10 Ways To Boost Your Energy (Without Resorting To Caffeine)
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10 Ways To Boost Your Energy (Without Resorting To Caffeine)
Are you exhausted all the time? If you find yourself reaching for the coffee, green tea and energy drinks just to get through the day or to get over the 3pm slump, you can end up in a vicious cycle of fatigue. The more caffeine you consume, the more likely it is to disrupt your sleep, leaving you tired all day long.
So how can you re-energise yourself without caffeinating? I have 10 simple tips to help you boost your energy all day long.
Start off with protein & fibre
Your breakfast choice can make or break your energy levels for the entire day. If you start off with a high carbohydrate option such as cereal or toast with jam, you’ll put yourself on the blood sugar rollercoaster. You’ll feel great for an hour or two, then crash and feel ravenous, eat the nearest sweet treat, and so on.
To escape this, you want to include protein and fibre in your breakfast. These two nutrients give you a slower stream of energy over longer, keeping you satiated and energised for longer.
Need some brekkie inspiration? For a savoury breakfast, you can make up a quick breakfast wrap or cook a nice big batch of my veggie frittata. Prefer something sweet to start your day? Try out my quinoa yoghurt parfait or my latest favourite – chocolate brownie overnight protein oats.
Stock up on nutrient-dense snacks
What if you miss a meal, or you’re particularly hungry one day? For your energy’s sake, we want to avoid the typical 3pm snacks – think chips, chocolate, lollies, or baked goods like cookies and muffins. So your best bet is to have a stash of nutrient-dense snacks that will satisfy your hunger without sending your blood sugar skyrocketing.
The ideal 3pm snack will have some protein, fat and/or fibre to keep you feeling full until dinnertime. Some good examples include:
· A handful of nuts and seeds
· Fresh berries
· Bliss balls or protein balls
· Chia pudding (make it up and pop in the fridge the night before)
· Veggie sticks with dip (I love this bean dip for a high-protein snack)
Looking for sweet treats without the sugar crash? Make sure you grab yourself a copy of my Sweet Treats ebook here.
Drink plenty of water
You knew this one was coming – but being hydrated is critical for your energy levels and brain function. Even slight dehydration can cause fatigue and poor concentration.
What is even more interesting is that symptoms of dehydration are more severe in women compared to men. As little as 1.36% dehydration can lead to low concentration, headaches, poor mood and difficulty with concentration and complex tasks.
Start off with an extra 1-2 glasses of water whenever you find yourself getting tired or distracted. It won’t hurt, and it might just be the quick fix you need!
Get moving
Didn’t get to hit the gym at 6am? The good news is that switching your workout to the middle of the day could be the key to avoiding an energy slump. Studies have found that adding in a 30-minute workout during the workday can improve productivity, likely due to increased energy and focus.
Don’t have 30 minutes to spare? Even a short burst of 10 minutes of physical activity can energise you more effectively than a hit of caffeine. So put the coffee mug down and go for a quick walk – your body will thank you!
Get out into nature
Being stuck indoors all day, every day is not good for your body or your mind. So when it’s break time, head outside for a few minutes of fresh air.
Studies have found that spending time outdoors increases vitality and energy, helping you to feel more alive. This benefit extends past those of physical activity and socialisation, meaning that nature itself is the invigorating factor. For twice the benefits, go for a walk around the block or through a local park.
Listen to your favourite tunes
Now I know that this doesn’t help if you’re in a shared workspace or in the middle of a meeting. But when you’re working or studying solo, pop on a playlist of your favourite music to groove to. Studies show that music, particularly uplifting music, can boost alertness, attention and memory.
Listening to your favourite music can also boost your mood by increasing your dopamine levels. Need some music inspiration? You can check out my Spotify playlists here.
Hit pause and meditate
Been meaning to try out meditation or get back into the habit? Supporting your energy levels is just another great reason to do so.
Meditation can help in two key ways: relieving the mental stress that drains your energy and reducing inflammation that can be a physical drain. It can also be a useful tool for managing anxiety and depression, which can contribute to chronically low energy levels.
The best part? Even 5 minutes of meditation can bestow these benefits. So the next time you need a bit of a break, ditch the social media scroll for a meditation app.
Try some essential oils
Could putting your diffuser on help to keep you awake and alert? There is some clinical research that supports specific essential oils for boosting your energy, mood and focus, including:
· Orange
· Rosemary
· Lemon
Even if you don’t have essential oils handy, you can make yourself some herbal tea using ingredients such as peppermint, rosemary or a slice of lemon.
Remember, essential oils should not be used internally unless prescribed by a qualified health practitioner such as an aromatic medicine practitioner. Also be careful about what you choose to use if you have pets, many oils do not agree with our furry friends.
Get enough sleep
This might seem obvious, but daytime fatigue is often due to poor sleep. In some cases, you might be spending enough hours in bed, but your sleep quality is being affected.
We all need different amounts of sleep, so don’t feel like you’re lazy if you need 9 hours but everyone else you know is fine with just 7 hours.
Read: 6 Ways to Improve your Deep Sleep
Another consideration is the sleep quality – do you sleep straight through, or do you struggle falling asleep or staying asleep? Are you a deep sleeper, or do you wake up at the slightest noise? Some common factors that can affect your sleep quality include:
· High stress levels
· Hormonal fluctuations (e.g. pre-menstrual sleep disturbances or PCOS)
· Using technology and exposure to blue light before bedtime
· Low exposure to natural daylight throughout the day
· Inactivity
· Intense workouts shortly before bed
· Eating a large amount of food shortly before bed
· Alcohol consumption
· Caffeine sensitivity or consuming too much, too late
· Blood sugar dysregulation/insulin resistance
One giveaway sign of poor sleep? If you wake up feeling exhausted, you either haven’t had enough sleep or your sleep quality was low (sometimes it’s both!)
Want more tips on how to get a good quality sleep? Make sure to check out my Youtube video ‘How you can wake up early & actually FEEL GOOD 2021’:
Work with your body’s internal clock
Many people work and/or study for at least 8 hours a day, sometimes more. But the human body was not designed to work or concentrate without any fluctuations for this long!
Whenever possible, you want to schedule your day according to the natural energy cycle of your body. This can be a little different depending on whether you’re an early bird or night owl. But as a general rule of thumb, you’ll be more alert and able to concentrate in the first half of the day, and more fatigued in the second half.
So what does this mean? It could mean doing the bigger work projects or study done first thing, then checking your emails and getting general admin tasks done in the afternoon.
This also means taking regular breaks. I know this can be hard if you find yourself getting into a good state of workflow, but aim for a break every 90-120 minutes. Even a 5-minute break to grab a glass of water, stretch out and take a few deep breaths can help to reset your energy.
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
Check out my free guide to healthy eating to design your own version of a healthy lifestyle so that you can feel energised and vibrant, or hire me to work my magic on your health through mindset, nutrition, and movement.
While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of professional medical advice.