Tired? Exhausted? All time? Without a doubt the January weather can make us feel sleepy – it’s cold, it’s dark – but is that really the problem? This time of year we often blame low energy on the season, but if you’re honest, come July won’t you just be tired…. because of the heat? Fear not, there are some natural ways to boost your energy!
How to boost energy
So, you got enough sleep, already had 2 coffees, didn’t skip lunch, and haven’t had a particularly stressful day – why are you still half asleep come 2PM? We often think to ourselves that we must need something else like another coffee, caffeinated soda, energy drink, or energy shot to function because that’s just how life is with our teenage years behind us… perhaps though, this is the problem!
You see, when it comes to improving how well you’re able to maintain your mental and physical energy levels, it helps to switch your focus to optimizing rather than supplementing. That is to say, making long-term changes which leave you feeling energised, rather than craving a quick kick. Creating smart, healthy habits each day can be all it takes to help you increase your energy levels, mental focus, and overall endurance – the catch is this takes some work!
The problem with caffeine etc…
In small amounts caffeine, or any natural stimulant can be useful – a little something to get you going in the morning can be useful. Synthetic options, like energy drinks, take this to another level – perhaps they can be useful right before intense exercise, but when we start to rely on them all the time many of these stimulants aren’t healthy, and some can even become addictive. What’s more, these can place unnecessary stress on your body.
The major cause of exhaustion is stress – so putting chemicals into the body, natural or otherwise which cause further stress may well be doing the exact opposite of what we hope. In our modern-day world, we’re subjecting ourselves to heightened levels of constant stress, to diets lacking in basic nutrition, and to increasingly sedentary lifestyles more often than not. So, instead of that daily quick fix, it’s better to take a step back and consider the effect that your stress levels, exercise frequency, and diet can have on your energy levels.
Three ways to raise your energy level
So, what can we do to feel more energised? It’s more simple than you think – but it takes some work…
- Being stressed out consumes a ton of energy. Bringing down your mental stress levels with a relaxing activity like meditation and your physical tension with some quick physical therapy in the form of chiropractic care can help you reclaim that energy.
- Daily exercise can help you sleep better, elevate your mood, and further improve your energy levels by boosting the amount of oxygen circulating in your body.
- Eating foods with a low glycemic index (where sugar is absorbed slowly) can help you avoid a crash after meals and snacks, keeping you more energized throughout the day.
Hopefully, after reading the above list the idea of optimizing vs supplementing is becoming a bit clearer. Finding real ways to address those low-grade energy drains that often go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives and sticking to them is the best way to feel more energised in the long term.
This does not mean go cold turkey on the caffeine – but it does mean starting to take practical steps to address these issues. Be honest with yourself, are you getting enough exercise, is your diet giving you the nutrition you really need? Could you take steps to reduce the stressors in your life, or, if not, could you take up yoga or meditation to act as a balance to them?
Here to help!
And if you need help identifying and creating a plan to address your personal stressors and you’d like to get our recommendations regarding the exercises, stretches, and dietary and lifestyle adjustments that may be right for you, just ask us during your next visit.
Our doors are open, and we’re here to help!
