Easy, Effective Ways to Increase Energy

They say all roads lead to Rome, however, in today’s society all roads seem to lead to fatigue and tiredness. A lack of energy and vitality is a widespread issue, with 1.5 million Australians seeking a doctor’s assistance regarding their fatigue and many others continuing to experience a lowered quality of life¹.

Fortunately, many simple steps can be taken to reduce and eliminate fatigue. This article offers easily applicable tips that anyone can incorporate into their life to improve their energy today.

1)    Sleep

It is vital to get 6-8 hours of quality sleep every night. The key word here is quality, as spending 8 hours sleeping does not necessarily indicate a deep and restful sleep. Conversely, too much sleep, i.e. over 9 hours can be just as bad as too little sleep, so aim for the right hours. Furthermore, you cannot miss out on sleep throughout the week and expect a lie-in on the weekend to compensate. Overall, ensuring adequate and quality sleep is an absolute must for increasing energy levels.

2)    Feast vs. Famine

Enter the story of the Blood Sugar Levels (BSL). Almost everyone knows the feeling of fatigue and confusion, not to mention “hangry” that develops alongside falling BSL. In today’s society, an overabundance of food has led to many people’s natural blood sugar balancing pathways to go haywire, leading to a rollercoaster of rising and falling BSL and associated symptoms.

A simple diet plan to address this is to reduce the amount of refined carbs and increase protein and high-quality fats. A simple and balanced diet plan can often have the largest impact on energy levels.

Protein powders are also a great way to meet your daily protein requirements and stabilise BSL. Addition of fats such as coconut milk and coconut oil, can help to ensure that a protein smoothie becomes an excellent source of high-quality fats as well. With flavours ranging from chocolate to strawberry and coffee, a protein shake can increase the feeling of fullness, reduce the dropping of BSL and taste like a treat as well.

3)    Exercise, But Not Too Much.

Exercise assists in making new mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cell. But for many people experiencing fatigue, exercise can further exacerbate the tiredness. So know your limits and move it when you can. Being outdoors is also associated with greater benefits than indoors. So bushwalking and hiking may be better options than the gym.

4)    Mental and Emotional Health

Take an honest and truthful stock of your emotional life. If you’re carrying a ‘backpack’ full of sorrows, regrets or fears you need to lighten the load so that your immune system knows the sabre-toothed tiger has been vanquished and it can stand down.  Emotional pain, stress and anxiety have the same effect on our immune systems as an infection.  It’s a wound of a different kind, but it still needs healing so that our ‘engine’ doesn’t have to idle so high.  Look into relaxation and mindfulness techniques or you may want to see a practitioner for some more focused support.

Conclusion

As a rule, it is always food first. Get your nutrition right and your body will reward you. Tiredness is often linked to low-grade background inflammation and all the tips here will support you in reducing inflammation.

All roads may seemingly lead to fatigue and tiredness, fortunately many roads lead away from there as well. With the incorporation of these simple tips, you can be well on your way to a healthier and more energetic life today.

References

1. Fatigue – Better Health Channel. 2018. Fatigue – Better Health Channel. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/fatigue. [Accessed 04 April 2018].