Keeping your energy levels up can be difficult, especially if you’re juggling a busy work, family and social life. Along with eating right and getting enough rest, there are a few quick fixes that could help boost your energy levels and keep you energized all day long.
1. Top up on water
It’s all too easy to confuse your body’s signals of thirst with hunger, but did you k now that thirst can also be a cause of fatigue? Making sure your body is properly hydrated could help you balance your energy levels throughout the day. Try to have at least two liters of water throughout the day, but if you’re feeling an energy slump coming along, drink a tall glass of cold water – try with slices of lemon and lime for a little added pick-me-up- for an instant kick-start.
2. Make it a power snack
As soon as we start to feel a little sluggish in the afternoon, we reach for the biscuit tin, but this could only make things worse. Sugary foods are a sure way to make you feel even more sluggish and tired because as soon as the sugar hit wears off, you’ll be back to square one. Instead, try a high-protein snack like a yogurt or peanut-butter on wholegrain toast. Protein is digested in the stomach at a slower rate than carbohydrates so it releases energy at a steadier pace, meaning you’ll benefit from that mid-afternoon snack right up to dinner time.
Magnesium is also important for breaking down glucose into energy, so if your body is lacking this vital nutrient, you could start to feel more lethargic. Topping up your diet with nuts and seeds will help boost both your magnesium and energy levels.
3. Or a power nap…
Feeling a little frazzled at your desk? Suffering from information overload? Sometimes our brains need a break from all the information we are constantly absorbing to help beat the energy zap. Researchers at the National Institutes of Mental Health in the US found that getting a little shut eye for 60 minutes not only reverses the mind-numbing effects of too much continuous mental hard work, but can also help you retain the information you processed for longer. So it really is better for you to have that cat nap before an important meeting!
4. Take a deep breath
Not only does yoga and Pilates count towards your daily exercise, but their deep breathing routines help to energize and stabilize the body. Take a couple of minutes each day to step away from your desk and workload and focus on your breathing. You could also try breathing in home-use oxygen-enriched air from a canister. People who have used oxygen therapy often feel an immediate improvement in their energy levels and concentration after breathing in the purified air in the can at work, at home and at the gym.
5. Exercise to energize
No one likes the idea of a tough workout if they’re already feeling exhausted , but a quick burst of exercise could do wonders for your energy levels. A brisk ten-minute walk in the fresh air not only clears your mind, but gets your heart rate up and your blood pumping which helps deliver a quick energy boost. Try getting off the bus one stop earlier on your way to work or taking the stairs instead of the lift during the day to help avoid those energy slumps.
**This is a partnered guest post brought to you by Nicole Canning, editor of Totally Living.
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