When you wake up in the morning, you feel tired. When you go to sleep at night, you’re tired too. You just don’t feel like working at all. You end up lying around all day. But the thing is, this tiredness just doesn’t go away. Know why? Because this isn’t just tiredness—you might be dealing with one of these five issues that cause low energy.
So, let me tell you the top five reasons for low energy and some simple, natural fixes for them.
The first one is Vitamin D deficiency. It’s kind of ironic that in our country, we have sunlight all year round. Yet, most people still don’t get enough of it. The reason? When they go out in the sun, their skin darkens.
Here’s a free tip for you. Just spend 10 to 15 minutes every morning in gentle sunlight. It won’t affect your skin tone, but it will help maintain your vitamin D levels.
Another major issue is Vitamin B12 deficiency. For pure vegetarians like us, this is one of the biggest concerns. In India, about 7 out of 10 vegetarians suffer from this deficiency. The scariest part is that it’s not just about feeling tired. Vitamin B12 deficiency can affect your brain and nerves as well. Your memory may begin to decline, and you may become more irritable.
If you feel tingling in your hands and feet, make sure to regularly include milk, paneer, and buttermilk in your diet. For vegetarians, these are among the most reliable dietary sources of vitamin B12. Some people recommend moringa or fermented foods to make up for vitamin B12 deficiency, but from my experience with patients, these provide only minimal benefits. I want to be clear about that.
Also, there’s one more important thing about vitamin D and vitamin B12 that almost every influencer hides from you. I’ll share that at the end.
Now let’s move to the third reason: Iron deficiency.
Every other woman in India suffers from low iron levels. When your iron levels are low, less oxygen reaches your organs. As a result, your nutrition and energy levels suffer, leaving you tired throughout the day.
Foods like ragi, rajgira, sesame seeds, halim (garden cress) seeds, beetroot, pomegranate, and roasted chana with jaggery can help improve your iron levels. Instead of depending only on wheat rotis, try including these foods regularly in your diet.
Here’s another useful tip: have these foods along with lemon or amla, as vitamin C significantly improves iron absorption.
The fourth reason is hypothyroidism, which means your thyroid gland is underactive. Earlier, this was considered mostly a women’s problem, but today it affects men as well.
When the thyroid slows down, your metabolism slows down too. This can cause fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
Some traditional practices include gently massaging castor oil over the throat before bedtime, drinking water soaked overnight with whole coriander seeds on an empty stomach in the morning, and practicing pranayama regularly.
I’ve seen good results in many patients who followed these consistently. However, if you’re already taking prescribed thyroid medication, do not stop it. These practices should only be used alongside your doctor’s treatment.
The fifth reason is poor sleep.
Remember, sleeping less than six hours can leave you tired. Surprisingly, sleeping more than eight hours can also make you feel sluggish. Sleeping 12 or 13 hours doesn’t necessarily remove fatigue—it may actually make you feel more exhausted.
To improve sleep quality, try having a little warm milk before bedtime. If stress is affecting your sleep, herbs like Ashwagandha or Brahmi may help after consulting a healthcare professional. You can also massage sesame oil onto the soles of your feet before sleeping, as it may help you relax. Some people also use Shilajit to improve energy levels.
Now, here’s the important point I promised you.
Most home remedies you see online for Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 can only help maintain normal levels. If your vitamin levels are already adequate, these remedies may help keep them that way.
However, if you already have a significant deficiency, diet and home remedies alone are usually not enough to restore your levels. In such cases, you may need supplements or injections prescribed by a healthcare professional.
That’s one of the biggest differences between evidence-based medical advice and misleading health claims online. Always rely on proper diagnosis and treatment rather than assuming that home remedies alone can correct serious deficiencies.