Do any of these sound familiar?
- You find yourself struggling to get out of bed in the morning?
- You hit an afternoon slump and struggle through to the end of the day?
- Your tiredness is affecting your productivity & home life?
If you’re energy levels have been letting you down or you struggle with an energy roller-coaster then there are some simple steps you can take daily for consistent energy.
1. Keeping your energy consistent all day long.
To keep energy levels high, avoiding energy highs and lows, you’re body needs the right type of fuel. Make sure you have 3 balanced meals and 2 healthy snacks throughout the day. Every meal should include a protein, a complex carbohydrate and some good oil. This formula will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
Proteins can include eggs, fish, tofu, chicken, meat, yoghurt or hummus. Complex carbohydrates are brown rice, whole grains and vegetables. Good oils are found in olive oils, coconut, flax seeds, walnut, nuts and seeds.
An analogy to consider – you’re body is like a car when you put diesel in a petrol car it won’t get very far!
2. Replenishing your depleted energy stores
If you’ve been pushing yourself for a while your energy stores may have become depleted, a bit like a battery that’s been over used.
To speed up recovery and restore depleted energy levels boosting low nutrient levels can help correct the imbalances created by stress hormones and overdoing it.
Essential nutrients can be found in 6 to 8 serving’s of highly coloured vegetables a day as a minimum anyway. However when you’re on the road to recovery your body needs additional vitamin B,C and E along with the minerals magnesium & calcium.
These additional nutrient requirements can often be achieved with one good multivitamin depending on your situation.
3. Keeping the your energy ‘tank’ full
Top of the list is a good quality sleep and if you’re not getting this then it’s going to be a little more difficult to improve and maintain your energy levels or rebuild lost reserves.
For most people the most rejuvenating sleep is between 10 and 12pm, try going to bed before 10.30pm and aim to get at least 1 hour before midnight. Research has shown that the optimal amount of sleep is 7-8 hours uninterrupted sleep a night, but you may need more if your serious about getting more energy.
Experts in adrenal fatigue or ‘burnout’ recommend that people on a recovery programme use the weekends to gain more restorative sleep. If you struggle with insomnia then you may need to address this to ensure quicker recovery.
Fundamentally we may need to break the stress cycle that could have initiated the stress hormones at the outset by incorporating some forms of relaxation (meditation, yoga and nature) and stress relief (fun, laughter and exercise) into your routine. Caffeine stimulants can often making the situation worse.
If you’re still struggling with tiredness after implementing the recommendations above then you may have other things going on like adrenal fatigue or ‘burnout’ and need to seek advice from an expert regarding your best options for recovery.
Some energy boosting herbs and foods you can use also try – Goji berries, liquorice, or rhodiola
Author Bio:
Sue is a Women’s Health & Vitality Specialist, author of ‘The Good Health Guide’ a monthly ezine and she’s developed the 14 day Spring Cleanse Programme. Sue offers health & wellbeing support to help busy, working women to improve their health, wellbeing & energy levels by giving them practical advice to live a healthier lifestyle. Sue specialises in helping stressed working women who struggle with low energy, erratic moods, anxiety, insomnia, hormone imbalances and digestive issues.
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