By Dr. McKenzie Nisbet, ND
5 SIMPLE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY
Struggling with your energy? Mid-morning crashes and the urge to nap after a meal are common, especially as the winter months roll around. Just because it is common does not mean it is normal. The good news is there is a lot you can do to feel better!
First off you want to know the CAUSE of your fatigue – why are you so tired in the first place? Check with your health care provider to ensure your body is functioning at its best. We may run some tests to determine what is causing this fatigue – such as testing your thyroid, your adrenals, your iron or B12 levels, or even looking for infectious causes such as Lyme Disease.
After finding the root cause of your lack of energy there are some small changes you can make to your daily routine to help keep your energy up all day long.
1. DRINK MORE WATER
This may seem like an obvious change. But chances are even though you know the importance of water, you are still not getting enough. Chronic dehydration is very common. You should aim to never reach a point when you actually feel thirst. Thirst can be triggered when your serum osmolarity (a measurement of the amount of fluid in your blood) changes by just 1-2%, so it is important to stay on top of your water consumption.
Water is essential for proper functioning of your cells. Without enough daily water your body can’t function at it’s optimal level – this includes keeping you alert and awake. Even being dehydrated by 2% impairs your ability to perform basic tasks, such as those requiring attention, psychomotor skill, immediate memory recall and the assessment of your subjective state. Dehydration also affects your physical performance, gastrointestinal function, kidney function, heart function, frequency and duration of headaches, the thickness and density of your skin, as well as a number of chronic diseases.
Drinking more water is one of the easiest habits to achieve and has one of the biggest impacts on your overall health and energy levels.
2. IMPLEMENT A SLEEP STRATEGY
A sample of 2000 Canadians showed over 40% of adult Canadians had at least one symptoms of insomnia, almost 20% were dissatisfied with their sleep and over 13% met all the criteria for insomnia. Good sleep can be difficult to achieve because so many factors play into it’s success, specifically stress and your environment.
Stressors vary for each person. Addressing them can often be overwhelming if done alone. Consult your health care professional to create a stress reduction and sleep plan fit to your unique lifestyle and goals.
In the mean time, lets focus on optimizing your sleep schedule and environment. Here are some things to consider when creating your sleep strategy:
- Create a Regular Sleep Schedule
- Go to sleep at the same time each night
- Wake at the same time each morning
- Avoid sleeping in
- Use a calming alarm: wake to light or the sounds of birds, rather than your phone alarm – Try ‘Philips Sunrise Simulation Light’ (around $60)
- Cut Down Time In Bed
- Avoid forcing yourself to sleep: only get into bed when you are tired
- Use your bed for sleep/sex only
- Avoid reading or watching TV in bed
- Make Your Bedroom Comfortable
- Turn the temperature down
- Keep your room quiet
- Keep your room dark: invest in black out drapes and cover all ‘technology glow’ (such your alarm clock)
- Give Yourself Time to Relax and Wind Down
- Deal with worries before bedtime: set aside ‘worry time’ for at least 30 minutes before you get into bed – write down what’s on your mind, such as your current stressors or your to-do list for the next day
- Listen to relaxation tapes (classical music, natural sounds) – Try an app like “Sleep Bug” (free)
- Yoga: do some gentle yoga at bedtime before entering your bedroom
- Meditation: get yourself in the right mindset for sleep – Try an app like “Headspace” (free)
- Use Progressive Muscle Relaxation: tighten then relax each muscle group individually (begin at your feet and work up to your head)
- Things to Avoid
- Do not exercise within 90 minutes of bedtime
- Avoid overstimulating activities just before bed: no competitive games or exciting movies/TV shows
- Avoid caffeine after lunch (the half-life of caffeine is over 4 hours for most people): avoid chocolate, coffee, caffeinated tea, and soda
- Do not eat a heavy meal within 2 hours of bedtime
- Avoid excessive fluids immediately before bed
- Do not use alcohol to induce sleep: it actually worsens insomnia
- Do not check the clock if you do wake at night
- Do not turn on lights when getting up to use bathroom
Remember chronic issues don’t have quick fixes. Give yourself 2-4 weeks for habits to stick and results to show. Good things take time!
3. MAXIMIZE YOUR BREAK-FAST
Your first meal can set the tone for the rest of your day. For some people it is your traditional breakfast, for others it is when they break their overnight fast (break-fast) typically around midday. Whenever you choose to have your first meal there are some simple tricks to ensure it sets you up for success.
Ensure your meal has three key components: protein, fibre and healthy fats. This combination helps keep your blood sugar steady, so you don’t get that spike of energy followed by a crash a few hours after your meal. This combination will also help you feel more satiated so you aren’t tempted to snack before your next meal (creating another spike-crash scenario).
Try this break-fast to keep your energy up and avoid ‘crashing’.
4. STRETCH
Stretching actually stimulates your sympathetic nervous system by creating a temporary increase in your blood pressure and heart rate. Stretching will give you a boost of energy when you feel yourself starting to fade. Starting your morning with a few minutes of stretching (even in bed) will help kick-start your day.
Give this stretch a try: Stand in a doorway with your feet shoulder width apart, reach out arms out and grab the frame of the door with your fingers, then push your chest forward through the doorway. Hold this for 30 seconds. You should feel a stretch in your back and torso, plus a boost of energy.
5. GET MOVING
There are few things movement doesn’t help and every little bit helps. When you start to feel fatigued, get up and move around – even just a quick loop around the office or up and down a flight of stairs can help. When you start moving you’ll notice a change in your energy – which will encourage you to do even more!
Low-intensity exercise may be more suitable (for now) if you are extremely fatigued. Work your way up to more moderate exercise as your body gets stronger. Check-in with yourself after a workout – you should be feeling energized. If you feel more fatigued or drained after physical activity chances are you’re pushing yourself too hard and need to tone it down a bit or choose an activity with less exertion.
Try out one of these low-intensity activities to boost your energy: Walking, beginners yoga, stretching, lifting light hand weights, or swimming.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Try implementing one of these strategies this week for at least 3 days in a row. After you’ve mastered it, try adding another. Remember, ‘slow and steady’ makes for more lasting change!
- WATER: Up your intake! Carry a water bottle with you and try to avoid getting to the point where you feel thirsty
- SLEEP: Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day
- BREAK-FAST: Have a break-fast that contains protein, fibre and healthy fats
- STRETCHING: Do 5 minutes of stretching when you wake up each morning
- EXERCISE: Do 30 minutes of activity per day (you can break it up into smaller bits to help make it more doable)
Good Luck!
Resources:
Adan, A. (2012, Apr). Cognitive performance and dehydration. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22855911
Inami, T. (2014 July). Acute Changes in Autonomic Nerve Activity during Passive Static Stretching. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajssm/2/4/9/
Mikinley, MJ. (2004 Feb). The physiological regulation of thirst and fluid intake. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14739394
Morin, CM. (2011, Sept). Prevalence of insomnia and its treatment in Canada. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21959029
Puetz, TW. (2006). Physical activity and feelings of energy and fatigue: epidemiological evidence. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16937952
Popkin, BM. Water, Hydration and Health. (2010 Aug). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/
