9 tips to boost your energy— naturally
Most of us feel we could use more energy. In fact, 14% of Americans in one national survey said they lacked the energy they needed to get things done. The good news: there are ways to lift your natural energy levels. Here are nine tips:
1. Control stress
Emotions driven by stress consume enormous amounts of energy. Talking with a friend or relative, joining a support group, or seeing a psychotherapist can all help defuse it. Relaxation practices such as meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and tai chi are also effective stress-reduction tools.
2. Lighten your load
Overwork is one of the main drivers of fatigue - and overwork can span professional, family, and social obligations. Try trimming your list of "must-do" activities. Rank your priorities by what matters most and pare back the rest. If needed, consider asking for extra help at work.
3. Exercise
Exercise all but guarantees sounder sleep. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen. And it can raise brain dopamine levels, which lifts mood. When you walk, pick up the pace now and then for extra benefit.
4. Avoid smoking
Smoking drains your energy by disrupting sleep. The nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant: it speeds heart rate, raises blood pressure, and triggers brain-wave activity linked to wakefulness, making it harder to drift off. And once you do fall asleep, its addictive pull can wake you with cravings.
5. Restrict your sleep
If you suspect you are sleep-deprived, try getting less sleep. The advice sounds odd, but working out how much sleep you truly need cuts the time you spend in bed awake. That, in turn, makes falling asleep easier and leads to more restful sleep over time. Here is the method:
Skip daytime naps.
On the first night, go to bed later than usual and get just four hours of sleep.
If you slept well through those four hours, add another 15 to 30 minutes the next night.
As long as you are sleeping soundly the whole time you are in bed, keep slowly adding sleep on successive nights.
6. Eat for energy
Choosing foods with a low glycemic index - whose sugars are absorbed slowly - may help you dodge the energy slump that typically follows quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches. Low-glycemic foods include whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil. Broadly speaking, high-carbohydrate foods carry the highest glycemic indexes, while proteins and fats sit close to zero.
7. Use caffeine to your advantage
Caffeine genuinely increases alertness, so a cup of coffee can sharpen your mind. But to capture caffeine's energizing effects you have to use it judiciously. It can cause insomnia, especially in large amounts or when consumed after 2 p.m.
8. Limit alcohol
One of the best defenses against the midafternoon slump is skipping alcohol at lunch - its sedative effect peaks around midday. Likewise, avoid a five o'clock cocktail if you want energy for the evening. If you do drink, do so in moderation at a time when winding down suits you.
9. Drink water
What is the only nutrient shown to enhance performance for all but the most demanding endurance activities? Not some pricey sports drink - water. When your body runs low on fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue.
