1. Run For Your Life!
Parenthood, college papers, long work weeks, annoying bosses... we all have something draining our energy daily.
Try putting a few of these tips and tricks into your regimen and get back to doing what you love!
Let's start simple. Health experts say exercise is the single best thing (aside from smoking) you can do to immediately improve your health.
2. Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to
Running combines flexibility, cardiovascular and muscular training. Bonus tip: run on the asphalt or beach to prevent shin splints.
Stick with me here, I know it sounds gross. But many of us have magnesium and potassium deficiencies, which locks up our muscles. This is especially useful if you have a job that requires you to sit for most of the day.
3. Strrretchhh
I'm not going to lie, potato water is... not that good. But it's easy to chug and the health benefits are worth the bitter taste.
Yoga, Pilats, Aerobics are all great for you. If you already do those, keep it up.
4. Citrus, the panacea
Not your thing? Just add a few simple dynamic movements to your day to loosen up the muscles and get some fresh blood to your extremities.
Panacea is a fancy word for "cure-all." Citrus will give you an immediate boost to your immune system, helping to fight off common illnesses keeping you down.
5. Cayenne Pepper
It also helps with digestion and it's a better alternative than those sugary "energy drinks" at the convenient store.
I mean, Beyoncé swears by it. And Queen Bey is never wrong. It's an easy way to spice up any meal and it tastes amazing in any type of citrus water!
6. No More Snoozing!
Just add some to your taste preference and soak up all the benefits. Cayenne pepper gives you energy, helps your digestive system, and is believed to help prevent common illnesses.
We're all guilty of hitting that snooze button, I know I hit it at least 3 times before I convince myself to wake up. But studies show that once you're awake, it's best to get up immediately. Those extra few minutes might feel like they're benefiting you, but they're actually making you more groggy for longer.
7. Find Your Happy Place
So next time that alarm clock goes off, just force yourself out of bed. It gets easier.
Stress is a motivator for some people. But for all of us, extreme stress can lead to serious health problems. Elevated cortisol levels can affect major biological functions.
8. Breathe!
So create a stress-free environment for yourself and escape to it daily. It can be your favorite hike, your man-cave, the beach or anything else. Make it your own!
It seems like common sense, but when the day gets stressful it's easy to forget to take a moment for yourself. A deep breath helps your brain reset, clears some of the cobwebs and gets you that instant mid-day boost.
9. Move it, Don't Lose it.
The new Apple Watches have a fancy reminder built into them, but if you don't have one, try setting a daily reminder in your phone until it becomes a habit.
In our health and body obsessed world, it's easy to lose sight of your health goals and become focused on the scale. Forget about it. Being overweight does cause quite a few health problems, but you should be focused on exercising and eating right and not how much you weigh.
10. Keep It Simple
In fact, most studies show that constantly checking your weight is more discouraging than it is productive. So just get moving, your body knows what to do.
I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of these fad diets. There's something new every day and it's exhausting! Think about all the mental energy you're wasting trying to remember how many calories and sugars you're consuming. The best diet?
11. Grapes
No diet at all. Don't eat anything you can't pronounce, fill up the majority of your diet with fruits and veggies, opt for leaner cuts of meat and cut out soda. And also, don't feel too guilty for eating something delicious every now and then.
More specifically, Resveratrol. There aren't many foods that contain this compound, but it's really good for you.
12. Bounce Around
It helps fight heart problems and keeps your blood cells healthy. It's been an excuse to drink red wine for the past few years, but swapping the booze for grapes is a sure way to keep your energy levels up.
It's not just a hipster office alternative. Swapping your regular chair for a Swedish ball has all kinds of potential health benefits. Here are a few.
1. Forces your spine into proper alignment
2.
13. Ginseng
Constantly strengthens your core while you work
3. Improves circulation in your blood stream
4. Gives you more energy by making you move around constantly
Ginseng is a root that delivers amazing energy almost immediately. You can find it at your grocery store in its raw form, or take it as a pill, but it's already in most of the things you probably consume daily.
14. Nettle Leaf
I get my daily source from green tea.
Speaking of tea, Nettle Leaf is another beneficial compound that you can brew into your morning cup.
15. Ditch the Coffee
This leaf can help with urinary tract issues, promote hair growth and fight fatigue caused by anemia.
While we're on the tea subject, try swapping tea for coffee entirely. The abundance of caffeine in your bloodstream can cause your cortisol levels to rise, that's why you get the coffee jitters.
16. Power Down
That hormone induces stress, which leads to the infamous mid-day coffee crash.
Researchers suggest to stop looking at screens one hour before bed.
17. Grayscale
The bright LEDs are overstimulating for your brain and prevent you from entering REM sleep, which means you'll be more tired when you wake up.
Having a hard time powering down? There's a pretty simple explanation as to why.
18. Go Solar
The bright colors on our phone give us instant dopamine hits when we look at them, that's why we've become so addicted to them. Turn on greyscale when you're trying to stay away from your phone; next time you look at it you'll be less likely to keep returning to it and more likely to put it down for good.
Soak up those rays! The sun provides natural vitamin D, which counteracts depression and fatigue.
19. Sleep Like a Baby
If you've spent any time outside of a sun-soaked state you've probably experienced those winter blues. Vitamin D can also help you maintain healthy bones and teeth, and is even believed to help prevent diabetes.
It's sad, but most of us really don't get the sleep we need. Here are a few things to avoid to ensure a good rest: try a white noise maker, don't eat red meat before bed, (it has a chemical that increases brain activity) set a bed time and stick to it.
20. Coffee Naps
A recent study has linked lack of sleep to Alzheimer's, so make sure you get those Z's.
I've only recently discovered these and I wonder how I got through the rest of my life without them. I don't recommend you depend on these, you should always try to have a good sleep schedule. But when the week is just dragging and you find yourself constantly tired during the day, this is the single best energy boost technique I've ever used.
21. Meal Prep
Drink something with caffeine and immediately take a 20 minute nap. The caffeine takes 20 minutes to really hit you, so when you wake up, it's like a quadruple energy shot.
A lot of the reason we don't want to get up in the mornings is because we are bogged down by all the things we need to get done in order to get out the door. Take something off your morning to-do list by prepping a week of meals ahead of time.
22. Eat Consistently
Think about all the brain power you save when your meals are automatic. Plus, if you prep healthy stuff, there's bound to be some bonus antioxidants in there.
Try not to multi task while you eat. When you're not paying attention to your food, you don't feel as full when you're finished. When you spread your meals out consistently you're helping your digestive system stay regular.
23. Go Holistic
You're also preventing yourself from that post-meal grogginess you get after a very satisfying meal. Eat at the same times every day for optimal energy and digestion.
24. No. More. Coke.
Try to use holistic approaches for common things like headaches and minor pains as much as possible, the side effect of many non-prescription drugs is fatigue.
Coca-Cola has been found to have knowingly distributed carcinogens in their soft drinks. On top of that, the artificial sweeteners soda brands use in their regular and diet products will give you sugar rushes lasting no longer than an hour, followed by drastic changes in your energy level.
25. Valerian Root
The more I know about soda, the more I like water.
Can't sleep? The experts say to stay away from the sleeping pills, and melatonin is known to make you drowsy in the mornings. Valerian is an all natural alternative, and it's very mild.
26. Apple Cider Vinegar
A small dose might ease your thoughts so you can sleep better. You can find it in capsule form pretty much anywhere vitamins are sold.
This stuff is incredibly rich in potassium and magnesium, which you might remember helps promote muscle activity, circulation and digestion. On top of that it has a bunch of probiotics and enzymes that promote weight loss and help out with acid reflux.
27. Work & Work Out!
Drink a shot with some water and lemon to chase it, you'll feel it right away.
Nothing boosts your energy like a sudden rush of endorphins. You can achieve that by doing as little as three minutes of exercise.
28. Get Freaky
Tiny little workouts might not get those bulging biceps, but they'll replace coffee and clear those cobwebs better than anything else mid-afternoon! It can be something as simple as taking the stairs or doing lunges around your office.
That's right, just in case you needed another reason... regular sex helps ease depression, lower your blood pressure, and if you do it in the morning....
29. Spriulina
I mean think about it, is there a better energy boost?
Spirulina is classified as a "superfood." It has 2900 times the amount of iron as spinach, it's rich in phytonutrients, carotenoids and manganese. Nutritionists say it's one of the best things you can add to your diet for energy and overall health benefits.
Add some to your next smoothie.