the last 48 hours. Then we'll have somewhere to start.

[CoolBee]

Have you recorded when you feel high energy and low energy and observed whether it follows a pattern? Some people are more tuned to their biorythms than others, and the physical biorhythm follows a 23-day cycle.

I know for sure that if I am on the down slope I feel it, and 'recovery' for me kicks in about 2 days before the bottom of the 'trough' and my energy levels start dropping just before the 'peak'. Illnesses contracted on the upslope last for fewer days than those contracted on the down slope, and no this is not psychosomatic, I don't keep a running record, but sometimes if I'm feeling blah I check my biorhythms and find out that they're in these states.

Also, like Dot says, is there any pattern in your food intake, a friend of mine has recently discovered that cheese acts as an energy drain for her and has tested it by withdrawing it for a while, then adding it back. She is still experimenting to identify precisely what it is about cheese that is causing it.

Also, consider your inner self - is part of you behaving like your 'inner brat' and saying "no, shan't, I just wanna watch tv and I don't wanna go to the gym"? If so, just treat it nice for a while.

[Froztwolf]

For me the high-energy periods will usually last for a few months while a low-energy one will normally last for weeks. Should have been clear about that from the start I guess.

My diet doesn't change much on a month-to-month basis so I doubt that is an issue.

In my current low-energy state it's not that I don't want to do things, I have a few things that I really want to achieve, it's that whenever I think of doing them I feel I don't have the energy and put it off until tomorrow.

I realise that this will end by itself, it always has in the past, but it could take weeks and I really don't feel like wasting that time on being lazy, hence my question :P

[Dot]

Well, do you think you need to be buzzing along at full speed all the time? High-energy periods that seem "high" to you - are not actually high. They're just times when you're tapping into the energy differently. But if you make them "high," then you're gonna have corresponding lows.

What's wrong with the period you're in right now. And do you feel that this period is not actually a constructive period towards achieving your goals? Or you're not "feeling" it, then you either need to be doing something else, or else there's something in the way that's blocking, or the conditions are not right at this time. So, go around it, go over, go under. go away.. go fishing.. go swimming.

[Lena Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Froztwolf

For me the high-energy periods will usually last for a few months while a low-energy one will normally last for weeks. Should have been clear about that from the start I guess.

My diet doesn't change much on a month-to-month basis so I doubt that is an issue.

In my current low-energy state it's not that I don't want to do things, I have a few things that I really want to achieve, it's that whenever I think of doing them I feel I don't have the energy and put it off until tomorrow.

I realise that this will end by itself, it always has in the past, but it could take weeks and I really don't feel like wasting that time on being lazy, hence my question :P

I would suggest that you set goals, that motivate you more. Perhaps, if you can't get yourself going on your goals, you might not be truly passionate about them. That doesn't mean you have to completely give up because sometimes you rediscover that passion at a later time.

[Sunnybayes]

Can it really be helped? Perhaps being in a high state all the time isn't sustainable. Maybe you need to have those low key times so your mind / body can recover and get ready for another high energy period.

You said it increases your sexual appetite.... maybe its evolution / nature's way of making sure u spend time doing the things that are good for the species

[Gerto]

For me personally, I've noticed that when I'm having a lot of those low energy moments, it means that I'm working on the wrong things: That I'm using my "high energy" towards goals that seem very good at first, but on second thought are not what I really want.

[bbdream8]

Originally Posted by Froztwolf

I regularly alternate between high-energy periods, where I'm excercising regularly, participating in volunteer work, working my normal job and improving myself in all sorts of ways, and low-energy periods, where excercising seems to tiring, I just want to sit in the sofa and watch TV after work and can almost not even be arsed to do my job properly. (Strangely, I've discovered that these low-energy periods normally come with a greatly increased sexual appetite but that's besides the point)

The low-energy period zaps ambition and willingness to act so any action needed to move back to a high-energy state doesn't get done. I know I could get back into the habit of excercising if I only went a few times but as I have very low energy these days I can't be bothered.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to which this happens so my question is: How do you kickstart your energy levels (using the least amount of energy to do so) to get back to a high-energy state?

It seems like a burnout to me. Why don't you take a rest first before resuming your work?

[Timothy Smith]

Yep, that's how my dad is too. He gets home for work, he makes dinner, and when dinner is finished, he watches TV until 10pm to go to bed.