Ever wonder why we’re so tired in the Fall returning back to school and what to do about it? When we are out of routine and not under the demands and expectations of getting up early, being on time, completing homework, and performing successfully, it’s a life transition. Life transitions are naturally tiring because we must adjust in every way (physically, mentally, emotionally, and energetically). There are steps we can all take to feel better and energize ourselves through life transitions such as this one. Here are 5 steps to feel better going through the transition of returning to school.
1. BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF
This is a “normal” adjustment that every human experiences. We can’t expect to go from 0 to 60, so have self-compassion and patience. Use emotional intelligence to take a step back and ask yourself what you would recommend or expect out of a friend. This technique is a great guide. If we woke up around the same time all year long, attended summer school, worked a job and had athletic and home expectations, we might adjust faster because we have not deviated as much from our baseline. Keep this in mind if you want to ease the intensity and duration of your adjustment. The further we deviate from our ‘norm’, the harder the adjustment back.
2. PREPARE AND ENERGIZE FOR THE NEXT DAY
Since we’re more tired, go to bed earlier. Make the mornings easier by getting your bags ready for the next day. Lay out your clothes for the morning. Make lunches and snacks and leave them in the fridge, ready to grab and go. Anything you can do to make your day easier will ease your stress and decrease the intensity and duration of the adjustment if this is a continued behavior. We are tired in the morning and the last thing we want and need is the stress of trying to think of everything we need, as well as getting it all together. Ease yourself into your day. You may even sleep better at night knowing your stuff is ready to go.
3. FUEL & HYDRATION TO ENERGIZE
Student-athletes, especially, need to keep appropriate fuel and hydration in mind and plan accordingly. It’s even more important to get through the stress of transition. We expect a lot of our minds and bodies to perform, so we must feed it accordingly. We can’t drive cross country without refueling or recharging, right? Are you getting enough protein and balance of macros (fat, protein, carbs)? Too much sugar, excess caffeine and eating less natural foods that have more preservatives, work against us, especially when we are demanding high expectations of our mind and body. Have you looked into all-natural amino acids for daily energy, focus, and recovery? They're vital for functions throughout your body, including protein synthesis, tissue repair, and nutrient absorption. Some may also help prevent muscle loss, support recovery after surgery, and improve mood, focus, sleep, prevent cognitive decline, and increase athletic performance. Ask your doctor about adding amino acids (BCAA’s), omega 3’s, krill oil, and D3 to your daily multivitamin. (Omega 3 for brain and organ health to supplement our lack of fish intake. Great for ADD/ADHD! Krill oil is concentrated omega 3’s, but I have found it helping over the years with joint lubrication to ease muscle soreness. D3 is recommended for allergies and increased immunity to help our body fight and stay healthy.)
4. ASK FOR HELP
How badly do you want to meet your goals? Know and find your resources if you need help with academics, workouts, fuel, and additional responsibilities. Research them before you need them. If you know you’re not the best in math, where do you go if you need help before the first test? If you have a hard time getting up in the morning, have someone call you or put on music/radio. If we don’t ask for help and we can see that we may fall or even drown, we are doing it to ourselves. Flex the control you have and ask. We can’t expect that we can do everything by ourselves. We all need help and resources. Of course, we do have our limits, but we also can’t have our pride cut our legs from beneath us, limiting us to move forward. If we really want our goals, we will do what we need to to advocate for ourselves to reach our goals!
4. “LANDING PADS”
“Landing pads” are my terminology for planning for the aftermath. For example, if you know you’re having a hard time adjusting to getting up in the morning and making it to class prepared and on time, start cutting back on your bedtime and make yourself get up closer to the time you’re supposed to get up during the week. Remember, the further away you are from your baseline, the harder your adjustment will be each week going back to school. If there’s a rough week of tests and training, plan downtime with a small group of friends, by yourself, or with a family member. Think about what might nourish you at the end of a week like that and then plan accordingly. Maybe you go out, but don’t stay out too late. Maybe you spend time in nature or just outside. Be honest with yourself! You know yourself best. This is an opportunity to learn about yourself to know what lifestyle supports your success.
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