It’s hard to feel your best all the time. Sometimes, everyone needs a pick-me-up. Managing energy becomes especially important as we age, manage work stress, and deal with family obligations. It’s normal to feel tired, and like you don’t have the juice you used to.
Unfortunately, low energy levels get in the way of performance. It’s hard to feel your best when you don’t have enough sleep or suffer from a poor diet or lack of exercise. How can you get a short-term boost of energy to get you through?
You can do things today to get a short burst of energy. In addition, simple changes to your lifestyle will have a significant impact on how you feel long-term. Here are eight tips you can use to boost your energy levels.
Get More Sleep
There’s only so far you can push your body if you don’t get enough sleep. Lack of sleep will affect your cognitive and physical performance. Too many people fail to get the sleep their bodies need to feel restored in the morning when they wake up.
Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you’re not there now, you should notice a big boost in your energy levels. You’ll think more clearly and will feel better about working out after work or school. In addition, people trying to diet typically do much better when they sleep more. When you get enough sleep, you’re more likely to stick to a diet plan because you respond to stress better.
Drink Some Caffeine
Coffee, green tea, and other caffeinated drinks are great ways to boost your energy. Drinking too much, however, can also make people feel jittery. Also, when you drink a lot of caffeine, you can go through withdrawal if you suddenly stop. Avoid headaches by keeping caffeine drinking to a reasonable amount.
Get Out in the Sun
Increasing vitamin D levels is also ideal for people who want to increase their energy levels. Whenever possible, spend some time in the sun to get your daily dose of vitamin D. The sun helps make you feel rejuvenated, especially if you do it earlier in the day.
If you have trouble getting in the sun, you can always purchase a vitamin D supplement or try to get vitamin D from the food you eat.
Avoid Sugary Food & Drink
Sugar provides a short-lived energy boost, often not worth what comes next. After your initial sugar rush, your blood sugars are prone to plummet, leaving you feeling sluggish. In response, people either eat more sugar or drink caffeine to make up for the difference. However, a poor diet is not great for longer-term energy.
If you want to avoid feeling sleepy in the afternoon or having trouble sleeping at night, try avoiding sugary foods. You’ll probably feel more consistent energy throughout the day without feeling like you need a jumpstart after lunch or in the morning.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise makes you tired, but it’s excellent for overall energy levels. When you work out, you release stress and get in better shape, which helps sustain your energy at work, school, or running around after the kids.
People who exercise usually experience higher energy throughout the day. A great thing about exercising is that you can start from wherever you are. Any incremental fitness improvement will impact how much energy you have.
Avoid Drinking Alcohol
Drinking occasionally isn’t horrible for you. However, regular drinking certainly affects how much energy you feel. If you drink a lot, it likely takes you much longer to get going in the morning. Many people experience cloudy thinking and other symptoms related to excessive drinking.
If you want more energy, then you should avoid drinking alcohol. Opt for water or other healthy drinks instead. Your body will thank you in the morning.
Eat a Cleaner Diet
We’ve already touched on cutting out sugar, but other dietary tweaks will significantly impact how you feel. If you want more energy, try eating a high-protein diet that cuts out unhealthy carbohydrates. You’ll feel better after each meal by eating more meat, beans, and healthy vegetables. You’re also likely to lose weight, which is ideal for anyone carrying some extra pounds.
Try adding more protein to your diet in addition to leafy greens and foods with more antioxidants. In addition, a big part of dieting is avoiding unhealthy foods. Stop eating things you know are bad for you, and save them for an occasional treat instead of something that happens regularly.
Safeguard Your Immune System
Your immune system keeps your body healthy by fighting off diseases and infections. If you want to protect your energy levels, ensure your immune system is in good shape. Carbon 60 (C60) https://shopc60.com/pages/what-is-c60 is a unique supplement that provides powerful antioxidants to combat free radicals in the body. Fighting off free radicals helps to reduce oxidative stress.
Research indicates that oxidative stress impacts energy levels, arthritis, heart disease, and other worrying conditions. Increasing antioxidants can give you the energy boost you need, plus added immune protection for the body.