Don’t Let Yourself Get Dehydrated
According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, a 2 percent level of dehydration doesn’t set in until we start feeling Hey, I’m thirsty. The same study says that a 1.5 percent level of dehydration is enough for significant fatigue to come on. The solution? Be sure you’re drinking enough water so that you never crave hydration. For women, that amounts to about eight eight-ounce cups per day for men, it’s ten.
Get More Sleep Or Better Sleep
Sleep has a lot to do with how much energy you feel during the day. If youre getting very little sleep or the sleep you do get is not solid, you probably feel fatigued the moment you wake up. This is because your brain did not have enough time to sort through the emotions and memories of the day before. Its as if your personal secretary called in sick for the day, and now youre left with a big mess to clean up.
Your lack of sleep may be the result of a busy schedule, but it could also be from over-caffeinating in the day, or dealing with emotions like depression and anxiety. If you work with a therapist to overcome your depression, you could start to see positive changes in your sleeping patterns. Whats even better is that more sleep will make you feel less depressed, so the cycle continues to work in your favor!
Eat Several Small Meals Throughout The Day
Are you tired after eating?
Thats because your body is busy digesting, especially after big meals. Blood flow increases to the digestive system, which means that there is less oxygen available to the brain. And this reduced supply manifests itself in the form of fatigue. Try these tips to reduce fatigue after a meal. When you eat foods low in fiber, your blood sugar levels spike briefly but then fall again rapidly. Fatty meals can also sit heavy in your stomach. This makesyou feel tired and wiped out.
Therefore, you should eat small meals throughout the day. That way your body has a steady supply of energy without the overload. Try these healthy snacks you can meal prep for the office or small desserts without processed sugar!
Also Check: Does Caffeine Cause Dry Eyes
Natural Energy Boosters: How To Get A Quick Jolt Without A Drop Of Caffeine
Sure, a giant coffee or energy drink can give you an instant lift. But it could come at a cost. While its fine to consume caffeine in moderation, having too much can leave you anxious and jittery. Heavy caffeine use can also irritate your stomach, make it harder to fall asleep at night and even cause a rapid heartbeat.
The good news is that there are plenty of natural ways to boost your energy without caffeine. Here are six simple alternatives you can try today.
Stick To A Sleep Schedule
“Make sure you set up a bedtime routine so your body knows it’s time to rest,” advises fitness coach Kylene Terhune . “Cool your house in the evening so your body can respond to nature’s natural signal that it’s time to shut down. Avoid technology and/or wear blue light blocking glasses up to two hours before bed.” And for more bad sleep habits you should quit, check out the 25 Things You’re Doing That Would Horrify Sleep Doctors.
Don’t Miss: How Much Caffeine In Bai Drink
Create Good Sleep Habits
Without caffeine you may now wonder how you’re supposed to get through the day.
The first thing you should focus on to have more energy is to get the best nights sleep possible. Sleep has a restorative property within our body as many chemical and mental changes occur during sleep. Establishing good sleep habits is the best thing you can do for your energy level.
The first habit you should build is to create a consistent sleep schedule. Just like you are required to get to work on time, make sure you are disciplined and going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
Sleep is commonly not a priority to people as they will stay up late watching movies, or wake up late on the weekends. While these may sound like a fun time, they are detrimental to your ability to have a good night’s sleep. By establishing a strict routine you are effectively training your body to subconsciously get tired and wake up based on the time of day.
The next sleep habit you should tackle is creating a morning and night routine. For your night routine, take 30 minutes before you go to bed to dim the lights and do something that does not utilize a screen.
For a morning routine you should try and do the opposite. Get as much light exposure as you can and get out of bed and move around. It can be tempting to pull the covers over your head and go back to sleep, but by creating a morning routine you can train yourself to instinctively get out of bed and get your day started.
Drink A Glass Of Cold Water
Both experts listed this as their top tip. It can be especially helpful to do as soon as you get out of bed because dehydration is common upon waking.
Most people dont drink enough fluids in general and are often mildly dehydrated, causing fatigue, so rehydrating with cold water is a great pick-me-up, Fernstrom said. If youre not a water drinker, a cold glass of any low-calorie beverage is a plus the cold is a refreshing boost to energize but skip the sugary drinks, which will sap your energy after a quick boost, she added.
Fighting fatigue in the morning without coffee or caffeine might seem like an unbearable task, Kirkpatrick said. However, caffeine is only one delivery system for energy. A healthy diet and good hydration can be just as effective.
You May Like: What Material Keeps Coffee Hot The Longest
Whatever You Do Stay Hydrated
If youre feeling fatigued, struggling to concentrate, or battling a headache, caffeine withdrawal might not be to blame. Instead, you might be feeling the effects of dehydration. If youre feeling thirsty, dehydration has already set in, so try to get ahead of your thirst with your drinking.
How much water does an adult need each day? The answer varies. If youre exercising, in a hot environment, or drinking alcohol, youll need to up your water intake. The folks at Harvard Medical School recommend four to six cups as a baseline. Keep up your hydration habit, and cutting back on caffeine will be that much easier.
Take A Few Deep Breaths
Nope, its not just the key to resisting the urge to scream at that driver who cut you off. A 2006 study found that yoga breathing from your diaphragm gets your blood pumping, which may also boost your energy all day long. Jerath R, et al. . Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2006.02.042
You May Like: Use Verismo Pods In Keurig
Manage Your Energy Not Your Time
We hear a lot about time management when it comes to finding a way to fulfill all of our obligations in life and work. But weâre here to tell you that the key to feeling and functioning your best is to really be managing your energy throughout the day.
Itâs actually natural to experience peaks and dips of energy throughout your day â thanks to your circadian rhythm. As weâll explain, aligning your activities with those biological ebbs and flows is the other way to make the most of your natural energy throughout the day.
Your circadian rhythm is an internal clock that tells your body when to be active and inactive during a roughly 24-hour period. In the RISE app, we call it your energy schedule because it predicts the natural peaks and dips in energy you experience each day.
Hereâs the basic pattern: After you get through a natural period of grogginess upon waking, youâll feel more energetic during your morning peak, which is followed by a mid-day dip in energy. Youâll get a second wind during your evening peak before increasing sleep pressure ushers in a wind-down period. This is followed by your Melatonin Window, which is the time your brain produces the highest levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin â making it the ideal time for you to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night.
Use An Aromatherapy Diffuser In The Morning
Kirkpatrick pointed to a 2018 study that found aromatherapy can decrease fatigue. She recommended using lavender-scented oils in the morning before work, when you are getting ready or eating breakfast to prepare you for the day ahead.
Other aromas can also have a powerful effect. The scent of rosemary has been found to make people more alert, Dr. Uma Naidoo, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, noted in her book This Is Your Brain on Food.
I feel sharper and calmer all at once, Naidoo wrote, describing how she feels after running her fingers down a sprig of fresh rosemary to release the aroma.
Sage, whether fresh, dried or in the form of essential oils for aromatherapy, can also make people feel more alert, she wrote.
Recommended Reading: Black Rifle Coffee Vs Death Wish Coffee
How To Taper Off Caffeine
Going cold turkey isnt for everyone, especially if youre used to a high daily dose of caffeine. How high is high? Well, its safe to have up to 400 mg per daythe equivalent of about four cups of coffeeaccording to the Mayo Clinic. If youre over or near that threshold, then youd probably benefit from scaling back slowly.
The average American has about 150 mg of caffeine per day, but even for people with pretty moderate caffeine intake, tapering off gradually can mean fewer side effects. Below, check out our list of popular sips for starting the day and how much caffeine is in each, so you can decide what belongs in your mug.
Ways To Boost Energy Instantly
Can’t keep your eyes open at the 3 p.m. meeting? Having trouble waking up for an early morning run? Here are 28 tips to keep your energy up no matter the time of day.
Put down that energy shot! Theres no need to chug crazy canned concoctions or buckets of coffee to get through the day. And better still, that doesnt mean accepting 3 p.m. drowsiness as unavoidable. We found 28 quick and easy tips to up energy levels no unpronounceable chemicals required.
1. Work out midday. When that mid-afternoon energy slump rolls around, hit the gym instead of the sack. Studies suggest working out can actually increase productivity enough to counteract that time away from the office.
2. Eat chocolate. Sure chocolates got caffeine, but thats not the only reason it offers a quick pick-me-up. Flavonoids found in cocoa have been shown to boost cognitive skills and improve mood.
3. Power nap. Avoid the temptation to pull a Rip Van Winkle, and take a quick midday power nap instead. Studies show the optimal amount of sleep is 10 to 20 minutes to get through the day without throwing off the nights sleep.
4. Drink some coffee. We can say from experience six back-to-back cups of coffee is a recipe for instant crash-mode. But one cup is usually just right. One study found that just a single cup of coffee was enough to keep sleepy drivers on a long haul more alert at the wheel.
9. Laugh. Laughters a proven stress-buster, but studies suggest laughing can boost energy levels, too.
Read Also: Cbtl Pods In Verismo
Should I Invest In Supplements
Before I suggest a list of the types of supplements you should take, this is what you should bear in mind. Supplements are just an aid to a healthy eating lifestyle. In other words, you should always aim to eat healthier, vary your plate, and have enough whole foods in your diet. That is crucial to ensure that you are meeting at least the minimum nutrient requirements.
You shouldnt invest in supplements to get your main nutrition. Always focus on quality foods before you supplement your diet. Now, supplements can reinforce what youre lacking in your eating lifestyle. Because of that, I love to always have some sort of multivitamin complex.
In general, if you have a proper eating lifestyle, its not mandatory to invest in supplements. However, there are specific cases, for example, pregnant women, in which we recommend taking supplements. Always make sure that you check with your doctor or nutritionist before taking any form of supplement.
Have A Regular Exercise Routine
When you leave work exhausted each day, it’s tempting to skip your evening gym session. But if you’re neglecting your exercise on the regular, you’re probably only exacerbating the problem.
Through consistent exercise, you ensure that your body is fully oxygenated and working efficiently. This has lots of positive effects on your healthincluding leaving you with more energy.
Don’t Miss: Verismo Brewer Review
Leave The Office For A Quick Jog
Sure, if you want to perk up and maximize your productivity, it may seem counterintuitive to leave your desk. But as research in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has shown, dedicated just half an hour per weekday to exercising provides immediateand long-lasting, if you adopt the practice as a habitenergy boosts. That’s as simple as leaving your desk, running a mile, and stretching upand you could fit it all in a typical lunch break.
And The Skin On Your Fruit
Dont strip the skin off summertime staple fruits, including apples and pears. Thats where the bulk of the fiber is, and a diet rich in fiber fosters healthy digestion and helps keep blood sugar stable, sustaining your energy throughout the day, Rosen says. Other high-fiber fruits? Raspberries, bananas, and oranges, reports the Mayo Clinic.
Don’t Miss: Snapple Straight Up Tea Caffeine
Cut Back Coffee To One Large Cup A Day
The less coffee you drink, the more effective it is in boosting alertness, Fernstrom said.
The brain responds very well to a small amount of caffeine, and becomes immune to a lot of caffeine, she noted.
Keep that in mind if you absolutely cannot give up coffee it can be a great tool, when used sparingly.
To stretch at your desk, try lifting your arms to the ceiling, shrugging your shoulders as high as you can, and sitting up and down in your chair using only your legs.
Then, reach out to a friend.
Sometimes, a mid-day chat with a good pal is the best way to get an energy boost, Fernstrom said.
Focus On One Task At A Time
When you feel overwhelmed, you suddenly become more tired. Your brain says, Hey, I cant handle anymore! and it stops working the way you need it to. You may not be able to get rid of everything on your schedule, but you can change the way you perceive it. Rather than looking at a long lit of tasks to complete, focus on one task at a time. Your goal should be progress, not perfection, because no one is perfect. If you start to acknowledge your progress, you will feel better about yourself and your accomplishments throughout the day.
Recommended Reading: How Much Caffeine In Folgers Medium Roast
Go Outside On Your Lunch Break
Sunny days arent just good for your moodthey can also be good for your mental and physical health.
The sun can be very invigorating stimulate vitamin D production, which has been shown to enhance mood, says Childress. Everyone needs vitamin D for bone health, but many dont get enough of it from foodenter, supplements and good ol fashioned sunshine.
FYI: a little bit of sunscreen-free sun exposure is okay, but make sure you dont go overboard. You dont need to tan or burn your skin in order to soak up those vitamin-rich rays you only need about 10-15 minutes of exposure.
Dress Up Your Wardrobe
This might not seem directly related to your physical energy level, but it’s surprising how much an improvement to your outfit can turn your mood around. “Dress well and appropriate and you will be surprised as to how much self-confidence can boost energy levels,” says Alam.
Take a few extra minutes to make sure your shirt is ironed, your tie is on straight or that your shoes are freshly shinedyou’ll feel better almost immediately.
Also Check: Standard Coffee Table Length
Boost Your Energy Without Caffeine
Getting enough sleep is the best way to ensure youâll have the energy you need for your day. And when you work with the daily energy peaks and dips of your circadian rhythm, having an extra cup of coffee wonât seem so tempting or necessary. Keeping your sleep debt low and healthy eating high on your list of priorities can help you make the most of your daily energy.
Now, instead of relying on over-caffeinated energy drinks or staying up into the wee hours scouring the dark corners of the internet to buy sketchy energy pills, you can simply climb into bed, turn out the lights, and sleep your way to more energy. And you can use the RISE app to plan your sleep schedule and your daily activities so that they line up with your bodyâs circadian rhythm.
How Much Energy & Motivation
How Much Energy And Motivation Can Be Gained From Only 1-2 Hours Before Your Workout?
There is no limit. This is all based on you personally. With the right motivation people can go from half asleep to full sprint in a matter of seconds. With 1-2 hours you can, at the very least, gain enough energy to get up to the gym and do your workout.
You May Like: How Much Caffeine In Diet Snapple Peach Tea