10 Ways to get More Energy Naturally

Everyone wants more energy. More energy to get things done, accomplish the goals we set for the day and for our hobbies and loved ones after a day of work.

But we are busy people living busy lives in a busy world! And this busy lifestyle often leaves us feeling tired, overstimulated and drained. When you feel that way it is easy to reach for a quick fix that instantly gives you an energy boost. These quick fixes can be things like coffee, energy drinks or sugary snacks. But these shortcuts can actually deplete your energy storage in the long run, leaving you feeling even more tired than before.

Depending on quick fixes like caffeine or sugar isn’t going to support your body nor your energy levels. We want energy that lasts. That is why this article is going to be focused on lasting ways to get more energy naturally, that also support your overall health.

Here are 10 ways to get more energy naturally!

10 Ways to get More Energy Naturally

Because we are focused on increasing energy levels and making them last, we have to look at our lifestyle. Lifestyle changes are often the most impactful changes you can make to improve your overall health. This also applies to improving your energy levels. There are things you can DO to get more energy, but there are also things you should AVOID to get more energy. Lets get into them!

1. Get at least 8 h of sleep.

Make sleep a priority! Way to many of us are getting to little sleep. Especially when we are busy and the day seems to be to short to get everything done, it is tempting to skip some hours of sleep. Whatever you do, don’t make it a habit to skip your sleep. Enough sleep is critical for our health. We must sleep to reload our batteries, to restore our cognitive function, for good functioning immune health, emotional regulation and so much more.

We can deal with everything, including stress, so much better when we have had a good night of sleep! Wind down before going to bed and don’t take your phone with you if you have difficulties with going to sleep earlier. Because getting a good quality and adequate amount of sleep is the number one tip to get more energy naturally.

2. Reduce your caffeine intake.

Avoid drinking coffee, energy drinks or other beverages with high amounts of caffeine regularly. Drinking caffeine will increase stress hormones in the body. Which in the short run instantly gives you an energy boost. But excessively drinking caffeinated beverages can actually make you more tired in the long run.

The more you drink caffeine the more you build up a tolerance to its stimulant effect. That means that you will need more and more caffeine to get the same level of energy. When you suddenly stop drinking it, you’re going to feel super tired. This is a vicious cycle that makes you feel more fatigued and increases the cravings for caffeine. So if you can’t stop drinking caffeine beverages entirely, at least cut your intake of it.

Caffeine has also a negative effect on sleep quality and quantity. This is because it affects adenosine receptors in the brain, which in turn affect the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Except that caffeine makes you sleep lighter and shorter, it also decreases the amount of deep sleep you get. As sleep is crucial for us to feel good and have sufficient energy during the day, you might want to decrease your intake of caffeine to increase your energy naturally!

3. Eat regularly, healthy and balanced.

If you feel sluggish and tired you want to take a look at your diet. Are you eating healthy and nutritious foods?
Your diet is the foundation of your energy! A car can’t run without fuel right? Just like a car your body needs fuel. So providing it with the nutrients it needs, will give you the energy to function at your best.

To feel energetic the whole day, don’t skip meals and eat a well-balanced plate. Eating well-balanced means including every macronutrient in a meal. Those macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Eating all of them in a meal makes us feel full longer and prevents energy dips. Micronutrients are also important for a healthy diet, which are vitamins and minerals. Some micronutrients that are especially important for energy are vitamin C, B-vitamins, iron and magnesium. 

Another good tip is: Eat for energy. Ask yourself if that processed and unhealthy meal is going to provide your body with the nutrients it needs? Or is it actually low in nutrients and taking more energy to digest than it gives you by eating it? Make sure you eat healthy and enough to give your body an energy boost. Because we can’t run on an empty tank!

4. Cut the sugar.

It can be really tempting to reach for a sugary snack when you are feeling low energy and want a quick boost! But this boost last only a little while and also wears of quickly. Eating things that are high in sugar will lead to spikes and rapid drops in your blood sugar levels. Which gives you a lot of energy a short amount of time and thereafter crashes down along with your blood sugar. 

Therefor, eating more nutritious snacks can help satisfy your cravings and give you a more stable energy boost that also lasts longer. It also will avoid those energy drops where we get headaches and get shakey because of low blood sugar. So instead of reaching for a snack that is high in sugar, eat a more wholesome and nutritious snack to get more energy naturally!

5. Reduce your stress.

Stress craves a huge amount of energy. And being stressed for longer periods of time can make us feel fatigued. As stress also can make it more troublesome to fall asleep, it depletes our energy reserves even more.

To reduce your daily stress you can start implementing a mindfulness practice. For example: walks in nature, meditation, breathing techniques, yoga, journaling or painting. These are activities that will help you relax. Because when we actively take time to relax, your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system tells your body that it’s time to rest and digest, which lowers stress hormones and replenishes your energy. 

Another thing you can do to reduce your stress is to stop doing so much. Overworking leads to fatigue, so cut your to do list and prioritize the things you really have and want to do. Say no to the other things. This will leave you with more energy in the end of the day.

✧ Read: 15 Ways to Stay Grounded in times of Stress

6. Exercise.

Although exercising takes a bit of energy in the moment, it will give you more energy in the long run. Exercising will improve your circulation which increases oxygen in the cells, which makes you more focused and energetic. It will also improve your sleep quality, which as we know is really important for energy restoration. As a bonus, exercising will lift your mood because of the endorphins that are released in the process.

These positive effects are all great for less stress and reduced fatigue! Start to exercise regularly to get all these wonderful benefits that will increase your energy levels. 

7. Drink enough water.

Our bodies are made from up to 70% of water and literally every cell in the body needs water to function. Therefore it’s important that you drink enough water every day to obtain optimal health and high energy levels. Being dehydrated can make you feel tired and lethargic, even if it’s just a mild dehydration.

It’s recommended that women drink about 2 liters and men about 3 liters of water everyday. But of course it depends on the circumstances that day. For example if you are exercising, sick or spending lot of time in the sun, you have to drink more water than the recommendation. 

So make sure you drink enough water to get more energy naturally!

8. Supplement with adaptogenic herbs.

Adaptogenic herbs are herbs that will support your body in dealing with stress. It will do that by increasing your resistance to stress itself. Except for making you more resistant, it also lowers stress hormones and at the same time increases your energy. Adaptogenic herbs are therefore a great supplementation that will help you to reduce your stress, improve your immune system and increase your energy naturally. 

Some effective adaptogenic herbs to increase energy and reduce stress are Ashwaghanda, Maca, Siberian Gingseng, Cordyceps, Turmeric, Rhodiola and Chaga.

Keep in mind that adaptogenic herbs are a supplement that can help increase your energy levels in addition to healthy lifestyle habits! You can’t just take the supplement and expect it to work its magic if you don’t change anything else in your lifestyle.

✧ Read:How to make Chaga Tea [Complete Guide + Recipe]

9. Cut the alcohol.

Alcohol is toxic to the body. After consuming it your liver has to work hard to detoxify the body, which takes energy and leaves you feeling tired (we all know it takes time to recover energetically from a hang over).

Alcohol acts as a sedative and it can make it feel like it’s easier to fall asleep after a few drinks. But your overall quality of sleep will actually decrease as it negatively affects deep sleep. This will also lead to feeling more tired.

Alcohol can also cause dehydration, and remember that even mild dehydration can make you feel tired and sluggish. Except for burdening the body, alcohol also slows down the immune system and has many other negative effects on our health. 

Cutting alcohol will therefor be beneficial to your health and help to increase your energy levels naturally.

10. Get into the sunlight.

Vitamin D is a really important vitamin for our health. We get around 80% of vitamin D from the sun and 20% from our food. People often lack of vitamin D up in the north in the winter, because of short days with little sun and long dark nights. But also if you spend much time indoors you can get a lack of this important vitamin. A common symptom of vitamin D deficiency is low energy or fatigue. Therefor, spending time out in the sun exposing your skin to sunlight can increase your energy levels!

Getting out into the sunlight will also support your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. By letting sunlight or other bright light into your eyes when you wake, you are going to wake up easier in the morning and fall asleep easier at night. This will support your sleep quality and therefor increase your energy levels!

The overall message of this article is: Optimize your health by focusing on making healthy lifestyle changes to increase your energy naturally. If you are not supporting your body with the things it needs such as nutrients, water, sleep exercise and sunlight, you can’t expect it to work optimally either. Listen to your body’s needs and create a healthy lifestyle for yourself so you can live your life feeling great!
Here is a Ginger shot that you can take in the morning to give you an extra energy boost! 

Sources:

• Why does coffee make me tired?
• Coffee, caffeine, and sleep 
• Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition
• Energy, tiredness, and tension effects of a sugar snack versus moderate exercise
• Determinants of fatigue and stress
• Neuroanatomy, Parasympathetic Nervous System
• Physical activity and feelings of energy and fatigue
• Water: How much should you drink every day?
• Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System
• Alcohol and Sleep
• Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories
• Benefits of Sunlight