7 Natural Ways To Increase Energy Levels

Do you feel like you just don’t have enough energy to get through the day? You’re not alone – providing more energy to people who need it is big business! Go to any shop and you’ll see all sorts of energy-boosting supplements and vitamins, some of which might even be added to food or drinks.

Don’t worry! If you’re concerned about whether any of these energy-boosting methods are safe, we have some good news for you. There are plenty of all-natural ways to increase your energy levels that are both safe and proven to work. Here are seven great tips to make you feel energized and ready to take on the day.

1. Manage Your Stress

First and foremost, stress can and does burn lots of your energy. If you’re feeling negative emotions because you’re stressed out, you’re spending lots of your mental, emotional, and physical energy just trying to deal with it. This means that reducing your overall stress levels can do wonders for your energy.

There are plenty of good, proven stress reduction methods out there. Taking up meditation, yoga, or even just sitting down and talking to someone you trust about what’s bothering you can all help you reduce your overall stress levels. This can lead you to feeling more energized as a result!

2. Manage Your Work Responsibilities

If you’re feeling run down and burnt out, one of the biggest reasons may be due to the fact that you’ve been burning the candle at both ends. Being overwhelmed by work responsibilities can lead to high levels of fatigue. Overwork doesn’t just come from professional capacities, either – family and social obligations also play a role in feeling swamped with things that need to get done.

Taking time to manage your work responsibilities can go a long way towards reducing your fatigue. Prioritizing the most important tasks so that you get them done first can help, as this can lead to you finding ways to reduce your need to do other, less important tasks. Reaching out to friends or coworkers for extra support is also ideal in regaining some of that lost energy.

3. Make Time for Some Exercise

There are fewer things that provide you better results than regular exercise. It increases your blood flow and oxygen circulation, which provides your cells with the energy it needs to burn. Exercising helps you sleep better at night, which means you’ll awaken more rested in the morning, and exercising also releases brain chemicals that help improve mood.

You don’t have to run a 5k every day to get the benefits of regular exercise. Even just 30 minutes a day, five days a week, spent going for a brisk walk is enough to get your blood pumping is quite good at ensuring you get enough exercise. Do that, and you’ll see your energy levels begin to skyrocket before long!

4. Cut Back, or Eliminate, Your Vices

No judgment here – everyone likes to have a couple of drinks from time to time, even pairing it with a nice cigarette too. The thing is though that, both alcohol and nicotine can interfere with your body’s ability to regulate itself. Drinking in moderation, especially in the late afternoon or evening, can actually help you stay energized, but only if you limit your consumption.

Smoking, however, is a separate animal altogether. Nicotine stimulates your body, and that means that you’ll often find it harder to fall asleep at night if you’ve just had a smoke. Poor sleep leads to less energy the next morning, so if for no other reason than that you should consider cutting back, or completely eliminating, your smoking habit! Caffeine works the same way, so don’t drink coffee or tea too late in the evening to stop it from keeping you up past your bedtime.

5. Restructure Your Sleep Schedule

If you’ve been getting lousy sleep, you may need to restructure your schedule to get you back on track. This is kind of counter-intuitive, but the truth is that you could make it easier for you to fall asleep at the right time, which makes it easier to get truly restful sleep instead of just getting an hour here or an hour there.

The first thing you should do is to try to avoid napping during the day. A nap can help temporarily to give you more energy back during the day, but then you’ll have a harder time getting to sleep that night. Then, try to get at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep at night before getting up. Over subsequent nights, add more time in 15 or 30-minute increments until you’re getting a full night’s sleep. As long as you’re sleeping soundly, you’ll wake up with much more energy in the morning!

6. Switch to a More Healthy Diet

You are what you eat, and that goes for what type of fuel you give your body as well. Your body absorbs different types of food at different rates, and when you eat foods that are high in sugars or refined starches, your body is flooded with energy too quickly, leading to a predictable energy crash later.

The best way to avoid this is to eat foods that have sugars that are absorbed much more slowly. Whole-grain foods, vegetables high in fibre, and many types of tree nuts are all great sources of slow-burning energy. Eating a diet that’s high in protein and is rich in healthy fats will also help you maintain your energy levels more steadily throughout the day, making it easier for you to have the get-up-and-go to get everything you need to do.

7. Keep Hydrated

Finally, it’s important that you drink enough water throughout the day. Our body needs water to survive, and most of us are chronically dehydrated as we go about our day. Feelings of fatigue are one of the first warning signs of not having enough water, so always make sure you top off your water bottle and take lots of water breaks throughout your day!