There many health-related issues that are “measurable” such as: blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, kidney function, etc. However, as opposed to objective testing, subjective symptoms are not exactly measurable. For example, depression and anxiety are subjective symptoms that cannot be exactly measured and the severity of these are mostly known to the people experiencing these medical issues.
Another non-measurable, subjective health issue is the global sense of “energy”. How would you assess YOUR energy levels? There are many factors that contribute to a person’s global sense of “energy” including:
- Age
- Concurrent medical conditions
- Medications being taken
- Quality/quantity of sleep
- Mood issues
Clearly, there is no blood test, x-ray or other objective testing that would allow your doctor to provide some sort of exact measure of your energy levels. Subjectively, you would need to self-assess your energy levels by asking yourself these questions:
- Are you able to perform the daily tasks that you need to accomplish?
- Do you still engage in the hobbies/physical exercise you have been accustomed to doing?
- Are you able to still join your friends/family in physically demanding activities such as hikes, beach trips, etc?
- Do you find yourself napping/crashing in the middle of the day?
It is important to understand that we all will notice a decrease in energy levels as we advance in age. However, it is often difficult to determine whether this decrease in energy levels is age-appropriate or there may be some other underlying medical cause that is reversible.
I recommend that if YOU feel that YOUR energy levels are not up to par, check in with your doctor to see if there is some medical reason that is contributing to these lower energy levels. If there is a cause(s) found, there may be treatment available to boost those energy levels.
One last point: One of the major positive impacts of weight control is an enhanced sensation of higher energy levels. Stay focused on your efforts to shed that weight!
And one of the most highly energetic singers of our times, Tina Turner, recently passed. She was “Simply The Best”.
