When In Doubt Go Back To Basics
If youre quitting coffee, youre going to need another source of energy. Our extensive research has revealed that some of the best ways to get energy without caffeine arehealthy food, sleep, and exercise.
Insights on each of those things could fill up their own blog post, but below are some quick pointers to get you started. Heres how to get energy fast:
How To Get Over Your Afternoon Slump Without Caffeine
by Sleep Center of Middle Tennessee | Last updated Aug 5, 2022
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Everyone knows what it feels like to be productive in the morning at work with lots of energy and then the afternoon slump hits after lunch. During the afternoon slump you cant focus, feel sluggish, and are ready to call it a day hours before its time to wrap it up.
If youre fighting off your midday slump with caffeine it can help initially, but it also kicks off an unhealthy cycle. Even when you think your afternoon cup of coffee, tea, soda, or energy drink isnt affecting your ability to fall asleep, its affecting how well you sleep.
That extra caffeine boost in the afternoon comes at a cost.
So is there a good way to get over the afternoon slump without caffeine? There is!
There are lots of alternatives to perk you up in the afternoon without caffeine. But before we list them, it helps to first understand why you may feel tired in the afternoons.
Accessible Energy Without The Caffeine Jitters
Caffeine is a common choice when fatigue strikes or an energy pick-me-up is needed. If you are sensitive to its side effects or just trying to cut back, you can get energy support without caffeine. Try swapping out your caffeinated beverage for a nutritious, energizing drink like Om Mushroom Morning Energy Blend, or the citrus-flavored Energy + Drink Mix. Convenient and economical, these caffeine-free alternatives can support your energy needs without the unpleasant side effects. When used daily, their nutrients and bioactive compounds help sustain energy levels naturally without the jitters or caffeine crash.
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Meditation Can Improve Mindfulness
Speaking of managing your stress, meditation is one specific way to clear your brain so youre more aware and can think more clearly.
The goal of meditation is to be in a state of wakefulness, says Dr. Darling. Your brain is very alert but also relaxed, allowing you to feel more present in the moment.
Hit Pause And Meditate
Been meaning to try out meditation or get back into the habit? Supporting your energy levels is just another great reason to do so.
Meditation can help in two key ways: relieving the mental stress that drains your energy and reducing inflammation that can be a physical drain. It can also be a useful tool for managing anxiety and depression, which can contribute to chronically low energy levels.
The best part? Even 5 minutes of meditation can bestow these benefits. So the next time you need a bit of a break, ditch the social media scroll for a meditation app.
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Finding An Eating Schedule That Works Best For Your Body
Just like what you eat can make a big difference to your energy levels, so can when you eat. For some it is better for you to eat small meals regularly throughout the day rather than three main meals a day when it comes to keeping fatigue at bay. For others using time-restricted feeding windows or intermittent fasting leads to better energy. The truth is, everyone is a bit different and the best way to find something that works is to test different methods for yourself to see how you feel after sticking to it for a week or two. The most important point here is consistency. Your brain and body will get a steadier supply of nutrients, which is essential for giving you enough energy to function properly and helping you stay alert all day.
Try to eat smaller main meals with more regular snacks. Some great snacks for workouts and throughout the day to keep you alert include:
- Unsweetened yogurt and fresh fruit
- Peanut butter and apple slices
Can You Prevent Your Afternoon Slump
Although its inevitable your natural circadian rhythm will dip in the afternoon, it doesnt mean you cant take steps to minimize the effect.
One of the best ways to keep your afternoon slump from derailing your afternoon is to get enough sleep the night before.
When you dont get enough restful sleep you get daytime drowsiness and fatigue. This daytime sleepiness worsens how tired you feel after lunch.
Dont reach for caffeine. Its tempting, but too much caffeine or consuming caffeine at the wrong time keeps the cycle going by making you more restless or keeping you up late.
Caffeines stimulant effects are well-documented. This is why its such a popular choice. It does keep you awake when your energy levels are dropping. It also helps when youre shaking off the initial grogginess in the morning also known as sleep inertia.
But studies show that if you consume caffeine within 6 hours of your bedtime it can reduce your total sleep time by up to 41 minutes, and prevent you from falling asleep on time.
Sleep deprivation caused by caffeine is a good enough reason to steer clear in the afternoons, but there are more serious sleep issues it affects as well.
Related:Trouble Sleeping? 7 Common Causes of Insomnia
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Drink An Adequate Amount Of Water
Fatigue may be a sign of dehydration. Unfortunately, if you reach for a caffeinated beverage in response to thirst, you may actually make matters worse. Caffeine has a mild diuretic effect which causes you to lose even more fluid. By offsetting your consumption of caffeine with enough water and ensuring you are drinking sufficient quantities of liquid throughout the day, you can eliminate fatigue caused by dehydration.
Add Some Crunch To Snack Time
Crunchy foods are ideal afternoon snacks for helping you stay more alert, says Michele Sidorenkov, registered dietitian nutritionist. Eating an apple, munching on carrot sticks, or adding granola to that yogurt are all easy ways to healthfully add crunchy foods into your diet throughout the day, she says. The crunching sound helps wake your body up, and can help beat the afternoon snooze by involving your auditory senses.
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Another smart idea: incorporating citrus. Its light, refreshing, and gives you a natural sugar boost, Sidorenkov says. You also have to put in a little work to open the fruitinstead of mindlessly sticking your hand into a bagwhich could help to wake you up by temporarily focusing on an easy task.
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Smelling Essential Oils Will Also Boost Your Energy Fast
“Essential oil aromatherapy invigorates your senses, quickly affects brain chemistry, and can work wonders for your energy and mental clarity, Rosen says. Take a whiff of stimulating oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, and cinnamon to help relieve fatigue and potentially boost brain function, alertness, and memory, she continues. Diffuse citrus oils like wild orange, bergamot, grapefruit, or lemon and its likely youll feel improved energy, motivation, and mood.
Is There A Connection Between Caffeine And Sleep Apnea
Yes and no. While caffeines effect on sleep disturbances like GERD or restless legs syndrome are well known, there hasnt been a lot of research on how caffeine may be connected to sleep apnea. However, a few studies have discovered some interesting findings on the topic.
One study sought to explore the relationship between caffeine consumption and sleep-disordered breathing, and found that consuming caffeinated soda was associated with sleep-disordered breathing severity.
Although sleep-disordered breathing doesnt automatically mean you have sleep apnea, its best to talk with your doctor if youre concerned about your risk.
While caffeine may not be directly associated with sleep apnea, another interesting discovery has shown that caffeine consumption can actually help sleep apnea patients.
Sleep apnea can cause cognitive impairment, forgetfulness, and brain fog. However, increased caffeine consumption during the day improved cognitive function in patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea.
So a little caffeine may help sleep apnea patients. Just remember to monitor your caffeine intake throughout the day. You wouldnt want to unintentionally sabotage your ability to get a good nights sleep.
Stop consuming caffeine at least six hours before your bedtime to ensure most of it is out of your system by the time you go to sleep.
If you rely on caffeine to make it through your day and struggle to sleep at night, it can be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder.
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Two Foundational Ways To Have More Energy
We understand most people donât want to sleep more â they want more energy. But the two things are, for many, inextricably linked. And it all boils down to what we at Rise Science call the two laws of sleep, a two-process model of sleep regulation based on the interaction between sleep homeostasis and circadian rhythm.
The two laws of sleep set the stage for the two foundational ways for you to have more energy: bringing down your sleep debt and managing your energy, not your time .
Fda Classifies Coffee As A Drug
Caffeine is classified as a drug in addition to being an additive, according to the FDA. Plus, the world consumes it widely. Although its a highly addictive substance, it doesnt cause harm in most cases so its not regulated by the FDA.
However, just like other drugs, caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms and even lead to a substance abuse disorder, according to the American Psychological Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version 5. Abusing caffeine to where the user feels mental and physical symptoms classifies as a substance abuse disorder.
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Improve Your Sleeping Habits
You might think this is a bit too on the nose, but if youre feeling tired, chances are theres something off about the way youre sleeping.
You might have insomnia if it typically takes you longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, or if youre awake in the middle of the night for more than 30 minutes at a time a couple of nights a week . In this case, you should be evaluated by a healthcare provider, but there are other things you can do, too, to improve your sleeping behavior:
- Avoid alcohol and food two hours before bed.
- Sleep in a cool, dark room.
- Avoid electronic screens one hour before bed.
- Create a routine.
This last one is important: On average, you should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, so fine-tuning a sleep-wake schedule can help you create a space so you can pull that off. If you go to bed each night and wake up around the same time each day, your body will start depending on that schedule, which can improve insomnia.
If youre constantly feeling tired, sleep has to be a priority, Dr. Darling stresses.
Whatever You Do Stay Hydrated
If youre asking how to get energy without caffeine, you need to remember water! 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.
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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.
Do A Micro Workout During The Day
If you feel that you’re losing energy, drop and do 10 pushups. Or do a quick stair climb. While gyms are closed for the time being, you can add some quick and easy at-home exercises to your routine to reset and get your body moving.
“Do some push-ups or jumping jacks to get your blood pumping oxygen to your muscles,” suggests Wright. “Stretch your arms over your head, lean and stretch to both sides and touch toes before sitting back down.”
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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.
How To Have More Energy Without Caffeine
The way we think about energy in this age of productivity has become a little warped. We think we need to be constantly producing, fueling our body and brain with caffeine in order to keep goingbut thats not real energy. The result is late nights and early morning calls, dosing to keep the fire burning during the day and doing it all over again the next.
The truth is, caffeine doesnt actually give us energy in the first place. Its an adenosine-receptor antagonist. What this means is that caffeine dulls our response to sleepiness, making us forget that we are tired, and so we feel stimulated and alert. While this is a biohack all on its own, its dangerous to become addicted, as caffeine has a negative effect on our sleep quality.
In order to live optimally healthy lives, we must get restful, restorative sleep each night to fuel our brains, heal our skin, fight aging and disease, and have tons of energy to get us through each day. It may sound like biohacking, but there are practices that are really just part of a healthy, realistic lifestyle as our bodies intended.
Unfortunately, its very easy and delicious to consume a frothy latte and get moving with our day, and building up better sleep habits takes time. But the many, many benefits are so incredible, and these habits set us up for a lifetime of better sleep and energy. Here are some of Dr. Breus tips for how to have more energy, hold the coffee.
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Struggling To Perform Throughout The Day
For many people, the afternoon slump is a real phenomenon. Often attributed to a quiet or low period during the day, common side effects include sleepiness, lethargy, and general difficulty with maintaining focus on critical tasks. While many people might turn to coffee to help boost alertness and productivity, not every individual performs better under the influence of caffeine. If caffeine causes more negative than positive side effects, consider incorporating the following caffeine-free supplements to help boost performance.
Eating A Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is the cornerstone of an energized life. Make sure you eat balanced meals full of all the vitamins and minerals you need and take supplements in areas you might be lacking. For example, vegetarians and vegans often add iron-rich foods like spinach or take an iron supplement to boost their intake, which may be linked to an increase in energy.
Here are some great foods for boosting energy and preventing post-food crashes:
- High-fiber foods like nuts, beans, and avocado
- High-iron foods like spinach, pumpkin seeds, and legumes
- Natural fatty foods like salmon and avocado
- Brown rice and whole grains
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Do 5 To 10 Minutes Of Light Exercise When Youre Feeling Tired
Just a few minutes of light exercise will really get your energy level up. If youre feeling tired and need to keep going, take a break and do some push-ups, jumping jacks, or climb the stairs a few times. If you can, take a short walkand if you can walk outside, thats even better! Just a few minutes outside in the sun can make you feel energized. But just do what worksa few minutes of any light exercise will get your blood flowing and your energy level back up.