Tried and True Ways to Boost Your Energy…Naturally
Energy slumps are a normal part of life: we all know how it feels to want to crawl back into bed the minute we get home from work. What about that afternoon slump, when all you want is to crawl under your desk for a nap, like George Costanza? But for those with a packed schedule, there simply may not be time for a nap.
Fitting in time to reenergize and rest each day is important for both physical and mental health. Staying focused and, well, awake throughout a hectic week can be a real challenge. Luckily, there are a plethora of easy, natural ways to boost your energy and stay on top of your to-do list!
Manage stress. Perhaps the most important way to keep your energy up is to make sure your mental health is in check. Though easier said than done, keeping your stress levels down is a big part of preventing burnout (the feeling of overwhelm to the point of physical and mental exhaustion). Additionally, high levels of stress impact your nervous system’s ability to slow down for the night and rest. This could seriously harm your sleep schedule, making the next day a slog.
Take breaks. Since overworking can be a detriment to your health, taking breaks throughout the day is key. For example, if you have a desk job, taking a short walk (even just five minutes!) every hour or so is great for giving your mind a rest. Additionally, the extra movement can help wake up your body and give you a burst of energy. If you work a more physical job, try your best to sit down and rest for 10-15 minutes for every hour you work. This gives your body time to slow down and your mind time to catch up.
Eat for energy. Foods like nuts, whole grains, berries and dark leafy greens are terrific for keeping your energy level constant throughout the day. Learn more about eating for energy here.
Embrace your community. Another way to keep your mental health in tip-top shape is to maintain and nurture your personal relationships. A good chat with a friend can really boost your mood –you’re your energy level! Humans are social animals, and spending time with friends and family is super important to keep your cortisol and endorphin (the happy chemicals in your brain) levels where they should be. Keeping your brain chemistry balanced is an excellent way to keep mental stress from getting out of hand. You might have heard of “work/life balance” before: the ideal work/life balance is one where work never eclipses your personal life or the way you take care of yourself. In other words, use those vacation days! Yes, all of them.
Go easy on the caffeine. Your first thought during an energy crash might be to reach for a cup of coffee or energy drink. While consuming caffeine is definitely a quick fix, keep an eye on how much of it you consume. Too much caffeine can impact the quality of your sleep, so limiting consumption and avoiding caffeinated drinks after 2 p.m. is a one way to keep your sleep schedule on track.
Go easy on the booze, too. Consuming too much alcohol (especially during the day) is a surefire way to wipe you out and make you sleepy. Alcohol is a natural sedative, and its effect is extra noticeable if you have a drink or two at lunchtime. Save that (one) glass of wine for a time when you’re ready to settle in and relax, not when you still have things to do or are already feeling your energy level dip.
Hydrate. A proactive way to boost your energy during the day is to drink plenty of water. Every system in your body needs water to function properly, so keeping yourself hydrated is an easy way to stay sharp throughout the day. One easy way to find out how much water you should be drinking is to divide your body weight (in pounds) by two, then switch that number from pounds to ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water every day. Along with hydrating, it’s important to eat a balanced diet (as much as your busy schedule will allow). Fast food weighs you down, and doesn’t give your body the nutrients and energy it needs. Vegetables, fiber, vitamins and protein are all necessary for any balanced diet.
Sleep enough…but not too much. The obvious solution to fatigue might seem to be to increase the number of hours you sleep each night. While this is intuitive, it isn’t always necessarily the best move. If you only get 4-6 hours of sleep each night, you should definitely aim a little higher. But if you’re already getting 8-9 hours and still feel tired throughout the day, sleeping more will not help.
In fact, sleeping too much wears your body out even more. Instead, try to improve the quality of your sleep. It’s possible that, even though you’re getting the right number of hours each night, you aren’t entering a REM cycle while you sleep. REM stands for “rapid eye movement.” REM sleep is a pattern your brain falls into as you snooze and is more restful than non-REM sleep cycles. You enter the REM cycle about 90 minutes after drifting off. If you find yourself waking up every hour, you won’t enter the cycle and won’t get the deep sleep you need. Each REM cycle throughout the night gets progressively longer, so if you’re getting 10+ hours, waking up in the morning means pulling yourself out of a very deep sleep. It then takes longer throughout the day to fully wake your brain up and feel energized.
If you feel like your sleep quality and schedule are healthy, but still can’t quite shake daily fatigue, consider adding some of the above tips and tricks to give yourself a boost. If you feel like your habits are all up to par, but you still get tired during the day, it may be time to talk to your doctor. There are a number of common health conditions that can cause lapses in energy, including anemia (an iron deficiency), diabetes, depression, changes in medication, thyroid issues, low blood count, or even viruses like COVID-19 or the common cold. Keeping track of how you feel every day is key to keeping your mental and physical health at its best, and adding these easy habits to your routine each day can make a big difference!
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