Sick of feeling fatigued during the day? Want to naturally increase your energy levels to maximize productivity? Let’s take a look at the top 7 tips to increase energy levels.
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1. Caffeine Detox
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If you’ve been relying on caffeine to start your day for months or even years then it may be time for a caffeine detox. Your body builds up a tolerance to caffeine over time, requiring more and more caffeine to get the same effect. This leads to adrenal fatigue.
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We recommend trying a caffeine detox for 2 to 4 weeks. The beginning may be rough but eventually your natural energy cycles will be restored.
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2. Coffee Alternatives
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Continuing with the idea above, if after a detox, caffeine is one of those life necessities, then consider lower octane options such as Matcha green tea or yerba mate. Both have been shown to produce an incredible amount of energy without the jitters or anxiety that caffeine promotes.
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3. Move Around
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If you’re like most people, you’re sitting down for most of the day because of school or work. At the top of each hour, take a few minutes to walk around and stretch. During your lunch break, get outside and walk around.
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The simple act of getting up and moving around can help to get blood flowing, promoting a feeling of wakefulness. [1]
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4. Avoid Sugar, Simple Carbs
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If you’re eating a lot of sugar or simple carbohydrates then you’re more likely to notice low energy levels. Simple carbohydrates are fast to digest, placing a large amount of glucose into the blood all at once. This is what leads to the fatigue known as a sugar crash. Examples of simple carbohydrates include candy, overly processed chocolate (raw chocolate is okay), white bread, white potatoes, white rice, and fruit juices.
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Complex carbohydrates take hours to digest, providing a steady stream of usable glucose. Examples of complex carbs include whole wheat bread, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. [2]
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5. Intermittent Fasting
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The human body was designed to fast and studies are proving this over and over again. The benefits of fasting are numerous. Everything from the cells in your brain to your skin can benefit from occasional fasting. One other benefit from fasting is increased energy levels. [3]
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Without the worry of digestion, your body can focus on restorative processes, leaving you with higher energy levels. Sure, it may take a week to adjust but once you do, you’ll love how great you feel.
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Try fasting for 16 hours each day for five days a week. You eat for 8 hours. You can start your fast at 8 p.m. then begin your first meal at 12 p.m. the following day.
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6. Supplement Wisely
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Supplements are a great way to complement your current diet and exercise program. Instead of focusing on supplements loaded with caffeine and other thermogenics, we would recommend trying several natural ingredients.
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There are natural ingredients that can help boost your daily energy levels including maca root, ginseng, and green tea extract. Try one or find a blend of all three. [4] [5]
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7. Learn to Sleep
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Most people don’t know how to get a good night’s sleep. Thanks to technology, we’re constantly plugged in. Even when we fall asleep, our cell phones are within reach. If you want to naturally increase your energy levels, then you need to start powering down an hour before bed.
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Put all electronics out of the room or at the other end of the room. Try reading a book and drinking an herbal tea such as chamomile. The supplement ZMA is also a great way to support sleep.
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References
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1. Griswold, Alison. “To Work Better, Just Get Up From Your Desk.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 July 2012,www.forbes.com/sites/alisongriswold/2012/06/12/to-work-better-just-get-up-from-your-desk/#594838df1c15.
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2. “Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar.” The Nutrition Source, 25 July 2016, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/ .
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3. Henriette van Praag, Monika Fleshner, Michael W. Schwartz, Mark P. Mattson. Exercise, Energy Intake, Glucose Homeostasis, and the Brain. Journal of Neuroscience 12 November 2014, 34 (46) 15139-15149; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2814-14.2014.
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4. Gonzales GF. Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium meyenii (Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM. 2012;2012:193496. doi:10.1155/2012/193496.
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5. Chacko SM, Thambi PT, Kuttan R, Nishigaki I. Beneficial effects of green tea: A literature review. Chinese Medicine. 2010;5:13. doi:10.1186/1749-8546-5-13.
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