Im 17 and I never have been this tired in my life

[Dedeador]

Hi guys, I started noticing this after Christmas, but now it’s so much worse. At the beginning, I wasn’t tired at all; I just had some brain fog and I was struggling at the gym. But in the summer, I quit the gym because I didn’t have any energy left.

I also started having insomnia, and I stopped sleeping like a baby like I used to. My diet isn’t perfect, but it isn’t bad either. Please help me, guys. I just want to have a normal life and going out with my friends.
I don't work or anything like that,the only thing that stresses me out is high school.

[LucH]

@Dedeador said:

the only thing that stresses me out is high school.

Hi,
First, get informed why adrenaline and cortisol enhance problems on glycolysis (carburation) and impact the brain (serotonine > melatonine).
Can you remain 3.5 hours without eating, without suffering?
Afterwards we'll see how to improve the deep sleep.
Waiting for news ... Don't hesitate to give details. Seperate the facts from the comments.
Problems from minimum one month ago.

[Dedeador]

@LucH Thank you so much for replying.

First of all, I just started high school. I’m from Spain, so I’m not sure these problems are related to cortisol. And yes, I can easily go 3.5 hours without eating. Actually, it’s the other way around: after I finish eating, I feel much more tired, and I sleep worse. I even tried energy drinks with caffeine, and they made me feel more relaxed instead of more energetic.

My symptoms over the last month have been tiredness and brain fog, even while playing video games. It’s not too bad, but it had never happened to me before. This is pretty random, but two days before starting school, I had diarrhea (it sometimes happens to me when I come back from vacation). My hair also feels dry and weak, even though I don’t use shampoo, and I’ve noticed a little bit of a receding hairline.

My sleep is pretty inconsistent. Some weeks I have insomnia, while other weeks I can sleep normally. Right now, I can sleep, but I still wake up feeling tired. I don’t want to give specific details about my sleep on school days yet, since I’ve just started school and I still need to adjust my sleep schedule.

[LucH]

1. I just had some brain fog. I quit the gym because I didn’t have any energy left.
   =>Possibly a lack of B1. There is interaction with other B vitamins. A co-enzymed form is required.

2. The only thing that stresses me out is high school.
   => Anxiety and stress impact cortisol levels even if you don’t perceive it.
   Need magnesium bisglycinate. Not enough. Get informed on a relax technic. Sophrology, EFT or deep breath (3’ buddy breathing).

3. I can sleep, but I still wake up feeling tired. My sleep is pretty inconsistent (I also started having insomnia). I still need to adjust my sleep schedule.
   I> ’ll take collagen powder (2 tsp; begin with one tsp) and 1 caps of L-theanine 200 mg one hour before bedtime.

4. After I finish eating, I feel much more tired.
   => Logic. Energy is derived to digest macronutrients. Eat veggies first, and get informed on useful associations:
   Basmati rice with pink lentils + 1 tsp butter or coconut oil
   Pasta with carrot and peas + 1 tsp butter or coconut oil.
   1 caps enzymes (enzymedica gold) would help to assimilate well and to feel lighter.
   When eating meat, rather white fish, shrimps or poultry. Moderate pork and beef. Duck at midday.

5. I even tried energy drinks with caffeine, and they made me feel more relaxed instead of more energetic.
   => Coffee is pro-metabolic, as long you drink 2 or 3 cups per day, with sugar. No more. Mind the anxiogenic side effect of caffeine.

6. My hair also feels dry and weak
   Try to eat 1 tsp pumpkin / watermelon seeds (copper).
   => Both copper and Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) are excellent for targeting inflammatory, dry, and aging skin issues (GLA 1 caps 500 mg like Borage Oil and Evening Primrose Oil). For 3-6 weeks.
   I would drink tea with nettle leaves but silicon is poorly absorbed (30%). Best from G5 silicon (75-85%) Mind the kind. I use a mixture with aloe vera, G5 and flowered water from lavendula.

[Homo_normalis]

@Dedeador Hi. Sounds like the problem is stemming from a lack of sleep. Things I have found help me sleep are getting enough milk/calcium throughout the day, niacinamide, sometimes thiamine, and also aspirin. Sometimes I keep a drink near me at night. Also, if you are up too late because of internet overuse consider resolving that. Breaking an internet addiction before your college years (if you plan on it) will put you way ahead of the curve.

[AnomPhen]

@Dedeador Hi Dedeador, had this exact thing happen to me about 15 years ago. Main symptoms were terrible fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and digestive issues. Was basically subclinical hypothyroidism (that is, hypothyroidism that isn't bad enough to pass the clinical markers, so you have to treat it yourself, basically). In layman's terms, it just meant a lack of energy production, and/or excess stress. Am much better these days after years of research and experimentation. Some of what I do:

Nutrition: Eat real, normal foods in normal portions; avoid artificial and packaged. Liver, beef, eggs, chicken, collagen, milk, cheese, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, butter, coconut oil, EVOO as needed, salt, sugar as needed, etc. Use sugar to break a stress cycle as needed, then eat normal macro-nutrient portions (ie, carbs, fats, protein). Limit fat, but don't stress over it.

Stress: avoid stress as much as possible, esp. over-exercising (cardio, heavy lifting, sports for now). Physical, psychological, emotional stress will all drain energy. You mentioned just starting high school, which is a stress in itself. Find a definite career path and pursue that, which will be less stressful than school, as school often does not lead to a career or train you for adult life. Having a definite career path will stress you less about your future than trying to get good grades in school with no path for the future. Nothing stresses more in the adult life than financial trouble.

Grounding: research grounding (aka earthing), which appears to have a variety of health benefits, and can be entirely free. The idea is that you absorb the natural energy of the earth (negative ions, I think), which then essentially feed your bio-electric systems, thus producing energy and general healthfulness. I have done this for many years now, including sleeping grounded, and I recommend it. (If you want a book: Earthing, by Clint Ober)

Relaxation: I use techniques from Relax and Win, by Bud Winter. He created a relaxation program for fighter pilots in WWII, who were supremely stressed. Basically just controlling the breath and consciously relaxing the muscles, and holding the relaxed state. Recommended esp. before bed.

Sleep: I had to figure out any number of things for sleep, because it was such a problem for me. Very soft bed (mattress topper, although some like hard). Just the right room temperature (somewhat cold, in my case). No noise (for unavoidable noise, I use an air filter as a noise machine, and/or Mack's silicon putty earplugs). I need to eat before bed or I usually can't sleep, typically ice cream (some people can only sleep on empty stomach, though). I use cotton blankets and pillowcase to avoid possible problems with bio-electrical interference from unnatural fabrics (eg, polyester); more comfortable, IMO. Cotton, linen, wool are recommended. I sleep with bed inclined for improved circulation, although doesn't feel great for side sleepers (research Inclined Bed Therapy).

Sunlight: free energy from the sun. Pro-metabolic practices stopped my hair loss, and getting several hours of indirect sunlight per day was one of the most helpful things. Whether it is Vit D production and/or the absorption of healthful electro-magnetic energy from solar rays, highly recommended. Light in general is good (except blue light); darkness and low light will drain energy.

EMFs: I avoid electromagnetic frequencies as much as possible. Cell phone radiation, wi-fi router radiation, home electrical system wiring in the walls, things that are plugged in (lamps, TV, fan, etc.). I use Trifield TF2 EMF reader to sweep house for EMFs, and distance myself from them as much as I can. Could find out if you are near cell phone or radio towers (antennasearch.com in the US; don't know about Spain). Grounding is supposed to protect you from EMFs as well, so I have grounding wires set up at desk, couch, and bed (can buy pads and sheets, but more expensive).

Non-sedentary: the more sedentary, the less energy I have, unless I am specifically resting after doing something.

Community: good people are energizing. Solitude is good, too, but excessive solitude is draining and depressing. So are irritating and troublesome people...

Internet: living on the internet will drain you, physically and emotionally. Limit screentime, both for psychological reasons and bc of the blue light. Eye strain from screens will cause tension headaches. For screen time use, consider putting screen settings to a warmer tone, and/or using sunglasses/blue light blocking glasses.

Taken as a whole, these things have helped me tremendously. Went from sitting on a couch staring into space with fatigue, feeling like energy was imploding within me, to feeling mostly normal for my age (44), and getting back into playing tennis and lifting weights. Hope these things can help as a general overview. Don't know whether your problem is general or specific, but if it is a general low-energy problem, as it was for me, addressing it holistically like this should help. As you try things, you may be able to narrow down the problem.