6. Exhaustion Cause: Thinking Like a Pessimist
A negative outlook presents a huge energy drain, but we can overcome it. "You first have to recognize what pessimistic thinking looks like," says Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of "Your Soul's Compass." The best time to do that? When you experience a setback -- say, your car broke down or you didn't get a job you'd been hoping for. Take note of whether you experience a trio of qualities that psychologist Martin Seligman, Ph.D., termed the "three Ps": personal, pervasive, and permanent. "Personal means, 'It's all my fault,' " Borysenko says. "Pervasive means, 'I mess up everything I do.' And permanent means, 'It's the story of my life.' " If you find yourself reacting this way, consider an attitude reform.

Exhaustion Cure: Learned Optimism
Optimism can be learned, Borysenko insists, "even though we might have ingrained patterns and brain circuitry that support negative thinking." On the flip side of the three Ps are the three Cs: challenge, commitment, and control. "Optimists see changing circumstances as a challenge to meet," she says. "They approach it with commitment. And they feel they can influence the situation, so they have control."

That last ingredient, control, requires a measure of discretion. "You can't control everything," she says. "Optimists focus on making life less stressful by controlling only what they can, and in a skillful manner." Understand the difference in these two ways of thinking and you'll start the process of moving from pessimist to optimist.

7. Exhaustion Cause: Leaky Boundaries
To draw more energy into your life, you have to first ask an important question: Where do I begin and end? "When I see patients complaining of exhaustion, nine out of 10 have trouble setting personal boundaries," says psychologist Bo Forbes. One of the biggest emotional drains for women, she says, is the need to be available for everyone -- our friends, children, spouses, and bosses -- all the time.

The most empathic among us often pick up negative emotions from other people, too. "Even if we're in a great mood," she says, "we can encounter someone who's anxious or angry or tired, and we end up taking on that person's emotions." The net result is a plundering of our energy resources. "If we don't have sufficient boundaries, we're like a house with all the windows and doors open," says Forbes. "Energy is leaking out everywhere."

Exhaustion Cure: Just Say No
Learning to set boundaries is a personal-growth odyssey, and it requires a close and careful inventory of what's really important to you. But the best way to get started on the path is to start saying no. "If someone drains your energy, say no to spending time with them," says Forbes. "Say no to checking your emails after 5:30 in the evening, or to that extra committee meeting." As you scale back, start adding into your life the things that renew you. 

8. Exhaustion Cause: Not Enough Rest
Sure, insufficient sleep presents an enormous energy drain. But so does insufficient rest, a state that's entirely different from sleep, says Judith Lasater, Ph.D., author of "Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times." "Rest requires that you be still and quiet," she says.

Americans don't get enough for two reasons. First, time and labor are both valued and demanded in this country; second, we have too many options. "We have theaters, shopping malls, and restaurants to choose from, pottery classes to take, home improvements to make," she says. "At any given time, we could be balancing our checkbook, hitting the gym, weeding the garden, or working on our scrapbooks." Combine the national work ethic with all those options, she says, and you have a nation of very busy people. And we wonder why we're tired.

Exhaustion Cure: Play Dead
Every day, set aside 20 minutes for Savasana (corpse pose), the most restful of the yoga positions.

1. Set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes so you don't have to watch the clock.

2. Lie down on your back on a soft yet firm surface, such as a rug (but not a bed). Place a rolled pillow or blanket under your knees if that feels good, and cover your eyes with a soft cloth. Cover yourself with a light blanket.

3. Let your arms and legs roll slightly out from the body as you relax and begin to take a series of long, slow breaths, setting an intention to disengage from the external world. If your mind starts spinning away, simply return your attention to the breath.

4. When the timer chimes, bend your knees, roll to the side, and sit up. After a moment or two of stillness, reengage with your day.