Christmas is a joyous time and the twinkly lights and carols leave a warm feeling in our hearts. But some people spend most of December feeling exhausted and/or full of cold. It’s hardly surprising, as we all rush around buying presents, attending Christmas parties, and catching up with friends and family, whilst desperately trying to finish our work before the festive break.
However, tiredness is not always because of Christmas activities, a vitamin deficiency could be the issue. But without knowing what is causing the tiredness, how can you protect your health or meet your busy Christmas schedule with ‘gusto’?
Two Common Deficiencies That Cause Tiredness
Vitamin deficiencies occur when our bodies don’t receive the required amount of nutrients, with iron and vitamin D being amongst the most common.
Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, helps regulate calcium and phosphate, which is important for keeping bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. With symptoms of a deficiency, including feeling tired, lower back pain, feeling depressed and getting sick more frequently.
Data indicates that approximately 24.0% of men and 21.7% of women (19 to 64 years) are vitamin D deficient. As few foods naturally contain vitamin D, for most of us our main source will come from sunlight, which as we all know might be a bit lacking in the winter!
Iron deficiencies can also lead to tiredness. Low iron levels can result in a reduction of red blood cells (cells that carry oxygen). Meaning blood carries less oxygen than normal for adequate tissue oxygenation. As a result, iron deficiency can leave you short of breath and feeling tired. Food rich in iron include low fat red meat, pork, poultry, and leafy greens.
In the summer months, for many of us, eating a healthy diet is sufficient to prevent any deficiencies. However, during the colder months of Autumn and Winter, we might not eat a balanced diet and are more likely to turn to our favourites to boost our mood and energy levels. Also, low temperatures and shorter daylight hours push us indoors away from the sun’s rays.
Are You Vitamin D or Iron Deficient?
So, is the tiredness you’re experiencing linked to deficiencies or the time of year? Can you just eat food to gain those all-important nutrients? If you don’t know exactly what is leading to your tiredness, how can you make the necessary changes? Considering low vitamin D and/or iron can lead to health complications, it is best to check your levels. Complacency and leaving it to chance could have consequences…
The good news is checking your vitamin D and iron couldn’t be easier with easy-to-use home self-tests. These tests can tell you whether you are deficient within minutes. This quick access to health information then offers a chance to seek medical advice.
Deficiencies Not Only A Reason For Tiredness
As for getting ill at this time of year, it’s best to avoid the winter germs! Although this Christmas COVID-19 restrictions won’t apply, we mustn’t forget COVID-19 is still circulating and we all have a duty to be vigilant. So, as we celebrate with work colleagues, friends, and family we must continue to act responsibly. If we are not feeling well and have symptoms, you should take a COVID-19 test. That way, if you test positive you can stay at home and do your utmost to prevent the spread. COVID-19 is one present none of us would want to give our loved ones this year!
Be In The Know
Deficiencies are commonplace at this time of year and COVID-19 still lingers. Therefore, we have created a Self-Test Winter Wellness Bundle, offering vitamin D, iron and COVID-19 testing, in one pack, at an approximate discount of 25% when compared to buying the tests separately.
Get the answers you need quickly and conveniently. Empower yourself to seek medical advice, speeding up the ability to get access to necessary treatments or make appropriate lifestyle changes.