One of the most common reasons a person might seek medical advice is they are struggling with fatigue, maybe even exhaustion. Fatigue seems to be associated with nearly every medical condition (or, at least every medical condition you can find on the internet.) Sometimes there is a very logical reason for fatigue. Not getting good sleep, living with constant stress, depression, nutrient deficiencies in your diet, and even pregnancy can cause more fatigue than “normal.”
Coffee, energy drinks, and other stimulants are a temporary solution to something that requires a root cause approach. Not to mention they are more harmful than beneficial. Add to that, hundreds of supplements on the market, promising to skyrocket your energy. It’s hard to know what really works.
Energy In the Morning
If you’d like the feeling of taking on the day when the alarm goes off rather than hitting the snooze button multiple times, there are some natural ways to boost energy for men and women that can help put the spring back in your step.
Wondering how to boost your energy in the morning? Attitude can make a big difference! The five-minute journal technique is a great way to get started and get motivated. As you wake up, write down five things that you’re grateful for. Anything from the significant to the minor (if you run out of ideas.) Making it a consistent habit is what’s important. Gratitude is powerful. The more things you’re grateful for, the more you’ll attract to be grateful for.
Then, write down just three things you’d like to accomplish that day. Next, create a mantra or personal statement that will motivate you throughout the day -and then get moving.
The Importance of Sleep
Logic would dictate that getting the proper amount of quality sleep each night would ensure an abundance of energy the next day -and it likely would (if, so many people weren’t struggling to get enough rest.) Our body’s circadian rhythm is as old as humans themselves. We can’t outsmart evolution. But our modern lifestyles drive us to try anyway. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” a friend says, joking around. But trying to sound tough or to find an excuse to shave a couple of hours off the time their body needs to repair, recover, and complete vital metabolic processes seems more uneducated than funny.
One of the best natural ways to boost energy (and mood) is to get a sufficient amount of sleep. Studies show that even a mild loss of the ideal hours of sleep needed for your age group can result in extreme drowsiness during the day, manifesting as poor concentration, slow thinking, mood changes, body aches, and more.
But what if you can’t sleep?
Millions of people have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or they wake up too early. Many people reach for melatonin supplements to resolve their sleep issues -without knowing how to take them properly. Consult with your MaxLiving Chiropractor to learn more about supplementing with melatonin.
Sleep disturbances can take many forms. From the bed/bedroom temperature being too hot to an inability to calm the mind to using electronic devices too close to bedtime (try to power down all electronic devices one hour before bedtime.)
For some, taking a twenty-minute nap in the late afternoon recharges them for the entire evening. For others, napping at all makes it difficult to fall asleep at bedtime. Everyone is different. If you find you function better after having a short nap before taking on the second half of your day, make sure you keep it to no more than twenty minutes. This allows for a bit of light sleep and can make you feel revived and alert -without falling into a deep sleep that can make you groggy.
The Stress/Hormone Connection
Hormonal imbalances can also play a role in sleep disturbances. Menopause, and/or dysregulation of other hormones such as cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone), can disrupt sleep patterns. Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands and assists with the body’s response to stress. Continual low-grade stress over time can interfere with normal cortisol production and a healthy stress response, affecting sleep and other metabolic functions. Adrenal Revive from MaxLiving contains a blend of nutrients that provides a comprehensive approach to adrenal support to help the body adapt to stress.
You might consider learning how to meditate to boost energy naturally. Meditation has come a long way from sitting in the lotus position and humming “om.” (though this is a tried-and-true method.) Meditation has been proven to lower stress through calming and focusing the mind and thus dampening the stress response which can drain your energy. Meditation is worth trying!
If meditation doesn’t appeal to you, there are ways to approximate the meditative state. Going for a long walk, learning therapeutic breathwork techniques, gardening, and other calming activities are all great alternatives. Our brains use twenty percent of the energy our bodies take in. Even though at about nine pounds, it represents only about two percent of one’s body weight. Different tasks and mental focus can impact the brain’s energy consumption. Giving the brain some “downtime” will conserve the energy you would’ve used to run the mental chatter in your brain.
Food Provides Energy
If you want to know how to boost energy levels, look no further than your refrigerator. The food that you eat has a huge impact on balancing blood sugar and maintaining a consistent flow of energy. Avoid sugar, alcohol, and processed foods. These foods can cause blood sugar instability, insulin imbalance, and can crash energy. Adrenal Revive from MaxLiving can help bring cortisol into balance and help manage the stress response triggered by the stress of occasional, poor dietary choices.
Energy During Pregnancy
Looking for ways to boost energy while pregnant? During pregnancy, energy levels can vary greatly from person to person. That’s because hormones and individual physiology play a big role in energy levels. Feelings of nausea diminish in the second trimester and that’s also when energy tends to rebalance.
Pregnancy is the perfect time to get back into exercise. Exercise can go far in increasing energy levels while pregnant. It can help regulate blood sugar levels too, thus decreasing the risk of gestational diabetes. It can also help build core strength to support overburdened back muscles (make sure to consult with a qualified health practitioner before taking MaxLiving Adrenal Revive if pregnant or nursing.)
Balancing blood sugar through good nutrition, managing stress with MaxLiving Adrenal Revive, getting enough rest, and engaging in daily physical activity can help encourage a healthy response to stress and a healthy lifestyle, for sustained energy all day long.
About the Author
Jini Cicero is a Los Angeles-based Strength and Conditioning Specialist with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. With over 20 years of experience as a health, fitness, and nutraceutical professional, Jini is passionate about advancing natural medicine and optimal health. Whether she’s working with Hollywood celebrities or cancer patients, Jini uniquely combines exercise science, sports nutrition, and corrective exercise. As a speaker, presenter, and writer, her work has been featured in numerous publications, such as Shape, MindBodyGreen, and The L.A. Daily News.
