Why am I so tired with IBS?

Focus: What if your fatigue isn’t being caused by what you’re eating?
It’s easy to spend years with IBS searching for a diet that works, while overooking other triggers that can affect digestion, sleep and energy levels.
This free mini-guide reveals the 3 common IBS pitfalls that may be keeping symptoms stuck, even when you’re doing everything right. → Get the free guide and start seeing your IBS differently

Why are you feeling so tired with IBS? With that overwhelming impression that you have a million things to do, and no energy to do them with.

I don’t know about you but just getting out of bed was a real strain for me. I used to wake up feeling so tired that I just wanted to stay there.

As soon as I opened my eyes, a switch inside me seemed to start the bloating off. It would take me about 20 minutes to emerge.

I just seemed to be tired all the time, and getting through the day rather than living. No matter how much sleep I got or what time I had to wake up the result was the same, even on vacation.

You’re supposed to go to work, be creative, reactive and generally be on the ball.

I saw colleagues buzzing with energy – even my mother who was in her seventies had far more “go” than I did.

So what’s going on?

So tired

Not surprisingly, one of the main culprits is poor digestion.

Digestion is a vast subject. But to get you started:

What you should know:

• Poor digestion during the day makes you sluggish.

Difficulty concentrating, no energy? If you are digesting badly, it takes your body much more time and energy to process what you are eating.

• Bad digestion stops you sleeping well

If your sleep is affected by bad digestion then you cannot recuperate as you should. You may not even be aware of it but you probably toss and turn during the night.

I was convinced I slept relatively well, despite feeling so tired. I had actually been sleeping badly for years. The real indication that I had been turning all night was that the back of my head was like a bird’s nest every morning.

• Digestive issues are robbing your body of vital nutrients

When our digestion is off-balance, our bodies are not as efficient in absorbing nutrients. If this continues for long periods we can find ourselves low in key vitamins and minerals that make us feel tired.  Do be aware that anti-reflux medication can also reduce the level of nutrients your body absorbs.

• Poor digestion cramps the stomach and often makes us want to eat to calm it down.

Sound familiar? About an hour or so after a meal you reach for something to soothe your stomach. A coffee? Biscuits? Cake? Crisps?
It is really easy (and very human) to reach for something soothing. But this habit can set you up for yet another disturbed night.

Tired of IBS

Now I have recovered fully from IBS, my answer to digesting and sleeping better is to take your journey out of IBS. 

I avoided this for a long time, until my IBS symptoms got so bad I had to do something.

Why put up with IBS symptoms when there is a proven way of releasing them?

This is THE way of getting your energy and health back. And enjoying life again.

Habits than can improve rest

If you are still sceptical that recovery is possible, some good habits will take you in the right direction and give you a little more energy:

1)  Avoid trigger foods as much as possible, but especially for your evening meal. (You are probably very aware of the foods that trigger your IBS symptoms. But if not, this is a way of identifying trigger foods).

2)  Eat your evening meal and then stop. Whatever you eat later on you will probably be digesting all night.

This is easier said than done. Even though I knew I was going to pay all night for that packet of crisps, I had had a long day, I was tired my stomach was cramping too much.

3) Try using essential oil of exotic basil to relieve stomach cramps and abdominal bloating.

I had tried everything and nothing was working on my bloating. I already had trouble digesting over-the-counter medicines because of their lactose coatings and unnatural formulas.

One day I came across essential oils at my local pharmacist.  This was a breakthrough for me, and helped me reduce bloating. And this small improvement helped me sleep a little better and not feel so tired.

This essential oil is known for its powerful anti-spasmodic properties. It relieved my stomach cramps and reduced bloating. Here’s how to use it.

4) Try to identify your deeper IBS triggers that are interfering with your digestion – and sleep.

Many factors affect your digestion. Not just what you eat and when. So it is necessary to take the time to really understand and release what else is interfering with a good night’s sleep.

This is not a quick fix. It takes time and patience. But for me this is the long-lasting way out of feeling so tired and stopping IBS flare-ups coming back.