If you work long hours, juggle a family and social life, whilst trying to stay fit and active, it’ll come as no surprise if you start to feel the symptoms of exhaustion.

Fortunately, there are some simple ways that you can tackle fatigue. Just follow our four simple steps to banish tiredness for good!

Start to eat right

Your diet can have a huge effect on your energy levels; eat too little and you’ll feel lethargic and weak, but eat the wrong foods at the wrong time and you’ll feel just as low. Try having four to five small meals throughout the day: a balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner with plenty of vegetables and healthy snacks of fruit or nuts in between. By having smaller meals more frequently, your body will be able to control its energy stores and maintain a good balance of energy throughout the day.

Drinking water is just as important. It’s recommended that you drink at least two litres of water every day, but remember that caffeine can dehydrate you. Make sure you have an extra tall glass of water for every cappuccino, tea or cola drink you consume.

Your weight can also affect your energy levels and your susceptibility to exhaustion. If you are overweight, your body and heart need to work extra hard to pump blood about your body so you can carry on with daily tasks. Similarly, if you are underweight, your body is lacking the essential energy reserves it needs to get through the day.

By following a balanced, healthy diet and monitoring your calorie intake you should start to feel the difference in your energy.

Get a good night’s sleep

It may seem obvious, but if you’re suffering from fatigue, establishing a good bedtime routine could help solve the problem. Turning the lights off at the same time every night and getting up at around the same time every morning will help your body regulate it’s natural energy reserves.

Cutting out caffeine in the afternoon and avoiding eating big meals after 19:00 will also help your body prepare for sleep.

Also, sleep is the only time that your body can repair and restore itself from the day so getting a good eight hours is essential.

Head to the gym

Packing a gym bag and heading to a high-intensity cardio class may seem like the last thing you want to do when you’re feeling tired, but a little bit of gentle exercise could do wonders for your energy levels in the long run. Multiple studies in the past have proven that those who exercise sleep better, and now that we know how important sleep is to beating fatigue, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t strap on your running shoes.

Relax and unwind

Tacking stress is one of the hardest things to do when you are fatigued. Scheduling a little ‘me time’ into your day will help your body repair itself faster and give you more time for re-energising.

Many have found breathing exercises and stretching to be helpful when it comes to switching off from the working day. Some have also invested in at-home canisters of purified air to help clear their mind. Unlike medical use oxygen, the canisters are specifically designed for the home or office and people have found them to aid with de-stressing and relieving tension.

Read a book, play with the kids or just run a hot bath – anything that calms your mind of the day’s worries will help you get a better night’s sleep.