If you feel like you’re always tired and always talking about being tired, you’re not alone. In fact, according to a YouGov survey, one in eight Brits feels tired all of the time and 33% of us feel knackered “about half of the time”.
It’s something that’s so normalised to us that talking about how tired we are and how little sleep we’re getting is standard office small talk but it doesn’t have to be that way and one thing we can do to combat these tired sensations is... Humming. Yes, really.
It might sound a little strange but, honestly, at this point? We’ll try anything.
Why you should hum to combat tiredness
According to sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, there are a number of things we can do to get a better sleep and reduce tiredness in our day-to-day lives.
One of which is simply, humming.
According to Dr Ramlakhan, humming with our mouths closed combats tiredness by producing nitric oxide in the nasal cavities. This is antiseptic, antiviral and anti-inflammatory — all of which can help us feel a little perkier.
Dr Ramlakhan also recommends taking regular, short breaks. The doctor recommends taking 3-5 minute breaks every 90 minutes, and keeping them screen-free. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, we should do something simple like play with a pet or simply heading outside to look at the sky. According to the doctor, we get energy from these physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional practices.
Finally, the sleep expert recommends intentionally positive thinking saying, “we have a natural bias towards negative thoughts, as a survival technique to keep us alert for danger. This can be easily triggered in an anxious, post-pandemic world – and fatigue is a common side effect of anxiety.”
She recommends slowing down and consciously taking stock of happy moments and revisiting these memories when you feel low or tired as happy memories can give us a boost in lower moments.
More health benefits of humming
Research has found that humming can be an effective stress-buster, boost cardiovascular health, help with pain relief and even lull us to sleep.
According to Oprah Daily, Jonathan and Andi Goldman, coauthors of book ‘The Humming Effect’ recommend using humming to combat anxiety and stress saying, “Heading into a difficult conversation or intense meeting? Quietly hum your way through the elevator ride and down the hall.”
The authors also recommend using it as part of a daily meditation process to help clear the mind and clarify intentions, recommending around five minutes of humming during a meditation session.