5 tips to stay energized throughout the day
Eat a healthy breakfast. Despite the importance attributed to the first meal of the day, breakfast is the easiest one to skip (and most commonly skipped, for that matter). It’s important to make time for breakfast, even if you have to get up 15 minutes earlier. A well-balanced breakfast wakes up your body and provides you with an ample supply of energy, helping you resist the feelings of stress and anxiety that may come up later in the day. Make sure to include foods that offer you antioxidants and vitamins that help relieve stress naturally, such as oatmeal, spinach, nuts and seeds, blueberries, milk, and avocado. (Boost your energy and reduce fatigue with the “fountain of youth” berry.)
Stay active. Even though it doesn’t cost you much in terms of energy, a sedentary lifestyle is quite exhausting. Sitting for hours has been connected to greater anxiety, not to mention a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. And the older we get, the more sedentary we become. It seems that we need to make an extra effort to move more, and the effort is well worth it. At least 30 minutes of daily physical activity will improve your blood pressure, sleep quality, and self-confidence, not to mention all those “feel-good” hormones released. The result? You end up with lower health risks, more energy, and are fully equipped to face the day.
Don’t fall victim to caffeine crash. We’ve all been there. Feeling somewhat tired after lunch, you reach for a cup (or two) of your afternoon coffee, only to experience a really brief surge of energy followed by an utterly draining caffeine crash. Instead of making you feel better, caffeine augments the effects of stress, leading to headaches, restlessness, and fatigue. Drink more water to keep your blood pressure and cortisol levels at bay, and if you need a pick-me-up, switch to tea. Tea will help you feel refreshed without the side effect of a nasty energy-depleting crash. (Siberian secret refuels your energy from within.)
Unplug. Whether it’s your job, your enterprise, or even your community involvement, try drawing a clear line between your business time and your personal time. Mixing the two is counterproductive and doesn’t let you get a good quality sleep. When you come home, switch to rest mode, spend time with your family and friends, and try moving all your business worries to the next day. This way, you can defeat stress by doing something you enjoy, and you will have more energy to be productive the next morning.
Sleep. Stress, low energy, and sleep problems are all of the same breed. Brain chemicals that promote deep sleep also control stress hormones, so it comes as no surprise that when we don’t sleep well, we are more prone to the effects of stress. Sleep is the ultimate time to recharge our batteries, so clock in those seven to eight hours to be ready for the day ahead.
Don’t let stress and low energy affect the quality of your life. These simple adjustments will help you effectively resist stress, boost your energy, and get more out of every day.
Related: 6 ways to have all-day energy without coffee