why am I so tired

Drained? TM can make you feel better.

Do you hear the alarm and wish you could press snooze?
Does your neck, your shoulders, your back hurt?
Do you picture collapsing on your couch without any interruptions?

You are definitely not to blame. As women, we juggle work commitments, childcare, chauffeuring, groceries, household chores and the list goes on and on.

According to Amy Ruff, RN, many women present concerns of worry that sound simple but are disabling nonetheless: these worries are often based on their chronic fatigue. Conversations often start with: “Why am I so tired all the time?”

Chronic fatigue syndrome is apparently far more prevalent in Canada and more widespread than many more well-known conditions.

In 2017, CTV News reported that a Statistics Canada survey revealed that when respondents were asked whether their doctor had diagnosed them with chronic fatigue or its more recently introduced name, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME):

560,000 Canadians report that they have the disease. That is a 36.7% increase over previous results from 2014.

The number also suggests the disease may be more common than breast cancer, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis combined.

Regular practice of the TM technique reduces fatigue. During stress, the adrenal glands secrete three major stress hormones: cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. If these stress hormones remain at chronically elevated levels, they increase the risk of insomnia, acid reflux, migraines, depression, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, immune system failure and aging.

According to Ms. Ruff, when a woman settles into a comforting and relieving state of deep rest during her TM she releases deep-rooted fatigue. Research studies over the decades have pinpointed some of the specific reasons in the physiology for the reduction of fatigue:

  • The scientifically verified physical effects during TM practice include decreased respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension and anxiety.
  • 66% of the population suffers from some form of adrenal fatigue which causes a general sense of tiredness and lack of well-being. A study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that the TM technique reduces baseline cortisol levels so that the adrenal glands are not being overtaxed during times we’re not under extreme stress.
  • During stress, the adrenal glands secrete three major stress hormones: cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. If these stress hormones remain at chronically elevated levels, they increase the risk of insomnia, acid reflux, migraines, depression, chronic fatigue, exhaustion, immune system failure and aging. Studies published in the Journal of Neural Transmission, Physiology & Behavior and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that individuals practising the TM technique had 30-40% lower levels of all three major stress hormones than non-meditators and that there is a long-term effect of normalizing the hormones levels throughout the day and night.

Ms. Ruff is an avid TM teacher and advocate. She learned the Transcendental Meditation technique six months into her first job as a nurse. She attributes her success in managing her 40 years as a nurse to her twice-daily practice of TM. Her fatigue has never been debilitating, and the tiredness from a long shift was cleared away in her next meditation.

There are many moments in life when we feel overly tired due to our job, family, divorce or other circumstances. We need to take steps to ensure that we don’t become so overwhelmed by fatigue that it becomes dangerous to our health.

TM is a technique that helps women avert profound exhaustion and improve their quality of life.