Your energy matters. It’s one of the resources that we have a limited supply of on any given day, and like most resources, it needs to be used mindfully. Our energy helps us do all the things we need to do to be productive and happy. If we don’t have enough energy, fatigue can crush our progress.
We need our energy levels to be in good shape so that we can be as effective as possible every, single day. To make that happen, we certainly don’t want to be reaching for energy-boosting drinks or caffeine all the time. Instead, finding natural and highly effective ways to boost our energy levels will be the best alternative.
Here are a few natural energy boosters you can try:
Reduce and Manage Your Stress Levels
There is no one perfect way to manage stress. However, it is vitally important to reduce the effects of excess stress in your life. If you can avoid some of the people places or things that cause you stress, that will be ideal. However, it is often impractical, so it is important to learn how to manage the effect that stress has on you.
Feeling stressed out consumes a lot of energy! You could be feeling a lot of worry and stress and yet still not be resolving the problem(s), but while you are worrying and stressing your energy is diminishing. One of the first things to look into when feeling drained of energy and fatigued is the amount of stress you are under.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques are great for managing stress. As stress isn’t something we can completely remove or avoid, we need to find effective ways to cope. One technique you can try is yoga. Yoga has been proven to fight stress and reduce fatigue.
You can easily watch videos on YouTube if you don’t know how to do it. You also don’t need to do the difficult poses. Look for videos that show how to relax and breathe.
Meditation is another proven technique that induces relaxation to the mind and body. Whatever it is, find an activity that you find enjoyable and easy to do, and make a habit of doing it to help you cope with stress.
Make Time for Physical Exercise
Regular, physical movement is important to boost your energy. You may be thinking it will sap your energy, but that is not the case. Making the body sweat daily creates tons of benefits for the mind and body. Many people use their busyness or lack of time as an excuse for skipping exercise.
However, the truth is, no matter how busy you get, finding time for daily exercise makes you healthier, stronger, and more resilient to fight fatigue, stress, and anxiety. You’ll have more energy to tackle your day too.
Eat Healthily and Include Energy-Boosting Foods
It’s no secret that food is our main source of energy. Whatever we put into our bodies significantly affects our useable energy and our health long-term. Being mindful of what we eat is an essential step to gaining more energy and managing our energy levels smartly.
Strenuously avoid eating added sugars and simple carbohydrate-rich foods, and instead eat more complex carbs, healthy fats, and proteins. Simple carbohydrates and sugars tend to give a sugar rush, which makes the blood sugar levels rise briefly and then fall.
When it crashes back down, we experience an energy slump. That’s when we think we need more sugary foods to sustain our energy requirements for the day. That just repeats the cycle and we are not helping our energy levels at all.
Instead, we need to fuel our body with complex carbs, such as fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats and proteins, all of which make for a healthier, more energetic body. Not only do they give us more energy throughout the day, but protein also makes us feel fuller much longer. If you are feeling hungry all the time it means you are low on energy, and this is usually a factor of the types of food eaten more than anything else.
Drink Plenty of Water Every Single Day
Being dehydrated will leave you feeling drained, worn out, and feeling hungry – even when you’re not. It also makes it difficult to concentrate and focus. If you’re having one of those days when you’re feeling groggy even though you know you have had plenty of sleep, and you are not stressed out, check your hydration level. If you’re well-hydrated, you’ll feel less thirsty and less hungry. To know if you are hydrated enough, your urine should be light-colored and not dark.
Avoid Smoking – No, It Won’t Boost Your Energy
The nicotine from tobacco might give you an instant ‘high’ which might make you think you are not so sleepy or feel like you have a bit more energy, but it is not a sustainable source of energy. Cigarette smoking drains you of more energy and causes insomnia, making it more difficult to relax and recharge your mind and body. It’s best to avoid smoking if you want to naturally boost your energy!
