5 Tips to Boost Energy Naturally

In this modern age, a lot of us find ourselves getting stressed out so easily. Stressed out leading to a very low energy, feeling sluggish, even having the difficulty to stay awake and be productive! I feel you! You are definitely not alone. I do feel worn out too and would feel weary even just halfway through my day.

There are a lot of factors influence our energy levels, but some lifestyle factors have the greatest impact. The great news is that you can boost your energy levels by making a few small changes to your daily routine. Small changes that can significantly affect how energetic you feel, along with many other aspects of your health.

Here are 5 simple strategies to increase your energy level naturally

Get Enough Sleep – How much and how well you sleep are important for good energy levels. Lack of sleep can drain your energy levels, leaving you feeling lethargic, grumpy, and tired the next day.

Do you know that when you don’t sleep well, you are more likely to eat more sugary food, which can lead to blood sugar spikes, followed by crashes and lower energy levels?

To avoid unnecessary sugar cravings and feeling tired, make it a point to prioritize sleep and get enough of it! Although the amount of sleep a person need can vary slightly, experts generally recommend aiming for at least 7 hours of sleep per night to boost energy levels and support overall health.

Having a hard time to Sleep?

You may find these few tips helpful;

• Have a regular sleep schedule
• Take a bath or a bubble bath (if you have a bath tub) in the evening
• Read a book
• Listen to relaxing music
• Limit the use of your electronic devices like your phone, laptop, or television before bed

Move it, Girl! – Having a sedentary lifestyle (meaning, you sit a lot and don’t move much) makes you feel even more sluggish. Exercise can definitely boost energy and relieves fatigue. Maybe to you exercise means exerting too much effort like running, lifting weights at the gym, a lot of jumping, and dropping yourself on the floor. Too tedious and an energy buster! Actually, no. It would always depend on your fitness level. Remember, the goal here is to get yourself moving and that can be way easier than you might think. I would recommend taking 10-30 minutes off of your day to move. Again, the goal is to MOVE and not remain sedentary. If you feel like working out is for you but would like to do it at home, check out this 5 Cardio Workout you can do at home.

Walking around your neighborhood counts, if you want to challenge yourself a little, make it a brisk walk. 

Take these into consideration: Standing or walking away from your desk every hour of work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk on your lunch break.  

Limit Added Sugar Consumption – A spike of your sugar level affects your energy level as much as it triggers hunger, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Although sugar can give you a short-term energy boost, it also wears off very quickly and can leave you feeling more tired than before. This is because high sugar foods cause a shrill spike in blood sugar levels, followed by a crash as the body releases a large amount of insulin to transport sugar from the bloodstream to the cells.

Consider minimizing your intake and focusing on eating whole foods instead and/or eat more complex carbohydrates particularly from plant sources as it can help control blood sugar levels. Consider foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts, and legumes.

Stay Hydrated – While drinking enough water is incredibly important for several aspects of health, making sure you have enough of it helps you feel better. Whether you need brain power or energy to exercise, staying hydrated can help. According to research, being as little as 2% dehydrated impacts attention and hand-eye coordination. You may not always feel thirsty (common to adults), make a conscious effort to drink more throughout the day to stay hydrated

Find these tips helpful to ensure you get enough water throughout the day:

• Drink a glass of water upon waking up
• Drink a glass of water before each meal
• Keep a refillable water bottle with you throughout the day
• Add lemon, herbs, or pieces of fruit to your water for flavor

Reduce/Address Your Stress – we all have our stresses in life no matter our status. It’s common for people with busy lives to feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. Not only can stress take a serious toll on your physical and mental health, it has also been linked closely to tiredness and fatigue. While it is impossible to completely remove stress from your daily life, addressing your stress levels with positive coping behavior is key to a long-term health and it could bump up your energy!

Finding ways to minimize lifestyle-related stress can help keep up your energy levels. Find these tips below helpful:

• Take some time to relax (read, go for a walk)
• Exercise
• Breathing exercise to calm yourself
• Call a friend, go out with a friend
• Get enough sleep
• Choose your battles! Learn to ignore things/people that contributes to your stress
• Speak with a counsellor (if you need to)

How much energy level you have on a daily basis boils down to your lifestyle. You can change your energy levels by changing your lifestyle. Prioritize your sleep, eat nutritious foods, limit sugary foods and drinks, find the best method to cope up with stress/stressors and make that conscious choice to move!

So how do you increase or boost your energy level when you feel weak and sluggish? If you have tips for us, please share them on the comment section below!