If there is one thing most people say they wish they had more of, it is energy! From C.E.O’s to college students, more energy is always appreciated. With jam packed schedules it’s no wonder that many people are drained and just plain tired! So, what can be done?
Before we go into some tips of what we can do to increase energy levels, it’s important to also address a common energy boosting habit that should be avoided- drinking lots of caffeine.
It’s common in our culture to grab a coffee in the morning and head to work, or grab an energy drink in the middle of the day. There are several problems with this, one being that caffeine, especially in high doses, dehydrates the body. And if we feel thirsty while having a caffeinated drink, we’ll simply drink more of it, not understanding that we aren’t hydrating our bodies.
The second problem with using caffeine for energy is that it becomes addicting. Many people feel that they need caffeine in the morning or they can’t function. When they don’t get it, it leads to headaches, edginess, or grumpiness. The reason these things occur is because of the addiction that has formed; the mind literally thinks we can’t be without it. This is no way to live.
Another problem is that often times a caffeinated beverage is used to supplement the lack of breakfast. Whether it’s completely skipped or replaced by a drink, missing breakfast is doing no favors for your body and will catch up to you.
It’s important to also recognize that our lifestyle impacts our health and energy levels. Some reasons why we could be feeling depleted of energy include:
An unhealthy diet
Working late
Spending most of our time on one aspect- such as work, personal projects, etc
Not drinking enough water
Being stressed out
Holding grudges
Spending lots of time sitting
Spending lots of time watching TV
That being said, here are 5 tips to increase energy levels starting today.
Eat for the energy you want
The old adage, “you are what you eat,” is as true today as it was in yesteryear. The fact is, if you want to have energy you need to fuel your body with food that will give you that energy. Energy output is based on how well your body can metabolize the food it has and how steady your blood sugars are. If blood sugars are out of balance, for instance after eating refined carbohydrates or a candy bar, your energy level will quickly diminish. Instead, eat 5-6 small nutritious meals a day, spacing them out every 2-3 hours. You can read more about healthy eating here.
Get your sleep
Benjamin Franklin said, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise.” Toxicities in the body are disposed of during sleep, so cutting your bedtime sleep short only causes problems. This removal is interrupted without proper sleep, leaving the body full of toxins. This backlog of toxicities does not go unnoticed by your body and often times can leave you feeling fatigued. Studies have also found that lack of sleep affects adipose (fat) cells ability to respond to insulin. Since insulin is a hormone that regulates energy, you can see how this would be problematic. For more about the importance of sleep, click here.
Manage Stress
We live in a world where stress is all around us. We cannot avoid stress, so we need to learn how to adequately manage and reconcile stressful events, or this will result in chronic stress. Stress produces a physiological response in the body, including changing hormone levels which affect energy. Vitality depends on a good balance of neurotransmitters produced by the brain which are needed to give us stamina for the day. These chemicals help us avoid anxiety and keep us energetic, regardless of life’s challenges. You can think of stress as lighting a candle. If the flame is left burning, eventually you will reach the bottom of the wick and the flame will die out. It’s the same with our energy levels and stress. Forget to “blow out” the stress candle and eventually you will be the one to burn out. To learn more about stress, click here or watch this video.
Give your body a boost
Boost Therapi is a proprietary supplement that helps the body and brain receive more energy. The natural components in Boost Therapi create signals that promote the body’s ability to use the available energy in our body and put it to good use. In order to achieve the best results we also recommend dealing with the root problem – such as stress, lack of sleep and improving nutrition. As all these tools are used together you will see energy levels increase and you can improve your health and quality of life. For more information on Boost Therapi click here.
Exercise
Several years ago after a serious illness I was talking to my doctor. I had been on bed rest for a couple of weeks and asked if I could continue to sleep in due to be constantly tired. His answer surprised me, “Oh no, you can’t do that! You need to be getting back into your routine and exercise.” That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, but there’s a saying, “you have to use energy to gain energy”. In other words, consistent exercising will increase energy levels and stamina.
It should be noted that we don’t need to go crazy and become work out machines. In fact, suddenly doing a rigorous exercise routine would make us very tired for several days and probably kill our desire to work out. Instead begin slowly. Start with some light yoga or simply walking around the neighborhood. Steadily build from there. We should eventually be exercising 4-5 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes.
Having more energy allows us to spend more quality time with our loved ones and allows us to continue our personal growth. No one likes to be tired all the time. Make the commitment to make any lifestyle changes that are necessary and you’ll see great results in little time.
Comments