accept your tiredness

We complain about it or fight it, but rarely listen to it. But what if you still try to do it? Modern cultural values, the lifestyle we lead, and the guilt that comes from not being able to always meet the highest standards are the main culprits of fatigue, suggests French acupuncturist Maurice Tran Ding Chan.

Psychologies: Fatigue – nervous or physical – is a very common problem. What is your definition of this state?

Maurice Tran Dinh Chan: Fatigue is the result of various causes that affect a person. And the perception of fatigue is unique. There are as many varieties of fatigue as there are tired people. In mental terms, fatigue is characterized by a feeling of powerlessness, despondency. In the physical plane – a feeling of heaviness, the difficulty of ordinary daily activities.

There is also fatigue associated with the disease, which should be kept in mind when diagnosing. It is customary to distinguish between physical and nervous fatigue, but in reality, the fatigue that most people suffer from is mental fatigue, that is, total fatigue. It can be physical, mental, intellectual, even sexual – depending on the weak points of a person.

Is this particular kind of fatigue related to our lifestyle?

Undoubtedly. We live in a society of production, consumption and constantly increasing productivity. From birth, we are prescribed to be active and efficient. In order to gain recognition and find our place in society, we do not spare ourselves in work and do not listen to ourselves. The message is clear: one must be productive under the threat of exclusion from social life. We have no right to rest or to be tired.

Nature has put millions of years into developing an internal balance program that all other species respect, and society, so to speak, deprograms us, imposing criteria and values ​​that are contrary to good health. I am convinced that this conflict between two imperatives – natural and cultural – is the main source of problems. It is characterized by a very strong internal tension, which is reflected in all body systems.

That is, accumulated fatigue is the source of body diseases?

This idea is not new: psychophysiology develops this point of view. The brain that completely controls us needs a balance of work and rest in order to perform its managerial function well. Hyperactivity instead of rest brings the body out of balance. The brain copes with its duties worse, which entails disorders, dysfunctions of some organs – this is called “somatization”.

So how do you fight fatigue effectively?

We all want to get rid of it, and this is natural. But there is a good way to fight and a bad one. The bad consists of its denial or its suppression. Moving forward at any cost exhausts the inviolable reserves of our body. Stimulant drugs eliminate the symptoms of fatigue without any effect on the underlying causes.

To really deal with fatigue, you just need to start by accepting it! Assume that every normal person needs a rest, and do it immediately. Similar to eating or drinking when you are very hungry or thirsty. Fatigue is a psychophysiological signal, and responding to it at the moment when it is perceived is simply vital.

Speaking of specific measures, we should give priority to rest on demand: afternoon rest (siesta), leisurely awakening, pauses during the day. Allow the body to take the breath it needs. You also need to dare and evaluate your strengths, not being afraid to shake the image of the tireless worker that you want to see yourself as.

We all need recovery periods, and this is not an admission of weakness or an appearance of laziness. Resting means taking care of yourself, it is by no means wasted or wasted time. A rested worker is more productive – that’s a fact.

You are in favor of a good sleep. Could poor sleep be the main cause of fatigue?

First you need to define what a “good dream” is. A good sleep is what precedes a good awakening. This means waking up naturally, feeling refreshed. Waking up with difficulty, as well as falling asleep with difficulty, are always signs of poor-quality sleep, that is, a constant source of fatigue.

My job as an acupuncturist is to target a specific point on the top of my head to eliminate sleep disturbances that are both a cause and a consequence of fatigue. Today, more than ever, it is important to teach a person to live in full harmony with his fatigue. Our well-being – physical, mental and emotional – is worth it.