7 Tips To Naturally Boost Energy Levels

Coffee has become a national addiction. There are coffee shops on every block that offer an endless variety of blends and coffee drinks to give you that caffeine charge and keep you energized. While having an occasional cup of coffee or even a daily cup is fine, there are a lot of people who drink much more than that and it takes a toll on your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are located just above your kidneys and are your “batteries” that supply most of the energy for your body. When you continually stimulate them with caffeine or even the substances in energy drinks like Guarana and Ginseng you run the risk of over taxing them to the point that they can’t work well on their own.

Why you may be lacking energy

If you are always tired and needing a pick up perhaps you should look into why? First and foremost, are you getting enough sleep? That seems like a really basic question but many of us aren’t. Studies have shown that adults need at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep a night. Teenagers and children need more than that. Sure you can function on 5-6 hours and a half a pot of coffee but not for long. Eventually that will take its toll. It’s also a good idea to make sure you don’t have a medical problem with your thyroid, heart or a vitamin deficiency all of which can lead to fatigue. Are you over exercising? Yes, that’s an actual thing that can happen. Bodies respond best to moderate exercise and if you are always pushing your workouts or not taking enough recovery time; you could be depleting your energy stores. How is your stress level? High stress can make you very tired. Another basic statement but many of us end up almost using stress as a stimulant which again, can deplete your adrenal glands. Your blood sugar has a big effect on your energy as well. Staying away from sugar and the resulting sugar crashes can make a big difference.

So, if you have looked at your lifestyle,  it’s mostly healthy and you are taking care of your body but you still want a little more energy what can you do?

There are a few ways to boost your energy without resorting to stimulants

• Protein for breakfast is something that can make a big difference in your energy levels for the rest of the day. Protein can keep your blood sugar stable and help you avoid that mid-morning crash.

• Making sure you are hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the day is very important for your energy levels. Especially in the morning when you have gone for many hours without any. And no, the water in the coffee doesn’t count.

• Get up and move! If you find that sitting at a desk all day and staring at a computer makes you tired schedule a 5 minute break every hour to get up and stretch, move, do a few jumping jacks if you can. Change your physiology and you’ll change your energy.

• Breathe. It seems odd to have to mention this but most of us don’t breathe deeply enough, often enough and our brains need oxygen. Take a deep breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and then exhale for 4 seconds. Repeat this several times and you’ll see a difference in your stress level and in your energy.

• Vitamin B12 is an important vitamin for your body’s energy production. If you are a vegetarian or vegan it’s very easy to be low in B12 as it is mostly found in animal products.

• CoQ-10 is an essential antioxidant that helps with energy production. This is particularly important if you have a risk of heart problems or are on a statin drug as they deplete the body’s store of CoQ-10.

• No screens before bed. Sometimes the solution is to help you get a better night’s sleep and that starts before you go to bed. The light from the TV or smart phone is stimulating for your brain and may make it difficult for your body to produce melatonin, the hormone needed for sleep. Turn them off at least an hour before bed and read a book instead.

Low energy levels can be dealt with by a variety of methods that aren’t as taxing to your adrenal glands as constant caffeine consumption. Talk with your natural health care practitioner about other natural ways to boost your energy.