Let’s not beat around the bush: the best way to have energy throughout the day is to get enough sleep at night. Seriously.
“Nothing replaces sleep,” explains Alison Kole, director of the Sleep Department at Summit Medical Group in the United States. “Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to feel well-rested.”
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However, that’s not always possible. But the good news is that here are some good tips to boost your energy. Here they go.
1. Follow this specific hydration formula
Not drinking enough water is one of the main reasons for your energy levels to be low.
“Many of us go through life dehydrated, but when your body is dehydrated, it can make you feel tired and sluggish,” explains American nutritionist Allison Childress.
Fortunately, the nutritionist also says that virtually all types of beverages (except alcoholic ones) count as daily intake. So, if you’re not a fan of water, mix it up with juices, teas, or a broth or soup.
Not sure how much you need per day? Alison Kole says it depends a lot on the size of your body and recommends multiplying your weight by 35 ml to find out how much liquid you need to drink daily.
2. Choose coffee over energy drinks
Yes, a dose of caffeine can definitely give you an energy boost, but not all caffeine is created equal. “Stay away from energy drinks… they provide temporary energy, but these stimulants can cause a rebound effect,” says the nutritionist, noting that energy drinks often contain caffeine but also other stimulants like guarana and yerba mate.
She says that drinking 200 to 350 ml of coffee is much better when you need liquid energy. But pay attention to the clock. Alison Kole warns that consuming caffeine too late in the day (after 4 p.m.) can interfere with your sleep – and possibly force you to consume even more caffeine the next day.
3. Consume protein and carbohydrates in your snacks
Your energy comes from the calories you consume, says the nutritionist. So if you’ve been feeling very tired, you may need to refuel. But resist the urge to run to the nearest vending machine. There’s a simple formula to find the perfect snack.
“Choose a carbohydrate and a protein combo,” she says, emphasizing that carbohydrates provide energy while proteins will keep you more satisfied. “Try an apple with a piece of cheese, or a saltine cracker with peanut butter, or half a protein bar.”
4. Stand up during work
If you find yourself almost falling asleep at your desk, here’s a solution: Taking a walk is an automatic source of energy that improves circulation and keeps your muscles active.
And before you complain that there’s no room in the office to walk outdoors, know that the fresh air part is not mandatory for this tip. Take a few quick trips to refill your water bottle or go up and down a few flights of stairs. Childress suggests setting an alarm on your phone every hour to remind you to get up from your desk and move around. “Do this regularly to keep fatigue away and your mind focused.”
5. Plan your day as soon as you wake up
You know that feeling of waking up and having so much to do that you just want to run out of bed? This tip can help with that.
Kole suggests starting every day with a positive thought or goal (like: ‘I’m going to spend 20 minutes mentally rehearsing for my presentation over coffee today”). This will help you better manage your activities and conserve your precious energy because stressing about everything is a way to see it slip through your fingers. “Personally, I try to focus on one thing to be grateful for, which creates a sense of moving forward.”
6. Smell something refreshing
Whether you work in an office or at home, the air around you can end up feeling heavy, which certainly doesn’t help with alertness.
Invest in essential oils (they will boost your energy levels). Childress says that eucalyptus and citrus oils can refresh a tired body and mind. And if smelling lemon zest doesn’t work, you can also try applying a drop of the oils to pressure points (like your wrists). But read the instructions: some essential oils can irritate the skin.
7. Enjoy outdoor lunchtime
Sunny days are not only good for your mood. They can also be great for your physical and mental health.
“The sun can be invigorating and stimulate vitamin D production, which also improves your mood,” explains Childress. We all need vitamin D for bone health. However, many people cannot obtain it just through food and supplements.”
For your information: a little unprotected sun exposure is okay, but make sure not to overdo it. You’re not there to tan or burn your skin: just 10 to 15 minutes are enough.
8. Keep the curtains open
If you need one more reason to consider the sun your friend, pay attention here. Opening the curtains and letting the light into your room when you wake up can leave you energized throughout the day.
Kole says that exposing yourself to this light helps regulate your biological clock and can improve your mood.
9. Go deep: take a power nap
If you have a full-time job (or children), taking a refreshing nap is probably out of the question. But here’s some good news: you don’t need a long nap to reap the benefits of a mid-afternoon snooze.
“The ideal nap time is 20 minutes,” says Kole. “Longer naps tend to leave people even sleepier, in part because the deeper you get into the sleep cycle, the more you can hit deep sleep – and waking up during that stage leaves you even groggier.”
10. Sweat before breakfast
To help you feel more productive, exercising in the morning can help boost your energy, as well as control anxiety and reduce stress.
But there’s another reason to make your run the first thing in the morning: according to Kole, a morning workout sets a positive attitude for the rest of the day, while exercising in the late afternoon or evening is more likely to interfere with your ability to sleep at night.
11. Write down your things
If we were to enter your brain right now, we would certainly see a long list of tasks, schedule changes, and other things that you definitely can’t forget – which are major energy drainers.
You waste a lot of energy trying to keep track of everything you need to do in your mind. For that reason, Kole recommends sitting down and getting organized through notes.
She explains that resolving these small distractions can relieve your brain and leave you better prepared to tackle the next task on the list, whatever it may be.
