As your eyelids droop and your head bobs throughout a lecture,you chalk it up to just being tired. Many times though, thisconstant feeling of being tired and worn out is a cover up forfatigue.

While some may credit it to just being stressed out or having aparticularly busy week, fatigue is a condition all too oftenignored. Continual fatigue can possibly lead to a broken downimmune system, ineffective workouts, headaches, and most serious,chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). (www.cdc.gov)

In some cases, fatigue can be attributed to a lack of propervitamins and minerals, along with healthy eating choices.Especially important for women, vitamin C and iron are two staplesources for a healthy, energetic body. According to Jere D. Haas,Ph.D, director of nutritional sciences at Cornell University inIthaca, N.Y., women who took iron supplements could finish theirexercise routine 12 times faster and with more energy than those ona placebo. (www.fitness.msn.com)

People who cut down on their meals throughout the day can alsostart to feel the effects of a low-calorie diet. Skipping meals,especially key ones, like breakfast, is detrimental to the body, asit takes away valuable energy and nutritional fuel for it tofunction. The time to cut out food is at night, when the body isless active and requires much less energy.

Besides resting up and sleeping for an entire day, there are afew things one can do to regain bounce and spirit.

Start by setting a regular pattern of going to bed, getting up,exercising, and eating around the same time each day. For peopleover the age of 18, generally around six to seven hours of sleep anight is considered practical and quite functional for a day-to-daybasis. What doesn’t work is skimping on sleep throughout the weekand trying to make up for it on the weekend. The body only thentells itself that it needs 10 hours a night, and the process thenhas no point.

Eating meals balanced in fruits or vegetables, meat, and grainare also essential to providing the body with enough fuel to runthroughout the day. If you are on a low-carb or low-calorie diet,there are still options that will keep you energized. Check intolow-carb or diet juice, such as V8 Splash, to get a daily dose ofvitamins and minerals that way.

Also remember than alcohol will effect the way your bodyfunctions, as far as sleep and how it feels the next day. When theblood alcohol level is quite high, regular sleep is notestablished. Passing out is not the same as a deep sleep, andtherefore contributes to the feeling of being extremely tired thenext day.

All in all, beating fatigue is nothing more than setting up aregular, balanced schedule for your body. When you are rested andwell, the chances of catching a common cold or the flu are lowered,as the immune system is ready to fight off any foreign predators tothe body. Being caught up on sleep also helps performance inschool, as we all know that sleeping through class does not earn anA.

Start today by eating right, exercising moderately and sleepingyour way to a more healthy, refreshed and energized self.