How To Boost Your Energy

You might not have anything particularly wrong health-wise, but you just don’t feel well. Your energy is low and you’re not very enthused about what you have planned for the day. Maybe you feel the need for a ‘quick energy fix’ from caffeine and/or sugar (which ultimately depletes your energy even more). You wish you had more umph to exercise and get down on the floor with your children or grandchildren.

If this describes you, here are 13 ways you can charge yourself up using natural means.

Eat nutrient-dense foods. Your cells will be nourished, you will have more energy, and your cravings for processed and sugary foods will diminish.
Get enough sleep. Mayo Clinic recommends 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Less can perpetuate serious health conditions and affect your mood, energy level, and motivation to get things done. I have had several clients who started losing weight more easily when they got enough sleep.
Exercise regularly. According to Harvard Health, exercise makes it a lot easier to have sound sleep, and have higher levels of dopamine in your brain, which will improve your mood.
Limit intake of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Sugar and caffeine give you a temporary surge of energy, but your energy level will soon drop sharply and you’ll be more tired. Among the many negative effects of alcohol, you will become drowsy and have trouble focusing clearly. Because of reduced inhibitions from drinking alcohol, many people eat more than they otherwise would.
Practice stress management techniques. There are many options available. Among them are: breathing and relaxation, tapping, taking a walk, being in nature, doing yoga, pursuing a hobby, and listening to music. Find what works best for you and incorporate it into your daily routine.
Limit time on phone, computer, TV. Being on electronics can be draining. If we use them too late at night, it is often more difficult to fall asleep. Why not reevaluate how much time you spend on devices, and use the time for something more grounding and satisfying.
Take in a healthy ‘mental diet’ with what you read and watch on TV. Choose carefully — what we take in mentally and emotionally affects us as much as the food we eat. Tweak your mental diet so it’s healthy for your whole being.
Avoid negative thinking. Once we get into a negative cycle, it can keep going and going. When you find yourself engaging in negative self-talks, right away reword this into a positive statement.
Keep company with people who are energetic, forward-thinking, and cheerful. The people we spend time with influence our mood, thinking, and behavior. Choose people who will help lift you up.
Avoid spending too much time watching news. Most of what is presented is all the heavy, negative news. Yes, we need to be aware of what’s happening in the world, but we also need balance. Unfortunately, good news is rarely reported so we only get one side of the picture.
Avoid smoking. As your ability to breathe decreases, so will your energy level. Plus, we know that it’s bad for our health in many ways.
Set realistic goals for each workday. Stress often happens when we try to do more than is realistic and reasonable in a day. Set goals that will work. Sometimes this means saying ‘no’ when asked to do something.
Take time daily for prayer or meditation. This will help you be serene, centered and grounded. It will regularly remind you that you have an inner life as well as an outer life.

Now that you have these tips, the next step is to put something into practice. I’d suggest starting with one or two tips that appeal to you. Incorporate them into your daily routine. When you are on automatic with them, you can add another tip. That way you will build slowly and realistically. Over time, these small steps will lead to big changes.

For more ideas on what will work best for you, contact me for a free phone chat.