Feeling tired, like tired-all-the-time tired? Health and energy depend on each other. So why is it that many young and healthy adults feel the need to reach for high-sugar, energy shots, or caffeinated drinks multiple times throughout the day?
The reality is that many social and environmental forces are contributing to the modern health issue of low energy and are pushing many toward the need for stimulants, keeping them in the cycle of short-term energy and then long-term crashing.
- The Multitasking Myth: Lives are more hectic these days, and dare we say we make them more hectic than they need to be. Our juggling of work, home, digital, and social lives is filled with demands which most glorify as “multitasking”. Despite what we might believe about our talented abilities to multitask, research shows that we are not that great at it. Mental demands add up and begin to take their toll, increasing stress and exhaustion which in turn makes us more vulnerable to other energy sucking patterns.
- No Movement Means No Energy: When we move our bodies, we not only decrease the mental stress with the release of endorphins, we actually promote our bodies to properly rest once we relax. Alternatively, sitting around and being inactive is an incubator for fatigue. But it is very hard for someone who is mentally exhausted to push through and be physically active. It is a cycle that in the end leads to less and less energy.
- Poor Sleep: So many factors can contribute to a bad sleep. Digital devices, lack of time spent outdoors, lack of exposure to natural light, overall stress—these all disrupt our innate need for sleep and natural circadian rhythms.
- You Feel What You Eat: Here’s the daily dilemma: fatigue drives choices for calorie-dense, nutritionally-inferior foods that make us feel worse! High-fat, high-sugar “comfort foods” give a (very short-lived) energy and mood lift, but the day after consuming these foods, our mood is lower and tends to be prone to negativity.
So, how do you get more energy?
- Eat the rainbow.
Focus on eating as many high-density nutritional foods and supplements that you can. Bright and colourful fruits and veggies help the body create more energy. Load up on the rainbow while in the produce section and pick up a high-quality greens supplement. Supplements are easy to include in your busy day and help make sure you are getting your base needs. - Stay hydrated.
Hydration is key to keeping all functions of your body working at optimal levels—especially those that help create energy and focus. Set a daily goal, find a bottle you love, and get sipping. - Get some quality sleep.
Turn off the devices about 30 minutes before bed, keep the lights low, sleep in a cool and completely dark room, and if needed come in and chat to us about some natural sleep supplements. - Get moving.
Set small daily goals to help build more movement into your day. If you work in an office setting, set an alarm so that every hour you pause and stretch, walk up and down the stairs, or do a set of 20 squats. Dance in the kitchen as you make dinner at the end of the day or do a relaxing yoga session before bed. Any movement is better than none. - Say no.
This one is surprisingly the hardest for some to achieve. Say no to extra commitments that you are not fully invested in, limit your social media time, and try to break the habit of multitasking by planning out your schedule for the day.
