Tired all the time?
So, how do we gain more energy?
This is an issue I think resonate with most people. Feeling groggy when we wake up, needing a coffee to get us going, or to pick us up after lunch, or a chocolate treat in the afternoon, feeling exhausted after dinner but wired when we head to bed.
We are so used to feeling tired, that it’s been accepted as the norm. But it is not.
As a healthy human you should feel refreshed and energised when you wake up. You should have stable energy through the day, with no energy slumps or reaches for coffee or chocolate.
So how do we attain solid energy throughout our busy days?
Here are the basic areas that will either help you sustain solid energy through out your day or drain it.
Sleep quality: Are you getting a solid 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep?
Food: Do you eat a stable breakfast that includes fat, fibre & protein? Do you eat a variety of foods that change each season?
Exercise: Do you get some movement throughout your day?
Stress: How big/long is your to-do list? Can you re-prioritise it to take some pressure of? Are there other triggers that you can reduce/eliminate?
Daylight: Are you spending time outside?
Hydration: Are you drinking enough water (or too much)?
Joy: Do you feel joy in life?
Breathing: Is your breathing short & shallow?
Let’s break each category down, and look at supportive actions you can take to improve each of them;
Sleep
We need enough, deep, uninterrupted sleep for our body to recharge, clean, repair, solidify memory and reset the nervous system. If we lack good quality sleep we will not have sustained energy and we will reach for sugar & caffeine to support us through the day.
Action:
A) Go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time this helps anchor your circadian rhythm (night / day cycle) and the relevant hormones that help us feel “awake” during the day and “sleepy” at night. The also optimises your hormone balancing.
B) Daytime rest / Nap, I’m not kidding napping can do wonders for your energy levels. As little as 20minutes can really give you a wonderful refreshed feeling. Even if you don’t manage to sleep, just laying down for 10 minutes can help restore energy.
C) To help you foster better quality sleep allot 30min before bed for “winding down”, no screens, no bright lights. Incorporate relaxing rituals such as a bath, reading/ audio book, meditate, listen to relaxing music, use aromatherapy (essential oil or scented candles).
D) Caffeine stays in your system between 6-10 hours after consumption. It will effect most peoples sleep, if you know it does, avoid caffeine after lunch time.
Food
Overall when looking to increase your energy you want to be incorporating whole grains & complex carbs, that will give long lasting solid energy.
Your first meal sets the tone for the rest of the day.
If it starts on a sugar high it will end in a sugar dip, which will have you reaching for sugar & caffeine and leading to midday & afternoon fatigue. I know this pattern all too well myself.
The health of your gut will also effect your overall energy. Eating a wide array of whole foods, helps feed & bolster your gut bacteria.
Action:
A) Make sure your first meal combines FAT + FIBER + PROTEIN to ensure stable long lasting energy. This also applies to any snacks you have during the day.
B) Eat according to the seasons, this will help you eat a more varied diet.
Check out my store
for free seasonal produce overviews.
Exercise
I hardly need explain this one. In short, when we exercise we product happy hormones and we gain energy.
Action:
Ensure you move at least 15min per day in what ever shape of form that you prefer.
Stress
Our modern day lives require us to cover a LOT of bases, always more to do. We have lost touch with doing nothing, in fact is has a negative connotation.
Cortisol, your prime stress hormone should be at its highest level in the morning and as the day goes by it should slowly ebb out.
However when we experience daily stress triggers cortisol will shoot up again and leave us tired & wired (making it hard to get a solid nights sleep).
Within Traditional Chinese medicine your liver & kidney energy are often looked at in relation to stress. The primal emotion of an imbalanced liver energy is anger & irritation, typical of stress. Drained or imbalanced kidney energy shows up as fear, also typical of fight & flight response to stress.
Action:
A) Stress comes in many forms, identifying your stress triggers can help you reduce some. For instance, alleviating your to-do list can be an easier place to reduce your stress levels. If there are other clear stressors in your life that you can reduce or full eliminate you will gain more energy.
B) Find relaxation in daily chores or experiment with doing nothing, so called ‘nixing’. Folding laundry, watering plants, emptying the dishwasher, things that need to be done daily can be turned into small moments of meditation, allowing for some head space. This gives back energy to your liver & kidney energy, allowing them some respite. You will be surprised how this small mental adjustment will help you problem solve, creative and make decisions.
Daylight
Our circadian rhythm relies on cues from the light in nature as to how to distribute “awake” and “sleep” hormones.
Action:
Make sure you get exposure to daylight during the day, especially helpful is in the morning. Being outside, without sunglasses, helps regulate daytime energy.
Hydration
Yes, this one never goes away, hydration is key to energy too. Our body consist of 60% water, and most of us are perpetually dehydrated. Even mild cases of dehydration can cause feelings of tiredness and impact your body's ability to perform essential functions.
Action:
Carry a water bottle or keep a water jug to track your water consumption. Herbal teas also count but ideally you get most of your hydration from water. An easy way to know if you need to hydrate is your lips, if they are dry or chapped you need more water.
(Avoid drinking lots before or during meals as this will dilute your stomach acids and can lead to bloating & sluggish digestion).
Joy
If life feels mundane, tedious, uninspired, stuck and lack lustre, you lack joy and a sense of purpose you will feel less energy.
Action:
A) Find small pleasures that can bring in moments of joy. It can be as simple as eating your favourite meal, call a loved one, bake bread or cookies, take pleasure from looking at nature, stop and smell flowers while in transit.
B) Identify & highlight things in your life that you can be grateful for, meet with friends, watching a funny movie or investing time into a hobby.
Breathing
Breathing deep and low into your belly will take your nervous system out of fight & flight, which if activated over extended time will drain your bodies energy reserves and lead to various health issues.
Action:
Check in with your breathing throughout the day. Are you breathing into your belly? Try out simple breathing techniques like box breathing in moments of stress (breath in for 4 counts, hold for 4, breath out for 4 counts). This is perfect to do while you’re in transit or before you go to sleep. This will re-train your system to calm down, and give you more sustainable energy.
Energy Boosting Foods & Drinks
This overview wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t share some of the foods that mother nature provides that can elevate your energy.
Whole grains
Nuts & seeds
Berries (Goji berries especially)
Bee bread (brother to bee pollen)
Stinging nettle
Energy boosting drinks that are less energetically ‘aggressive’ than coffee;
Matcha / green tea (contains caffeine)
Mate (contains caffeine)
Guauysa tea (contains caffeine)
Coconut water
Kombucha (contains small amounts of caffeine & alcohol)
Energy tonics & adaptogens;
Ginseng: American Panax, Korean Red, Siberian Eleuthro (the most subtle & gentle)
Rhodiola
Cordyceps
Maca root
Ashwaganda
As a health coach my mission is to help you reconnect with the innate healing abilities of your body, teach you how to use whole foods as medicine, and help you incorporate small changes to daily habits that will have last effects to your long term health & wellbeing.
If you feel you would like to resolve health issues related to; energy, digestion, immune system, sleep, finding a more balanced emotional landscape, I am here to help.
You can request a free 30 minute consultation via the button below.
