Researchers have reported that Red Bull causes one to experience a sugar crash once it wears off and 5-Hour Energy’s high levels of vitamin B6 is said to cause nerve damage. And what’s more is that daily purchases of these pricey drinks can hurt your pockets. The bottom line is this: this stuff is simply just not good for your health.
A lack of energy can make the day feel slow and boring, but fortunately there are a number of easy ways to increase energy levels naturally. Improved energy levels can make it easier to get through the workday and have energy leftover for the evening. Energy drinks and sugary snacks can cause a brief spike in liveliness that is followed by a crash, but finding healthy ways to increase energy is fairly simple.
How To Boost Your Energy Naturally
Following are a few natural yet completely effective ways to keep your battery charged up and coursing with electricity throughout your whole day, crash- and problem-free.
Water Power
Water is absolutely crucial. Every organ in your body depends on water to help them function properly. Hence, when the body lacks even the smallest amount of water it causes dehydration; it drains your energy and brings on fatigue, weakness and headaches among other things.Drink more water for high energy levels. Dehydration is a major cause of low energy. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to keep the body hydrated. Drinking more water does not mean filling up on carbonated drinks or soda. Plain drinking water works best. If drinking more water is something that tends to get forgotten in the bustle of the day, keep a one-liter bottle filled and sip on it through the day, refilling it at least twice.
Foods that Increase Energy
Many foods act as natural energy boosters, including nuts and dark chocolate. Eating regularly helps to keep blood sugar levels even, which prevents the tiredness associated with a drop in blood sugar. Energy drinks and snacks can provide a short burst of energy, but that will be followed by a crash and more feelings of tiredness. Eat a small snack once an hour to maintain regular energy and blood sugar levels.Although coffee is sometimes associated with an energy crash, drinking small amounts of coffee throughout the morning and early afternoon can help maintain energy. Replacing coffee with green tea is an easy way to avoid the rush and crash of coffee. Hydration is also important for energy; try to drink at least four glasses of water a day to maintain a healthy level of energy.
Many pills, drinks and snacks claim to offer individuals an energy boost, but that boost is often short-lived and followed by a crash. Finding natural lifestyle changes that make maintaining a good energy level easier is better for your body and will result in higher energy without an exhausting crash.
Eat potassium and magnesium-rich foods for an energy boost. Potassium and magnesium are important minerals that the body needs in order to provide that energy boost. Fruits, especially bananas, beans, nuts and most vegetables, have potassium and magnesium that will help boost energy and increase stamina. Keep fruits and nuts handy at work to battle the mid-day energy slump and see the difference.
Fresh Fruit
Fruit is an excellent source of energy because it is rich in vitamins, nutrients and minerals. Everything from apples, oranges, grapes, plums, peaches, pears, watermelon and bananas all make for great energy boosters. Use fresh fruit to make breakfast shakes in the morning. Put pieces of a banana, strawberry and orange in a blender and mix it up. It’s delicious and you’ll feel the energy elevating in your body almost instantly.Orange Juice
A daily dose of orange juice really does do a body good. OJ is chock full of vitamin C, which fights against harmful particles that enter the body and make us sick. In addition to that, orange juice contains thiamin, which is a substance that converts the food you intake into energy. OJ also carries antioxidants that help to put natural sugars and nutrients into your system.Green Tea
Green tea is another hidden gem and I absolutely swear by this stuff. Not only does Chinese green tea hold powerful antioxidants, which are substances that hunt down free radicals that cause damage to the body, but it also improves mental awareness and helps you to be more alert and attentive. Green tea is also good for helping digestion, it increases your metabolism, regulates blood sugar, suppresses your appetite and builds brain cells. Now, green tea does contain caffeine but if you want to be all the way natural, you can also buy the decaf kind.Increase Energy by Trying New Activities
Try something new each day. Whether it’s a new type of word puzzle or learning a new language, doing a new activity releases dopamine, a brain chemical that is related to positive feelings and increased vigor. Additionally, dopamine helps to motivate further activity, which can make it easier to learn new things and finish up projects at home.Doing new activities can also help individuals find new passions, which can increase energy as well. Participating in enjoyable activities releases endorphins that help boost energy levels and elevate your mood. Find a weekly enjoyable activity, such as couples' cooking classes or golf, that will help increase energy levels.
Exercise Increases Energy
Exercise and movement is the golden rule for keeping your energy up throughout the day. Just because you are active and moving around does not qualify you as having exercised. Keep your heart rate pumping and your blood circulating for at least 30 minutes a day will help build strength, improve flexibility and it also releases endorphins into your blood stream, provoking feelings of joy, happiness and confidence. And if that isn’t a natural energy booster then I don’t know what is.Any exercise, from a brief walk to a full exercise, can help increase endorphin levels and improve energy. Small amounts of exercise each day can help boost liveliness during the day, and regular workouts will help improve energy over time and keep the body active longer.
Get up and move around once an hour at work to improve circulation. Low circulation can cause legs to go numb from not moving enough, and it will make an individual become tired more quickly. Simply pacing around the office instead of sitting all day is enough to improve circulation.
Exercise three times a week for thirty minutes to gradually improve and maintain higher levels of alertness. Regular exercise helps release endorphins, which can combat depression and keep the body feeling more energetic. Additionally, regular exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy weight.
Deep Breathing Improves Energy Levels
Good posture and deep breathing exercises contribute to better circulation and higher amounts of energy. Good posture helps to open the chest cavity and allow better airflow, while deep breathing provides more oxygen to the blood, which increases energy.Deep breathing also helps reduce stress levels. A highly stressful day is more likely to cause fatigue and listlessness. Reducing stress is an easy way to maintain energy levels. Find an office chair that fits the body ergonomically to improve posture and allow for easier breathing.
Take a Vacation or Mini-Break to Increase Energy
Usually, fatigue and tiredness seep in due to monotony and boredom. Taking a vacation serves to overcome this by providing a change of scene, a relaxing pace of life and a chance to recharge the soul. If a long vacation is not possible, aim to take a weekend trip and head for a place that will simply pamper and relax the body, mind and soul. It could be a destination close home or even, a friend’s place. The idea is to get away from the routine and return feeling recharged and energized.Overcome Tiredness with Social Networking
Social networking, either online or offline, can help to increase energy and enthusiasm levels. Loneliness and isolation can often sap energy and lead to a feeling of fatigue and depression. Connecting with a friend over a phone call, a quick lunch or even, on Facebook is a great way of sharing, feeling happier and overcoming boredom and fatigue. Make it a point to talk to, at least, one non-work related person a day and see the difference.Battle that energy slump and feeling of fatigue by eating and drinking right, connecting with friends and taking a break every now and then. Use these simple and effective ways to increase energy and stamina levels and face every day feeling recharged and refreshed.
Always remember the old adage that you are what you eat. The things you put into your body will manifest in some way, shape or form. So the next time you’re feeling burnt out and lethargic, don’t look for an energy drink to generate horsepower, reach for these natural stimulants to fuel your engine.
Source:
Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469
Web MD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20061103/exercise-fights-fatigue-boosts-energy
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