written by Lauren Curl-Ferrell
When was the last time you felt awake and energized all day long? Many of us can probably say that it's been awhile. People suffer from energy highs and lows throughout their days, and there's only so much that caffeine can do. This vicious cycle happens throughout our days and next thing you know, you're screaming for a place or moment to rest. There's that old saying of wishing there were more hours in a day to get more done, but really, we'd still be just as tired in those extra hours. So why not maximize the most of your waking hours with simple ways to feel awake throughout your day?
Here's a list of 12 natural and holistic things you can do to create more energy during your day. This list was created mainly because nobody should be on an energy rollercoaster. You can start maximizing your energy by improving your diet but that's only part of it. Let's dive in:
1. Remove stress.
A major result of prolonged stress is a major dip in energy levels. So let's work on removing those stressors. This concept is a big part of mental health happiness as well. Say goodbye to those toxic relationships, and anything that doesn't bring joy to your life. Find the stress at its core and shut it down. You can also implement some stress-reducing things. Yoga, meditation, even adult coloring books can help. Adding a vitamin B-complex and Vitamin C duo like Stress Away can also help. Both of these have shown in studies that they reduce stress and anxiety.
2. Be hydrated.
So cliche right? Water should be your best friend. Beside the obvious gift of hydration, it helps flush out toxins from your body. Less toxins = more energy. Dehydration also prompts the body to be fatigued because your body doesn't have enough oxygen circulating through the blood stream. Grab your water bottle, and drink up. Click here for helpful tips to increase your water intake. A good water intake goal is to try to drink your body weight in ounces of water per day.
3. Use Acupressure points
Acupoints like the the Zu San Li, the Pericardium 6, the Du20, and the Du24 are great for a nice burst of natural energy. They're easy to do and easy to find them. If you'd like a guide to these exact acupressure points, click here.
4. Eat healthy fats
Olive oil, avocado, coconut and fish are foods that fuel your body but they're also packed with brain boosters to help with clarity and focus. Stimulate your brain with all the right things.
5. Ditch the alcohol (or reduce the amount you're drinking)
Yes, this is the double edged sword. Sometimes feeling fatigued is the culprit that triggers the urge for a drink, but drinking can actually make you feel lethargic. Intoxicative sleep is different than sleep without alcohol in the system. Studies have found that the depressive nature of alcohol disrupts the body’s natural ability to enter REM sleep. A good night's sleep includes REM cycles and alcohol can throw those off. If you're having trouble falling asleep and you turn to alcohol to help with that, consider taking a melatonin free natural sleep aid like Power Down.
6. Eat breakfast
If you want to be hooked up with good energy through out your day, eating breakfast is the key. It's also been linked to weight loss for those who are working on losing weight. Grab a healthy protein, some healthy fat, veggies, fruit, all the good things and eat (or drink, yay protein smoothies!).
7. Do something different
Finding your eyelids getting heavy? Change gears with whatever you were doing. Stretch your arms up, shift your body weight, bend over and touch your toes, and move around for a bit. If you can, take a 10 minute walk somewhere, even if it's in circles around your desk.
8. Cut out bedtime stimulants
Keep the light low 30 minutes before bedtime. Put the phone down and relax. Blue light is known to keep our brains wired and that's exactly what the light is that's coming off your phone. It's recommended to keep the lights low and try reading a book or relaxing for about 15 minutes before bed to let your brain de-stress and get unstimulated. We get it, you're only human and sometimes your way of distressing is scrolling through social media, if you're going to do so, use blue light blocking glasses.
9. Energy vampires are real
Oh yes, the energy suckers. People who are in our lives that leave us feeling exhausted. Sometimes those people are people we can't, just, get rid of. Bosses, parents, even children can be energy suckers. Instead of eliminating them (weird way to word this but we think you're picking up what we're saying), try increasing your time spend with the people in your life that make you feel great and then limit the amount of time spent with those energy vampires. We're only human, you can decide who you dedicate your energy on.
10. Clean up a bit
Clearing clutter is oddly enough, very awakening. Go through a junk drawer, or tidy up the living room, do a wardrobe sweep, whatever you need to do to clear a little clutter from your life. You'll gain two things from this: less mess and more energy. Seems like a win!
11. Add a little B-12 to your life!
Incorporate a supplement like B-12 into your day to day vitamin routine. Low vitamin B is a common problem across people and often flies under the radar. You can speak to a doctor about this and they can test you. Here are some symptoms of low B-12:
- Loss of appetite
- soreness of mouth and/or tongue
- tingly hands and feet
- constipation
- weakness
- tiredness
- weight loss
- confusion
- balance problems
- poor memory
12. Exercise
There's nothing better than simple, light physical activity to help you take on the day. Start with 15-20 minutes of exercise. Once you've built up great exercise tolerance, we recommend a fun cardio class like kickboxing, or a dance class to help better your overall energy.
Start practicing these habits for the small win of feeling more awake throughout the day. Having more energy has only benefited people, so it'll benefit you as well.
