How To Naturally Increase Your Energy Levels
These days, store shelves are lined with supplements, herbal remedies, and vitamins that all claim to boost energy. You can even find so-called energy-boosting ingredients added to foods and beverages. From a scientific standpoint, however, there is very little proof that chromium picolinate, guarana, or ginseng do much to increase energy. That doesn't mean that all hope is lost. There are still plenty of changes that you can make to increase your energy naturally.
These nine suggestions will help to increase your energy levels:
1. Minimize Stress
Dealing with stress can zap your energy stores, leaving you feeling drained and exhausted. Finding effective ways to manage stress can be a big help. Try talking with someone that you trust, finding a support group in your area, or attending therapy to help you get a handle on your stress levels. Activities that promote relaxation like yoga, meditation, tai chi, and self-hypnosis may also be beneficial when it comes to managing stress.
2. Pare Down Your To-Do List
Feeling tired is often the result of working too hard, whether that means doing too much at work, at home, or in your social life. Take a look at your to-do list, prioritizing the items on the list that need to get done over less essential tasks. If you have too many things to do at work, talk to your boss or manager about whether some of the tasks could be delegated to someone else.
3. Be More Active
If you exercise more, you most likely will sleep better at night. Physical activity oxygenates your blood and provides more energy to your cells. When you work out, your body releases norepinephrine and epinephrine. These hormones can increase your energy, helping you feel more capable of tackling your day. If you aren't used to exercising, consider starting with an easy activity like walking.
4. Don't Smoke
The health dangers of smoking are already well-known. Did you know, however, that smoking can keep you up at night, making you feel fatigued the following day? Nicotine acts as a stimulant in the body, elevating the heart rate, increasing blood pressure, and boosting brainwave activity. Together, all of these factors can make sleeping much more difficult. Once you do fall asleep, you may find yourself waking up during the night because of cravings.
5. Try Sleeping Less
If you are feeling tired, experiment with sleeping less. Even though this sounds strange, spending less time in bed could keep you from tossing and turning. When you limit your sleeping time, you usually will drift off to sleep more quickly and will sleep more soundly during the night. Here is a schedule you can use to get started:
– Don't take naps during daytime hours.
– On the initial night of the experiment, stay up a little longer than usual. Try to get four hours of sleep.
– If you slept during the entire four hours, increase the time by up to 30 minutes the following night.
– Keep tracking how well you sleep. If you are sleeping the whole time you are in bed, you can continue increasing the amount of time you spend sleeping each night.
6. Eat Right To Increase Energy
Instead of eating big meals several times a day, spread your food out into small meals or snacks. This can provide your brain with a continuous supply of vitamins and nutrients, helping to keep it more active throughout the day.
Choose foods that have a low glycemic index. Foods like these reduce the speed at which sugar is absorbed by your body. This can minimize the energy crash that usually takes place after eating highly-refined foods or foods that are high in sugar. Low glycemic index foods you may want to try include vegetables that have a lot of fiber, nuts, and whole grains. Healthy oils like coconut oil or olive oil are also good choices. You could also incorporate supplements that provide support to your digestion and gut health, thereby helping to improve your energy levels and promoting wellness. Read up on Multi GI5 reviews and others before you pick one suitable for you. Avoid foods that are high in carbohydrates. Instead, focus on eating foods that are high in protein or that contain healthy fats.
7. Consume Caffeine The Right Way
Caffeine can give you a much-needed energy boost. The key is to use it in moderation and to drink it during the right times of the day. Ideally, you should stop consuming caffeine after approximately 2:00 PM to avoid having it keep you awake at night. If you find that you still need a boost during the day, you could look into a natural solution like red vein kratom which, when taken at the correct dose, can boost focus and energy without adding any caffeine into your system to keep you awake later on.
8. Reduce Your Alcohol Intake
Avoid having any alcoholic beverages with your lunch. Alcohol acts as a sedative, which can leave you feeling tired during the day. Having a drink after work can zap your energy for the rest of the evening, as well. If you do want to have alcoholic beverages, try to drink them during a time when it doesn't matter if your energy decreases.
9. Increase Your Water Intake
If you are dehydrated, your body will naturally feel fatigued. Water has been proven to increase performance for most activities. Best of all, it is free, which means that you don't need to waste a lot of money on sports drinks.
