If you’re feeling lethargic and lack energy throughout the day, more often than not, seeing a difference in your life will mean examining your habits and making changes. Millions of people all over the world are in a funk and they have no idea how to get out of it. Let’s look at the ways to boost your energy level.
We are creatures of habit. The results you see and feel in your life are a result of your habits. Unless you’re suffering from diseases like fibromyalgia or osteoarthritis which take a toll on you, having low energy levels is NOT the norm. We’ll look at the following habits that you can inculcate to boost your energy levels. Good habits are not easy to form and take time to master, but if you can manage it, the rewards are plenty.
1. Sleep well
Ideally, you should get 7 to 8 hours of good sleep daily. That will mean going to bed at the same time every single day and waking up at the same time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a public holiday or a weekend. Your sleep schedule stays the same.
Too many people stay up late watching TV and the next morning they wake up groggy with insufficient sleep as they bumble through their morning tasks and stumble to work. Get enough sleep and you’ll have more energy. This is the MOST basic of all the habits. Doing this alone will help millions of people boost their energy levels.
2. Clean up your diet
You are what you eat. Eating clean wholesome foods will mean that your body burns the fuel with a ‘cleaner flame’. If you’re consuming too much sugar, chemicals, additives, etc. your liver will be working overtime to remove these toxins from your body.
We all know what good foods are. Vegetables, fruit, lean meat, etc. Yet, we prefer the unhealthy processed foods because they’re tastier. Your body is like a vehicle. The cleaner the fuel, the better it will run.
It’s next to impossible to feel your best if the food you eat is sub-par. Consume more vegetables and fruit. Get rid of the processed foods and only indulge in them occasionally.
Develop a taste for clean, nutritious food. It may not seem as palatable in the beginning, but once you acquire a taste for it, you’ll love eating clean and your senses will also be heightened to some extent. Your energy levels will undoubtedly soar too.
3. Declutter
Too much clutter in your life will overwhelm and burden you. This applies to tasks, belongings, relationships, etc. You always want to simplify. We only have a finite amount of energy. Spend it on what’s important.
Stop having too many unfinished tasks and unnecessary items in your life. Your energy is finite. If you spread it out over too many tasks, you’ll feel drained. Throw away what you do not need and only focus on tasks that are actually beneficial. If you’re at work, learn to say ‘no’, if your colleagues are trying to push off their work on to you. Trying to do too much or spread yourself too thin will only wear you out and leave you feeling drained. Focus on what matters and remove the rest of the noise from your life. You’ll have more energy for the things that are important. Only handle what you can. The fewer tasks you have, the more energy you’ll have.
4. Stay hydrated
It’s very easy to be dehydrated without even knowing it. People often confuse hunger with thirst. They often fail to realize that they’re feeling tired because the body lacks water. Drink sufficient water throughout the day.
5. Relieve stress
Stress has been coined the 21st century’s silent killer. In our hectic lives, it slowly creeps up on us without our knowledge. We have more convenience now and everything is almost instant, and yet, as people, we’re more stressed out than ever before. Stress saps your mental and physical energy. To boost your energy levels, you should practice meditation or yoga or just deep breathing. Try and center yourself and become an oasis of peace in a frantic world.
Notice how you hunch and your shoulders droop when you’re dealing with problems and the stresses of life. Stress drains your energy and will consume you if you let it.
You MUST make time to de-stress. Spend time in solitude and take a short break to calm down. Reduce your stress and your energy levels will rise. Some people revel in the stress and feel like they’re being productive by burning the candle at both ends. This is a mistake and will come back to bite them later. Less is more.
Alternatively, you can do things that you find fun. Watch that movie, take that trip, have a laugh, try something you’ve always wanted to and so on. All these fun activities will give your mind and soul a respite from the stresses of day to day life.
Why do you think people feel ‘lighter’ and happier when they’re on a holiday? They always seem to have more energy and life. When the holiday comes to an end, suddenly their energy dissipates, and they sink into the doldrums. It’s stress or the expectation of stress from the mundane life that they’ve become accustomed to. Relieve your stress at frequent intervals.
6. Quit Smoking
Probably one of the worst habits on the planet. Smoking wreaks havoc on your health and body. The only time you feel a sense of relief is when the nicotine hits your system. But what happens if you don’t get to smoke?
All the symptoms of withdrawal will arise, and you discover just how horrible it can be. Quitting smoking can be a Herculean task, but if you’re a smoker, it’s one that you should undertake. It will do wonders for your health and cardiovascular system.
7. Reduce Alcohol
Consumed in moderation, the occasional drink is fine. However, if you’re a heavy drinker, alcohol will take a toll on your body and energy levels. Alcohol is treated as a poison by your body.
While the high may feel fun and good, your body is actually working overtime to excrete the alcohol through your skin, urine and if you drink too much, you’ll even throw up. That’s the body’s way of getting rid of the excess ‘poison’. Some people reading this may wonder, “Wow! My body is smarter than me when I get wasted.” You bet it is. Reduce your consumption of alcohol as much as you can, and you’ll have more energy.
8. Reduce Work
Work, in this case, refers to unnecessary work that you may take on, just to be nice. Colleagues trying to get you to take on some of their workload, relatives asking you to help out with their problems, and other activities that are unnecessary, but you do them anyway.
Always remember that every task is using up some of your energy, and your energy is limited. So, only do the work that you’re supposed to do. If you can help out, go ahead… but if you’re overwhelmed, sometimes you just have to say no to preserve your energy and sanity.
9. Stay Away from Toxic people
Have you ever noticed that some people are so negative and antagonistic that just being around them drains you of your life force? It could be a family member who always argues with you or puts you down.
Toxic people drain your energy. They are best avoided at all cost. If you can’t avoid them, minimize your time with them. It will be good for your soul and spirit. Rest assured that these people will often find someone else to latch on to and suck the life force out of them too… but today, that someone is not going to be you.
Remember these points and adhere to them. You’ll discover that you have more energy and time when only the relevant issues are dealt with. You’ll be more productive and happier instead of being tired and hating your life.
Apply these habits in your life and you’ll notice that over time, your energy levels soar, and you feel much better and full of life. That’s how you want to live.
Are There Supplements That Will Boost Your Energy?
These days, there’s a pill for everything. However, most of these medications prescribed by doctors have side effects and lead to addictions. The best way to boost your energy naturally is to wean yourself off medication and go with natural supplements instead.
The best supplement is a clean diet that is wholesome and nutritious like this Green Juice. However, unless your knowledge of nutrition is extensive, and your diet is well-balanced, it’s quite common to be lacking a few vitamins or minerals in your diet.
Sometimes, you just can’t get the required amount of vitamins from food alone. For example, you may not wish to eat 4 cloves of garlic daily to get the benefits of allicin. A simple alternative would be to take a garlic capsule that has all the nutrients you need.
So, supplements do have their use, if you know how to use them. There are a few supplements that are great for boosting your energy.
1. Ashwagandha
Also known as Indian ginseng, this herb has many beneficial health properties such reducing cortisol levels (linked to stress), reducing blood sugar levels, boosting testosterone (more energy), reducing inflammation, increasing muscle strength and so on. Just these benefits alone will translate into more energy overall. You can obtain ashwagandha supplements from most health stores.
2. Magnesium
Known as ‘nature’s tranquilizer’, not only does magnesium make you sleep better, but it helps the body to break down glucose for your energy needs. Recommended daily dosage should be around 300 to 350 mg.
3. Creatine
This supplement is used by most bodybuilders and athletes because it improves their performance during training. Your body can get creatine from meat and fish, but supplements will help you get more creatine in your body. You’ll feel stronger and more energetic.
4. Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant and highly addictive. It’s the reason why so many people can’t start their day without coffee. Caffeine supplements are better than coffee because you don’t need to add sugar and milk and get extra calories in your diet.
The problem with caffeine is that it’s not something that you want to rely on daily. On days when you’re just not in the mood to work or get stuff done (we all have those days) a caffeine pill will give you the boost you need to do what you need to do.
It’s a very potent tool that should not be abused. If you take it daily, you’ll be taxing your central nervous system. Over time, you’ll need more caffeine just to get the same level of stimulation. So, use it sparingly. It’s a very useful supplement for days when you’re feeling lethargic.
5. A multivitamin
Our diets these days are often high in calories and additives but low in nutrients and vitamins. For example, a doughnut is just flour and sugar. A hot dog is flour, sodium, some sketchy meat and calorie-laden sauce. Both foods are high in relatively empty calories.
You’re eating food but it’s not the food the body needs. As a result, you may be lacking some vitamins and minerals that you’re not even aware of.
Taking a multivitamin daily will help make up the shortfall. Get a multivitamin from a reputable manufacturer and take it daily. When you’re not nutrient deficient, you’ll have more energy.
Give these supplements a try and give yourself some time to feel the effects in your life. These are not overnight miracles, and you’ll only be able to reap the rewards after a few months. You’ll feel like a brand new you… or more energetic, at the very least. Get started today.
Disclaimer: This website is written by a regular human. I am not a Health Professional. Please get professional medical advice for your specific health needs.