Are you tired of being tired during the day? Are you scouring the internet looking for the best ways to increase your energy levels and maximize your productivity? Look no further, we have the top 7 tips to increase your energy levels right here.
1. Time for a Caffeine Detox
We all have a little “don’t talk to me until I have my coffee” in us, but 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, which in turn requires you to intake more and more caffeine to get the same effect. This leads to adrenal fatigue.
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.
2. Look for Coffee Alternatives
Speaking of coffee and 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.
3. Get Up and Move Around
If you’re like most people, you’re sitting down for most of the day because of school or work. Every hour, try to take a few minutes to walk around and stretch. Even during your lunch break, try to get outside and walk around as much as you can.
The simple act of getting up and moving around can help to get blood flowing, promoting a feeling of wakefulness. [1]
4. Avoid Sugar and Simple Carbs
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.
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]
5. Intermittent Fasting
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]
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.
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.
6. Use Supplements to Your Advantage
Supplements are a great way to complement your current diet and exercise program. Instead of focusing on supplements overloaded with high amounts of caffeine, we would recommend trying to focus on products that fit the 150mg to 200mg range of caffeine or use several natural ingredients in them.
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]
7. Learn to Sleep Well
You toss, you turn, you stay up late, or wake up before your alarm. 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 filled with social media apps and videos that keep your mind turning all night. If you want to naturally increase your energy levels, then you need to start powering down nearly an hour before bed.
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.
References
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.
2. “Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar.” The Nutrition Source, 25 July 2016, www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/carbohydrates-and-blood-sugar/ .
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.
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.
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.