Exhausted? You’re not alone. More people than ever are feeling tired, drained, and just worn out.
Caffeine, energy pills, and stimulants aren’t the answer. But, there are several holistic and natural ways to help increase your energy and clear away the brain fog.
Get More Sleep
Most people don’t get enough sleep. A lot of this has to do with using electronics, such as cell phones, just before bed. That can stimulate our mind into wakefulness and depress melatonin production. Having a bedtime routine that shuts off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime can help your body naturally fall asleep faster.
You could also try going to bed earlier. Instead of pushing for an hour or more, start with 5 minutes. You really don’t notice 5 minutes of change, and it can begin training your body to sleep for a little bit longer.
Supplement Fats
Low-fat diets and eating processed foods rob your body of healthy fats. These healthy fats are what makes your hormones, including dopamine, melatonin, and serotonin. The balance of these three hormones help us sleep better and more peacefully.
Choosing foods with healthy fats, like avocados, salmon, and nuts, can help. Adding in quality olive oil, butter, and unprocessed oils will provide the ALA, EPA, and DHA necessary for good brain and body health.
Eat Less Sugar
Lowering your sugar intake will help you lose weight and have more energy. Rather than the short, hyper burst of energy you get after eating a donut, you have longer sustained energy. Without the artificial sugar spikes and drops, your body can maintain a natural cycle of high energy during the day and low energy at night.
Exercise
Exercising right before bed usually keeps most people up. But, if you exercise at least six hours before going to bed, your body will flow into a natural cycle of relaxation and calming down by the time you go to sleep. And exercise burns cortisol, a hormone designed to keep us in high alert and anxious. So the less cortisol you have in your body, the easier time you will have sleeping.
Power Nap
Most cultures incorporate a short midday nap. Various studies found a power nap of 20-minutes helps re-energize the brain and rebalance our hormones. It can lower the stress hormone cortisol and help reset our bodies to follow circadian rhythms.
Some studies even show it can help reduce depression and anxiety, while increasing our ability to fight off bacteria and viruses like COVID.
Many of these changes take dedication to work into your everyday routine. But, even incorporating one of these small changes can make a significant impact on your life and your health. Having more energy means you feel better and can get more done, making you feel more productive and happy overall.
