LWN0813

AUGUST 13, 2020
WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 7
Kristen Reed: Five ways to boost energy
It’s 3 p.m. and you’re only
halfway through your to-do
list, but until you get a caffeine
or sugar fix all you can think
about is a nap. If you’re tired
of feeling tired, you are not
alone. We’re being groomed to
accept lifestyles that leave us
hurried, hustled, frazzled, busier-the-better,
and running on
fumes. But, if we don’t have
energy, we cannot live at our
fullest potential, no matter how
much money we have, how
many to-do’s we’ve crossed off
our list, or the things we own.
Energy is life!
If your demanding work
schedule and overload of personal
commitments have you
feeling exhausted, I’ve got some
good news. You can quickly
and easily boost your energy
and shed that fatigue feeling
with some simple tweaks.
So, put down that coffee and
chocolate bar. To the rescue: 5
simple ways to boost your energy
all day. Pick one strategy
to commit to today!
Choose healthy foods and water
Our nutrition plays one of
the largest roles in our energy
levels. Nutritious food choices
keep our blood sugar stable,
avoiding that sugar crash, and
can help boost our energy and
keep us fueled and ready to
tackle the day.
Omega-3 fatty acids found in
fatty fish, such as salmon and
sardines, chia and flax seeds
and nuts, can help you feel
energized. Dark, leafy green
vegetables are also filled with
vitamins and nutrients and are
an excellent food to reach for
when your energy level is low.
On the other hand, eating processed
foods and sugar makes
us tired and groggy, increasing
cravings due to the blood sugar
roller-coaster they induce.
Hunger hormones like ghrelin
and leptin will be yelling at you
every couple of hours, making
you feel bad if you don’t eat.
Dehydration is a major cause
of fatigue, since fluids transport
nutrients and oxygen to our
cells and organs. Make it a habit
to take your water bottle with
you all the time and aim for half
your body weight in ounces of
water per day to stay properly
hydrated.
Cut caffeine
I know what you’re probably
thinking: I need my caffeine to
have energy. But, I’m here to
let you in on a secret-you don’t
need it, and can actually have
more energy without it. More
often than not, coffee creates
a jittery high, followed by an
energy crash that leaves you
needing more and more, and
feeling hungry.
Caffeine stimulates adrenalin
release and blocks a relaxing
brain chemical called
adenosine. This jazzes up your
body and produces a stress reaction.
Once the initial boost
wears off you’re left feeling
even more tired than before.
After giving up caffeine, you’ll
likely find yourself sleeping
better, feeling calmer and more
relaxed and having increased
sustained energy! While you cut
the coffee, some better-for-you
beverages include iced or hot
tea, matcha green tea, and
fruit-infused water or sparkling
water.
Breathe
We tend to take short, shallow
breaths through our mouths and
hold our breath without realizing
it, especially when we’re
stressed. If that’s your breathing
pattern, you’re depriving your
body of oxygen, and less oxygen
means less energy.
Try to concentrate on deep
breathing a few times a day.
Breathe slowly and deeply
in and out through your nose
to a count of at least five. Be
mindful of your chest rising as
you inhale and falling as you
exhale. I also love the 4-7-8
breath, which is inhaling to a
count of four, holding for seven
seconds, and exhaling to a
count of eight. This intentional
breathing will become more automatic
throughout the day and
it will make a huge difference to
your state of mind and energy
level.
Earlier consistent bedtime
Did you know that being
sleep deprived can increase
your stress hormones by about
40 percent? I don’t need to tell
you the downsides of sleep
deprivation, you already know
you feel achy, slow, groggy, and
tired, and your risk for a variety
of health problems and diseases
increases.
Unfortunately, a large percentage
of people are walking
around in a constant state of
mild sleep deprivation, getting
six or less hours per night.
Or, for many people, they’re
sleeping for long periods, but
not getting enough of the deep,
restorative sleep that is what the
body really needs.
It’s no surprise that energy
starts with a good night’s sleep,
but in today’s busy world we’re
not getting enough. Adults need
eight to nine hours a night to restore
and regenerate their minds
and bodies, while children need
10 to 12 hours, and teens nine
to 10.
Try heading to bed a halfhour
earlier for the next few
nights, then add another halfhour
for a few nights. Continue
adding to your sleep until you
can wake up without an alarm,
feeling refreshed.
Move throughout the day
(bonus points if it’s outside!)
You don’t have to do hours
of cardio if you don’t want to,
and you can reap the benefits of
simple movements throughout
the day, short high-intensity
We Believe Local Matters_LPW.ai 1 7/22/2020 11:03:42 AM
Michael Garabedian
workouts, and long, enjoyable
hikes and bike rides.
When you’re too tired to
even think straight, exercising
is probably the last thing you
want to do, but it will give us
energy! The good news is that
any activity that gets your heart
pumping for more than 10 minutes
will increase oxygen to
your system, which will give
you more energy. It all counts!
If you’ve only got a few minutes,
you can still get in some
movement. Here are some
simple ideas:
Stand up and stretch at your
desk; take the stairs whenever
possible; walk during phone
calls and if you get any type of
lunch break, reserve half of it
for a quick walk outside—just
being in the fresh air is a great
way to feel revived.
Bonus tip: Do an energy audit
Notice when you feel your
most energetic and your most
depleted. Are you a morning
person, waking up raring to go?
Or, do you find you need some
time to settle into the day and
hit your energetic groove in the
afternoon? Based on your personal
preferences, time block
and schedule tasks around your
most energetic times to optimize
your energy and work
with your body.
Kristen Reed is a Registered
Nurse, nationally-certified
health and wellness nurse
coach, certified Reiki Master
and owner of “Nursing Your
Way to Wellness” and you
can connect with her at www.
NursingYourWaytoWellness.
com or Kristen@
NursingYourWaytoWellness.com.
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