As a teacher, you’re in an incredibly demanding job—both mentally and physically. It’s natural to have times when you feel tired. But did you know that poor nutrition and unhealthy eating habits can play a big role in teacher exhaustion?
Here are 6 teacher exhaustion symptoms that are likely food related.
1. Fatigue / lack of energy
You reach the afternoon, and it’s a slog to make it through the rest of the day. By the end of teaching, it’s not easy to come home and cook a meal or eat healthy. You feel exhausted. You just want to grab something quick and plop in front of the TV. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Why am I so tired in the afternoon or evening?”, your lack of energy may be a symptom you aren’t getting the right nutrition.
2. Low-grade headaches
You know the ones—those nagging headaches that just won’t go away, typically on school days. You may start the morning okay, but by mid-day, you may feel a steady pressure squeezing your head or lurking behind your forehead.
3. Brain fog
Cloudy thinking is another symptom of teacher exhaustion that can be related to food habits. What is brain fog? It’s when your brain doesn’t seem to be working as quickly as it should. You may have a hard time remembering words and numbers. Or maybe, you find yourself asking, “What were the things I needed to do today?” It may be hard to remember things unless you write them down.
4. Anxiety
As a teacher, you have a high stress job… and nutrition deficiencies can amplify anxiety. You may feel jittery and frazzled—or simply restless, unsettled and on edge. Everything may feel more urgent to you. It can be difficult to find a sense of calm.
5. Mood swings
You’re up, you’re down. It’s a roller coaster ride. Your sugar balance may be off, and that can cause mood swings—including crashes.
6. Lack of patience with your students
You try to put on a positive face for your students, but on the inside, you feel yourself growing irritated. Your fuse is getting shorter. And your class may be picking up on your energy, reflecting it back at you. (Good times.)
If you make it through the day, you may carry that internal frustration home. You don’t want to get snippy with your own kids or your partner, but sometimes, it just slips out.
So, what do these teacher exhaustion symptoms have to do with food?
They’re signs that your body may not be getting the nutrients it needs, or you may have eating habits that aren’t setting you up for success (like relying on sugary snacks or caffeine to boost energy).
As a teacher, you’re in a mentally and physically demanding role, giving so much of yourself to others. It’s important to take care of yourself too! Your body needs the right nutrition from the start of the day to support your mental and physical strength throughout the day.
The good news is these teacher exhaustion symptoms should go away or fade significantly when you have a supportive eating style (like meal planning). It becomes much easier to cope with everything you’re juggling every day.
If you’re experiencing other exhaustion symptoms or some of these symptoms persist after you improve your nutritional health, you may want to explore how to manage stress too. With food as your foundation, you’ll be in a much better position to do so!
