We all have days where we feel like we are running on empty. Not having the energy to jump through life’s hoops can be frustrating and even more tiring. You might have a long list of things you plan to do or would love to do but just don’t have the energy to push through. The good news is that there are ways that you can increase your energy.
How to Increase Energy Levels
If you are tired of feeling tired all the time, there are ways that you can boost your energy levels naturally. Here are a few ways that you can increase your energy levels.
Get a Sufficient Amount of Sleep
We all become busy from time to time, and usually, our sleep routine is the first thing that gets forgotten. However, by missing out on valuable sleep time, you can end up feeling tired, lethargic, and miserable. Feeling like this regularly is a sign that you are not sleeping enough. The standard recommended amount of sleep a night is seven hours. However, there are those of us that need more, and some require less sleep.
If you aren’t sleeping enough because you struggle to fall asleep, you can try to establish some relaxation routines before you head to bed. Ways to relax before sleeping include taking a bath, enjoying a good book, and settling in bed at least 30 minutes before sleep.
It would be best to reduce your phone and screen time before bed because using your phone or tablet before bed can affect your sleep. It has been found that people who use their phones or tablets for long periods before bed don’t get solid quality sleep and they struggle with sleepiness during the daytime.
Stress can be very tiring, especially if it results in poor quality sleep. If you are lying awake at night because you are stressed or worried, you should try to adapt your lifestyle so that you spend more time focusing on your physical and mental health.
Sadly, it isn’t always possible to remove the stress factors in our lives, but we can minimize our stress by relaxing, practicing meditation, and getting exercise. Your energy levels can be increased if you find successful ways to reduce stress related to your lifestyle. If you feel that your stress or anxiety is beyond your control, it is advised to see a doctor for medical support.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercising regularly not only helps your sleep but also reduces the risks of chronic diseases. For example, exercising daily reduces the odds of developing obesity, diabetes, and conditions related to the heart and kidneys. Exercising regularly also enhances a person’s energy levels.
You don’t have to join the gym and jump into an intense workout plan if you don’t enjoy it. Instead, creating a routine where you take a walk every day will go a long way in helping you sleep and stay healthy. By getting exercise every day, you will feel that you have more energy.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is very harmful to your health. People who smoke frequently have a higher risk of developing health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and various cancers. In addition, cigarettes are filled with tar and toxins that significantly decrease your lungs’ efficiency.
If you are a smoker experiencing constant fatigue, quitting is the most effective way to enhance your energy levels and improve your health. However, it isn’t easy to quit smoking, so many people find it easier to use nicotine gum to minimize the symptoms. It is a good idea to consult your doctor once you decide that you are quitting. A doctor will be able to guide you to support services if you need them.
Cut Back on Alcohol
Daily consumption of alcohol is a habit that can affect your energy levels. This is because it can function as a light sedative that makes you feel relaxed and sleepy. That is why nightcaps are so popular because many people find that drinking something strong before bedtime helps them drift off to sleep more easily and sleep deeply.
However, other people struggle to fall asleep after they have had a drink, and for them, drinking often will interfere with their sleep quality. Therefore, if you are drinking regularly and experiencing poor sleep quality, it makes sense that it will decrease your energy levels. So if you are sensitive to alcohol, enjoy your drinks within reason and at a time that is a few hours before bedtime.
Follow a Balanced Diet
If it is a usual occurrence for you to feel tired and worn out, it could be because of your diet. Good dietary habits will result in higher energy levels. On top of improving your energy levels, following a balanced and healthy diet decreases your risks of being diagnosed with chronic diseases.
It is advised to avoid foods that have been processed or are high in fat and sugar because they will decrease your health and energy levels. In addition, if you are often skipping meals, it might be why your energy levels are low. Skipping meals can result in insufficient nutrient consumption, which will make you feel tired. Therefore, be sure to eat regularly and healthily.
Curb the Sugar
This is a common mistake that people make. When you are tired, you are tempted to grab a snack that is high in sugar. By having a snack filled with sugar, you will experience an energy boost, but it will be short-lived. Food that is high in sugar causes a quick rise in your blood sugar. This is called a blood sugar spike.
Your body releases a lot of insulin in order to bring your blood sugar levels down again. So your blood sugar rises and falls quickly, too. This is why you will feel even more drained after you have enjoyed a high-sugar snack.
Remember to Drink Water
We need to drink a lot of water every day to stay hydrated because we lose a lot of water and moisture during the day and night through sweat and urine. If you are dehydrated, you might find it hard to concentrate, and you will feel moody. You will also feel your energy levels drop. It is recommended that adults drink at least six cups of water every day. However, if you are sweating a lot daily because of high humidity, being active, or living in warm temperatures, you need to make an effort to drink even more water.
Hang Out with Friends
It is vital to have some social interaction with people. Having a social support network is very valuable for good mental health. If you isolate yourself from others, you might experience low energy and moodiness. Finding a new hobby or sport that you enjoy will do wonders for your energy levels because you will be out and about with other people.
Cut Back on Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that helps most of us get through the day, but overindulging in caffeine can decrease your energy levels dramatically. If you are struggling to fall asleep at night, be sure to have coffee or tea earlier in the day. If you love your post-dinner cup of coffee, switch to decaf.
Medical Conditions That Can Affect Your Energy Levels
Several medical conditions can decrease your energy levels. They include the following.
Anemia
If you have an iron deficiency, your body doesn’t have sufficient amounts of iron. This means your body doesn’t have enough iron to keep up with red blood cell production. Therefore, a common symptom of anemia is low energy levels and feeling tired constantly.
Hormones
As women experience hormonal changes with their menstrual cycles, they can feel exhausted. Likewise, as women approach menopause, they may experience fatigue.
Addison’s disease
Our adrenal glands are responsible for producing cortisol. However, if you have Addison’s disease, these glands aren’t producing sufficient amounts of cortisol. In addition, the disease causes low blood pressure, which also results in low energy levels. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon for people with Addison’s disease to feel weak and have low energy levels.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(CFS)
People who are diagnosed with this syndrome experience fatigue at chronic levels. It is a complicated health condition because doctors can’t find any reason for it. The symptoms are permanently low energy levels combined with mental and physical exhaustion.
The Common Cold and Flu
It isn’t uncommon to feel tired and experience low energy levels if you have a common cold or the flu, especially if you have a fever. During this time, it is essential to listen to your body and rest well while staying hydrated. If your fever doesn’t break within three days while taking medicine, go to your doctor.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
This health condition affects your airways, can cause discomfort, and makes it challenging to breathe. Since it is hard to breathe because of inflammation of the airways, people suffering from COPD will have low energy levels.
Hypothyroidism
People who struggle with this health condition have underactive thyroid glands. This results in the lower production of hormones. If your body has an insufficient amount of released hormones, you will have low energy levels.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a health condition that causes fatigue at chronic levels combined with pain in the musculoskeletal system.
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia is a health condition that prevents the body from resting adequately. Chronic insomnia results in low energy levels because you are never well-rested.
Eating Disorders
People who suffer from eating disorders experience hunger frequently because they are not eating enough to reduce their calorie intake. Conversely, by not eating enough and frequently enough, they experience low energy levels.
Hyperthyroidism
This condition is the opposite of Hypothyroidism. Your thyroid gland causes it by being overactive, and people who suffer from this condition experience chronic anxiety, which is extremely exhausting. That is why their energy levels are low.
Type 2 Diabetes
People who struggle with type 2 diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar levels very carefully. If they don’t keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and control it carefully, it can result in hyperglycemia. A common symptom of hyperglycemia is low energy levels. In addition, people who have diabetes are more likely to develop anemia, leading to low energy levels.
Kidney Disease
If your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, toxins can quickly build up in your bloodstream. As a result, the symptoms are having a hard time concentrating and having low energy levels.
Liver Disease
People who struggle with liver disease experience low energy levels daily. If the disease continues to progress, the levels of energy will decline even more.
Autoimmune Disorders
If your immune system attacks your body’s healthy organs and tissue by mistake, it results in inflammation at a chronic level. With the body working hard to recover from the chronic inflammation, you will feel tired and have low energy levels.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a health condition that affects the lungs and results in discomfort and difficulty breathing. Because it is hard to breathe, it takes more energy and results in low energy levels.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a health condition that results in inflammation of the joints. Since the body is working hard to improve the inflammation, there isn’t much energy left. Therefore, people who have arthritis often experience low energy levels.
Food that Boosts Your Energy Levels
Following a healthy diet is the first step to improving your energy levels. On top of that, knowing which foods naturally boost your energy levels and incorporating them into your meals daily also helps. These are foods that improve your energy levels.
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is rich in protein which is excellent if you are experiencing low energy levels. In addition, it is a perfect option since it is convenient and doesn’t need any cooking.
Avocado
Avocado is high in nutrients and vitamins. In addition, it is high in fiber and is digested slowly, meaning it provides you with energy that is more sustainable than most other snacks.
Salmon
Salmon is very popular because of its incredible health benefits. It is rich in nutrients, including vitamin B12, which naturally helps boost low energy levels.
Eggs
Eggs provide us with valuable nutrients and vitamins, making them the perfect snack for any time of the day. In addition, starting your day with eggs means you will have energy that goes a long way.
Steel-cut oats
This unique oat is rich in protein and fiber but doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are great as part of your diet. They are high in antioxidants, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is extremely high in protein, making it a great snack to raise your energy levels. In addition, it is high in calcium, so you know your bones and teeth are benefitting, too.
Quinoa
Quinoa is considered to be a superfood since it is higher in protein than all other grains. In addition, it is packed with manganese, magnesium, and folate. It is an excellent option if you want to boost your energy levels while controlling your weight.
Almonds
Almonds are tasty and packed with nutrients that make them a great option for increasing your low energy levels.
Walnuts
Walnuts are among the best snacks to have on hand when you feel your energy levels are dropping. They are packed with omega-3, protein, and antioxidants.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are very high in protein which makes them an excellent addition to your diet.
Trail mix
Trail mix is filled with the nutrients from dried fruit, nuts, and dark chocolate, providing you with the benefits of all of these beautiful snacks. It is a good idea to make your own trail mix so that you can control how much sugar you have in your trail mix.
Matcha
Matcha is not only high in caffeine which gives us that natural energy boost, but it is also rich in antioxidants that are helpful in weight management.
Smoothie
Gulping down a delicious and healthy smoothie will not only give you several health benefits but also pick you up if you feel that your energy levels are dropping. It is best to make your own smoothies so that you can control the ingredients that are going into it. Suitable ingredients for an energy-boosting smoothie include nut butter, coconut oil, blueberries, avocado, cherries, chia seeds, and bananas.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is a tasty delight that gives you a much-needed lift when your energy levels are running a bit low.
Lentils
Many people who feel exhausted suffer from anemia. Keep your iron levels high and healthy by adding lentils to your diet a few times a week. Lentils are very rich in iron and other nutrients that will keep you feeling energized.
Spinach
There is a reason why Popeye always had a can of spinach nearby. Spinach is the perfect food if you want to boost your energy levels because it is very rich in iron. So adding spinach to your smoothies, salads, and meals will increase your iron levels and keep your energy levels high.
Brown rice
If you want to keep your energy levels high and keep your body healthy, add brown rice to your meals a couple of times a week. It is rich in manganese which is a much-needed mineral for producing energy in the body.
Conclusion
You don’t have to go through life feeling dead tired. Instead, you can follow a healthy lifestyle, try to minimize stress factors, and focus on habits that benefit your body. Then, before you know it, you will be bouncing with energy from morning till night.
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