Feeling full of energy doesn’t have to be just for those who are fighting fit. While your natural inclination might be to reach for a daily dose of caffeine to get an instant ‘pick me up’ – you don’t have to drink the brown beverage to feel the instant buzz of energy.

Drinking coffee may have some health benefits – with studies claiming it can improve memory, reduce Type 2 Diabetes and even lower stroke risk.  However, drinking more than 4 cups of coffee daily is also linked with early death – so it may be wise to drink sparingly.

When your energy is flagging, it’s essential to have some alternatie pick-me-ups to hand to get you through the day or the week ahead. Here are 9 of the best ways to stay fresh and revitalised…

 

1. Keep Moving

Studies show one of the best ways to reduce fatigue is to keep moving your body. Even just 20 minutes of low to moderate exercise at least 3 times per week can boost energy levels by up to 20%. Participants reported a 65% drop in feelings of fatigue.

Along with incresing endorphin levels, this can increase your happiness and make you feel less tired. Try fitting exercise into your routine by walking to the shops or local park so you can add more steps in over the course of the day.

 

2. Correct Breathing

Getting enough oxygen into your body is essential for transporting nutrients efficiently around the bloodstream. Most people breathe in sharp, sallow breaths from their chests – this is known as chest breathing and is common when in stressful situations. Breathing this way hinders proper oxygen intake, leaving you feeling more drained – especially after a stressful day.

Remembering to take deep, slow belly breaths (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) can make a big difference to how much oxygen is taken into the body. During deep breathing exercises, focus on filling every part of your lungs with oxygen.

Keep your belly pushed out as you breathe in. Even taking a few restorative breaths can signal the relaxation response within the body. By incresing oxygen levels, this boosts your energy levels and improved mental focus.

 

3. Take Magnesium

This amazing mineral can play a powerful role in reducing fatigue. Magnesium asissts with critical functions relating to blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. When stress hormones are released, it can promote a state of magnesium deficiency in the body’s tissues.

One study examining magnesium supplementation benefits in those people diagnosed with chronic fatigue, found that 50% of the patient group were magnesium deficient. Taking intramuscular magnesium injections of 100mg weekly for 6 weeks showed an improvement in 80% of individuals. Only 17% of a parallel group improved with the placebo injection.

Taking Magnesium topically onto the skin is the best option for people looking to reduce fatigue. Topical magnesium supplements in the form of a spray, lotion, gel or bath flakes is recommended as they can more easily bypass the skin barrier – allowing for superior cell absorption. In comparison, oral magnesium supplements have to be absorbed first, so take longer to digest and absorb within the body.

 

4. Get More Sleep

it goes without saying, but getting a good night’s sleep can do wonders for your health. Getting your energy levels back on track means ensuring you have enough rest. Inadequate sleep can affect your health in a number of ways according to the National Sleep Foundation. Think of sleep as an activity that is just as essential as exercise and nutrition for best health.

Restoring your energy levels means increasing the quality of your sleep. Keeping your room dark and quiet is essential. While turning off electronics at least 1-2 hours before bed can encourage you to get into a good nighttime routine and ready for sleep.

Power naps can also boost your energy levels throughout the day. A 10-20 minute power nap can give you a quick boost of alertness whenever you’re feeling drained or tired.

 

5. Drink More Water

Dehydration can be a major factor in general hunger and tiredness. One of the best ways to check for dehydration is to look at the colour of your urine. Pale yellow is a sign you are well hydrated while dark yellow means you need to drink more water. For best health, it’s highly recommended to drink at least 6-8 glasses of filtered water daily, preferably with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda.

 

6. Use Essential Oils

If you’re feeling tired, consider adding a drop or two of essential oils to your drinking water. You can also use an aromatherapy diffuser to diffuse essential oils around your living or working space. Or why not dab them behind your ears and nose for an instant energy boost?

Essential oils that can boost your energy levels include peppermint – for stimulating your mind and increasing focus; Lemon for concentration, Jasmine for optimism and revitalising energy, Rosemary for fighting exhaustion and fatigue, while Cinnamon contains stimulating properties that can promote clear thinking and concentration.

 

7. Laugh More

Searching for funny YouTube videos may leave you feeling energised after all. Laughter is one of nature’s best energy boosters. Enjoying a good laugh can improve your mood and reduce your levels of the stress hormone called cortisol. By boosting your heart rate and making you breathe faster, this sends more oxygen to your muscles and organs, giving more energy to every area of your body. What makes you laugh? Find what makes you giggle and do a little of it every day.

 

8. Avoid Sugar

Eating sugary foods and snacks only gives you a temporary energy boost – followed by a sharp sugar crash. By having constant sugar swings, this can lead to major fluctuations in energy levels.

Avoiding excess refined sugars from sweets, cakes, biscuits, pastries and other processed foods is highly recommended for this reason. By keeping your blood sugar levels stable, you can enjoy consistent energy levels throughout the day. If you can’t avoid sugary foods, then take Cinnamon or a supplement such as Cinnamon27™ beforehand as this can reduce your sugar absorpion by up to 50%.

Foods to eat for stable energy levels include healthy fats from avocados, nuts and cacao butter. You may also want to consider eating sprouted oats or grains such as amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat for a more sustainble energy release.

 

9.  Reduce Stress Levels With Meditation

Taking some time out for you and enjoying a few quiet moments can renew your energy and enthusiasm levels. By focusing the mind and minimising negative thoughts, you free up your internal energy.

Many regular meditators claim that a daily meditation practice means they need less sleep at night. Meditation can also change your breathing patterns, creating more energy.

One study from The University of Waterloo found that practicing brief sessions of Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation can significantly improve brain function and energy levels.

Even just 25 minutes of Hatha yoga or mindfulness meditation each day can boost brain function and cognitive abilities linked to goal-directed behavior and the ability to control knee-jerk emotional responses, habitual thinking patterns and actions.

 

Give Yourself An Energy Boost

Each of these energy boosting methods can encourage you to get back your vitality and every day vigour for life. Importantly, when your energy levels are high, you can get more done, your productivity inceases and so does your overall health and wellbeing.

 

Recommended Examples

Also consider the following supplements for a natural energy boost…

Chlorella & Spirulina – A plant based superfood that contains all nine essential amino acids, vital for growth. Spirulina has reported benefits to protect muscles from damage during strenuous exercise, strengthen immunity, and even potentially reduce the risk of food allergies. There are many anecdotal reports that spirulina may boost metabolic energy levels. Available from Good Health Naturally.
 

 

B4 Health Spray – B Vitamins are involved in thousands of enzymatic reactions in the body. They are essential for releasing energy from food, healthy functioning of the nervous system including nerve membrane structure, neurotransmitter synthesis and nerve conduction. Available from Good Health Naturally.
Nascent Iodine – Nascent Iodine is recognised by the body as the same iodine that’s produced by the thyroid and is absorbed effortlessly by the body. Taking absorbable iodine each day can contribute to normal cognitive function, normal energy-yielding metabolism, normal nervous system function, the maintenance of normal skin and normal thyroid hormone production. Available from Good Health Naturally.
Magnesium Ultra Spray – Magnesium Oil with OptiMSM for superior cell absorption can support various bodily functions and play a powerful role in reducing fatigue. By allowing for superior cellular absorption via topical spray or lotion, Magnesium can be rapidly absorbed into the body where it can support nerve, brain and muscle function, aid detoxification and increase general energy levels. Available from Good Health Naturally.
MacaProXP® –  Cold pressed liquid Maca extract is high nutritional, rich in B vitamins and stimulates the endocrine system leading to improved and sustained long-term energy levels, improved hormonal system and restored testosterone levels. Available from Good Health Naturally.