There are many adults who complain of feeling tired due to a lack of energy. Chronic stress, grueling work hours, poor sleep patterns, unhealthy nutrition, and lack of exercise all contribute to making you feel tired throughout the day. Fortunately, there are many ways to instantly raise your energy level. You also have the opportunity to improve your overall vitality by making simple changes to your daily diet and lifestyle.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Methods for Getting an Instant Energy Shot
Step 1. Get into a yoga posture
Practicing yoga can help you increase your energy level. Try an energizing pose, such as the downward dog, cobra, or bridge pose. Performing a quick forward bend while standing may also make you feel more vital and energetic right away.
- To perform a forward push-up, stand and spread your legs by aligning your feet with your shoulders, look down and lean your torso forward, bringing your forehead closer to your legs.
- Try to touch your toes with your hands, but only bend over until the position is painful.
- Drop your arms forward and hold the position for a few minutes. Continue to breathe normally.
- When finished, slowly raise your torso and head up to an upright position.
Step 2. Take deep breaths
Taking a few deep breaths can also help you boost your energy levels and make you feel more alert and focused right away. Sit or lie down and start breathing slowly, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Inhale for a count of five, then exhale while counting backwards to zero.
Step 3. Get upright
Check your posture from time to time to make sure your back is straight, chin up, and shoulders spread. Body movements are closely related to mental states, so when you assume a posture that expresses energy you allow the body to send an immediate positive signal to the brain: "I feel vital".
- Make sure your back is straight and your shoulders slightly backward.
- Correct your body position immediately whenever you notice that you have assumed a sagging posture.
Step 4. Hum something
Singing out loud one of the songs that put you in a good mood will help you boost your energy levels in no time. If you feel the need for an immediate boost, spread the notes of your favorite song and start singing at the top of your lungs.
For an even more energizing result, dance and sing to the rhythm of the music
Step 5. Go for a walk
Walking can help you increase your energy level. If you feel tired and need to regain energy, go outside and walk around the block, or just walk around your house for 10-15 minutes.
As you walk, put on your headphones and try to listen to some cheerful music, your vitality levels will benefit even more
Step 6. Walk outdoors on a sunny day
Sunlight has the ability to make you feel awake and energetic, so it's perfect for helping you fight fatigue. If the sun is shining outside, leave the house and sit for 10-15 minutes, alternatively you can enjoy the sunlight by sitting next to a window.
Do not go out in the sun for more than 15 minutes without using a sunscreen, otherwise you could burn yourself
Part 2 of 4: Eat and Drink for Energy
Step 1. Have a cup of green tea
Green tea contains caffeine, which is why it can boost your energy levels. Unlike coffee, however, green tea can also help prevent some serious diseases, including stroke, hypertension, depression, heart attacks and diabetes. Try drinking a cup of green tea to feel more vital.
Limit your caffeine intake to a maximum of 400 milligrams per day. It is important to note that not all drinks that contain caffeine have the same levels. For example, coffee can contain between 60 and 150 milligrams per cup, while tea can contain between 40 and 80 milligrams
Step 2. Keep your body hydrated
Most people don't drink enough water. A dehydrated body can manifest a lack of energy. Aim to drink 8 glasses of water every day and increase the doses further when exercising. You should drink one glass of water before training and one right after you are done. If you are exercising for more than 30 minutes, sip some water even while exercising.
Step 3. Prefer complex, low-sugar carbohydrates rather than common sweet snacks
Small amounts of natural sugars are important for proper brain function, but an excessive concentration of refined sugars (contained for example in sweets and carbonated drinks) causes dangerous glycemic spikes in the blood. Foods rich in sugars cause a temporary increase in vitality, immediately followed by a slump in energy. Examples of healthy snacks include:
- a slice of toasted wholemeal bread spread with an almond or hazelnut cream;
- a fruit;
- a couple of carrots cut into sticks and a spoonful of hummus.
Step 4. Have breakfast every day
Eating a nutritious breakfast keeps you alert, speeds up your metabolism, and wards off the craving for sugar-rich foods throughout the day. In the morning, avoid cereals, cookies and sugar-filled snacks. Here are some healthier choices:
- whole grain bread;
- oat flakes;
- egg;
- fruit;
- yogurt;
- peanut butter.
Step 5. Choose foods that are rich in protein
Eating high protein ingredients and snacks allows you to feel more energetic for longer. In addition, high-protein foods provide the body with the amino acids it needs to repair and build tissue. Here are some excellent sources of protein:
- poultry;
- fish;
- lean cuts of red meats;
- egg;
- dried fruit;
- dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese);
- tofu.
Part 3 of 4: Regaining Energy by Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Ensure quality sleep for your body
One of the most common causes of daytime fatigue is lack of sleep at night. When we don't sleep well or get enough sleep, we tend to feel tired and fatigued. Most healthy adults need about eight hours of sleep a night.
- Promote quality sleep by protecting your bedroom from light and noise.
- At least 40% of American adults can report feeling tired for many days each month due to their poor sleep habits.
Step 2. Take a short daily nap
Taking a short power nap helps you find new vigor and increase your energy levels. 20-30 minutes of sleep during the day brings significant benefits in terms of attention and performance without causing drowsiness or interfering with sleep at night. Finding a place to take a nap while at work may not be easy at all, but, for example, you can try to consider using part of your lunch break to take a short nap in the car (if you usually drive to work).
- Talk to your boss and co-workers to let them know that you intend to take a restorative nap and not to think that you are simply giving in to laziness.
- Try drinking a cup of tea or coffee right after you finish your nap to further increase its effectiveness.
Step 3. Exercise more
Intense physical exertion can cause fatigue, but 30 or 60 minutes of cardio training (for example, a brisk walk) performed regularly brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and promotes better heart and lung function.
- A regular cardio workout also improves mood (and libido!) And promotes better quality sleep; both factors allow you to increase your energy levels.
- In addition to walking, you can choose a physical activity such as swimming, cycling and running (outdoors or on the treadmill).
Part 4 of 4: Treating Fatigue with the Help of a Doctor
Step 1. Gather information about diabetes by talking to your doctor
If your energy levels show no sign of improving, make an appointment with your primary care physician and take a blood test to check relative sugar levels. Diabetes involves chronic hyperglycemia caused by lack of insulin or insulin resistance. The human body needs insulin to carry glucose to cells and enable the creation of the molecules that store and transport energy (ATP).
- A common symptom of diabetes is daytime fatigue that doesn't seem to benefit from sleep, exercise, and quality nutrition.
- Dehydration due to excessive urination is an equally common symptom in diabetes, another contributing factor to fatigue.
- Possible other symptoms of diabetes include weight loss, mental confusion, blurred vision, and breath that smells like ripe fruit.
Step 2. Discuss a potential hormone imbalance with your doctor
It is one of the most common causes of fatigue. The glands in the body produce hormones, many of which impact metabolism, energy production and mood. Your doctor may order a blood test to measure the levels of hormones and other compounds released by these glands.
- Hypothyroidism (or thyroid insufficiency) is a common cause of chronic fatigue, especially in women.
- Adrenal fatigue can be caused by chronic stress or caffeine and / or drug abuse. The most common symptoms of adrenal fatigue are: fatigue, lack of energy, restlessness and sleep disturbances.
- Commonly menopause can cause: lack of energy, hot flashes, insomnia and emotional disturbances. Menopause is due to a natural decline in female sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone), but some disorders and diseases can induce it prematurely.
Step 3. Get tested for anemia
An important symptom of anemia is feeling particularly weak or fatigued. Anemia occurs when the body doesn't have enough healthy blood cells to function as it should. It can be caused by an iron deficiency, vitamin deficiency, a chronic disease (such as Chron's disease or rheumatoid arthritis) or many other factors. It is therefore important to see a doctor if you always feel fatigued.
Step 4. Determine if fatigue is not caused by depression or anxiety.
If you are constantly feeling tired, but tests show that you are healthy, you may want to consider your emotional health. Depression and anxiety can both cause fatigue.
- Some signs and symptoms of depression include: pessimism, feeling empty or worthless; difficulty concentrating; loss of interest in activities you previously enjoyed; inability to control negative thoughts; indulge in alcohol, drugs, or other risky behaviors.
- Some signs and symptoms of anxiety include: feeling constantly worried, tense, or always on edge; avoid everyday situations and activities that could make you feel particularly anxious (such as socializing); uncontrollable irrational fear; deep pessimism or the constant feeling of a bad feeling.
- If you think you are suffering from depression and / or anxiety, ask your doctor to recommend a therapist who can help you overcome these problems or a psychologist who can diagnose and probably prescribe medications to help you cope.
Step 5. Go to a weight loss clinic
If you are obese or overweight, losing weight could provide you with significant benefits and allow you to go through your daily routine with more energy. By losing weight you will improve your health and energy levels, you will become more agile and flexible, you will be happier and feel more confident. A specialized clinic will be able to help you find the right motivation and will teach you to effectively modify your diet by inserting greater quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains; it will also teach you to avoid "empty" calories associated with sugar intake.
- Pairing a diet change with a more strenuous exercise routine will help you lose weight faster.
- The key is to reduce the number of calories you eat daily (no more than 2,500 if you are a man or 2,000 if you are a woman) and to regularly engage in physical activity that helps you burn fat (cardio). Even a daily 30-minute walk will prove effective.
- Losing weight also helps you reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases, factors that can aggravate feelings of tiredness and fatigue.
Advice
- If you want to keep your energy high, remember that a grown man needs about 2,500 calories per day on average, while a woman only needs 2,000. Calorie deficiency or excess can both cause low energy levels.
- Sometimes spending too much time watching TV can rob you of your energy; therefore try to reduce the time spent in front of the screen, especially during the hours of the day.
- When you feel tired, listening to some upbeat music can have an energizing effect. It can also help you find the motivation to exercise (for example, dance).
- In addition to TV, excessive use of tablets, computers and smartphones can also induce a feeling of exhaustion. Try not to spend too much time staring at the screen of these devices.
