10 Ways to Stay Energized Throughout the Day

We’ve all been there, struggling to get up in the morning. Or, later, when you feel your head getting heavy and you think your eyes will snap shut any minute. Maybe you experience a slump in energy in the evening and find it difficult to make it to the end of the day. It’s a challenge to keep your stamina up all through the day.

Here’s ten handy tips to stay energized from morning to night.

1. Let in the Sunlight
2. Start the Day with Protein
3. Exercise Outside
4. Limit Caffeine
5. Stay Hydrated
6. Try a Power Nap
7. Take a Multivitamin
8. Avoid Smoking
9. Limit Alcohol
10. Get Plenty of Rest

Helpful Tips for Boosting Daytime Energy

Let in the Sunlight

Natural light is the strongest factor which controls our circadian rhythms. First, start the day by opening the blinds or going out for a walk. It’s a great way to start the day for many reasons. Melatonin – the hormone which induces sleep – will decrease in response to the sunlight. Getting some sun lets your body know that it’s time to wake up and get going.

Start the Day with Protein

Next, prepare yourself a breakfast that will help keep your energy levels up for longer. In the morning, select foods that are rich in protein, like eggs, yogurt and nuts. Protein and whole grains take longer for your body to break down into energy. This helps prevent a crash later in the morning like that caused by a breakfast full of simple carbohydrates and sugar. Plus, protein boosts your ability to concentrate and be productive. Eating foods full of protein for snacks, and throughout the day, also help keep you feeling invigorated.

Exercise Outside

You know your body. There is likely a time of day when you feel more tired. Instead of lying down, you could try getting up and moving at that time of day. A brisk walk outside is the best way to wake your body up and recharge. As an added bonus, exercising in fresh air and sunshine boosts mood-lifting endorphins, the immune system and the metabolism.

Limit Caffeine

It’s true that coffee and other caffeinated drinks give you a jolt of energy, but it can also cause you to feel even more tired when it wears off. Caffeine is a stimulant but doesn’t have a long-lasting effect and can create dependency. As your body feels the effect less and less, it will crave more caffeine. Additionally, caffeine tends to increase stress levels, make you feel jittery, cause headaches, contribute to high blood pressure and make it more difficult to relax and fall asleep at nighttime.

Stay Hydrated

Fatigue can be caused by dehydration. So, to feel more active during the day, be sure to drink water. Doctors recommend 8 glasses of water per day. Try keeping a large water bottle on hand as a reminder to stay hydrated and start each meal with a big glass of water. This will give your body what it needs to stay energized at all hours.

Check out this image showing our top 10 ways to increase energy.

Try a Power Nap

Some people find it helpful to take a short 20 to 30-minute siesta in the afternoon. It can help you to recharge and be more alert for the rest of the day. It be tempting to sleep for longer, but power-nap proponents say that it may have the opposite effect and leave you feeling more tired than before. Sometimes longer daytime naps can also negatively impact your ability to fall asleep at a decent hour that night.

Take a Multivitamin

Nutritional deficiencies and general fatigue can be remedied with a daily multivitamin. People with iron deficiencies or anemia struggle with tiredness. If your doctor says this is the case for you, take a multivitamin to help replenish energy.

Avoid Smoking

Not only is smoking bad for your health, it may cause you to feel more tired during the day. Nicotine is a stimulant; it increases the heart rate and blood pressure, plus it can contribute to insomnia. Like caffeine, nicotine may also cause your energy to crash and burn when the buzz goes away.

Limit Alcohol

You probably already know that drinking alcohol can make you sleepy. But you may not know that a drink in the afternoon has the strongest effect on your energy. It’s best to avoid alcohol at lunch or in the afternoon in order to feel peppy until later in the evening.

Get Plenty of Rest

It’s not possible to feel good during the day if you haven’t slept well at night. But getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep is difficult for some. Good sleep hygiene can help.

• Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
• Set up a nightly routine which will help you relax naturally at the end of the day. Consider a warm bath, relaxing stretches, meditation and reading a book.
• Avoid electronics and screens for 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
• Make your bedroom a sleep-inducing environment; it should be dark and cool.

Watch this video for more ways to increase energy.

Are Your Feeling Groggy During the Day?

Talk with your physician if you consistently feel a lack of energy or struggle to get enough sleep at night. A referral for sleep evaluation at a certified clinic should help you and your doctor find the best solution for getting the rest you need and feel more energized. Contact Sleep Health Solutions to set up a consultation.