Written by: T.M. Brunson
There are so many things going on at one time that, sometimes, we don’t feel like we have the energy to keep going.
And, if you’re like me, you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done—work, meal preparations, looking after little ones, driving kids to extracurricular activities, PTA meetings, parent-teacher conferences (I had two this week!), exercising, “me” time, and etc.
There are so many ways to boost your energy levels out there. I picked the five most important ones to me, in my opinion. I picked natural ways because I’m trying to live a more holistic life, one step at a time. And, I would like to share these tips with you.
Below are 5 natural ways that can help boost your energy:
#1 MEDITATE
Meditation. Many people know about it. Not that many people do it. Taking, at least, 15 minutes each day just to focus your mind on your breathing can really help you to navigate through stressful moments and give you a boost of energy to keep going. Decreasing your stress also helps to increase your energy.
Try out a yoga class. If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area, check out @jenleeyoga (instagram) for stimulating yoga classes that will help you center yourself and give you that boost you need to keep on going. Or just pick a quiet spot for 15 minutes to just be aware of your breathing.
#2 DRINK TEA
Some people might wonder why I didn’t say ”drink coffee.” Coffee may help energize you but it’s only because of the caffeine—and caffeine is not good for you, by any means. Drinking decaffeinated tea is the way to go. Certain kinds of teas are better than others.
By making a cup of jade cloud green tea, you can start to feel more balanced. Jade Cloud is grown at a high elevation and harvested in early Spring. (There is even an organic version!)
Drink black tea for a boost of energy. It’s known to ease fatigue, raise energy levels, and stimulate mental alertness.
#3 SLEEP
This may seem like a simple thing to do but a lot of people don’t sleep enough. Just the other day, I got 8.5 hours of sleep for the first time in a very long time. I woke up feeling so energized!
My normal sleep hours range between 4.5-6 hours per night, according to my FitBit. This is only enough sleep to keep my at a functioning level. I am awake enough to get up at 5am every morning, fix lunches, fix breakfast, shower, get dressed, drive an hour to work, attend several meetings, eat lunch, do some actual work, drive an hour home, catch up on phone calls, finish up dinner/clean the kitchen, get everyone through showertime, and getting the baby to sleep for the night.
But with more sleep, I could do so much more (like stay fully awake during my meetings! Ha!), exercise, meal prep, make smoothies, and etc. And more sleep helps the brain to be more alert. The more alert you are, the more energy you have.
And, switch up where you sleep. It doesn’t always have to be in your bed. Travel, if you can. Sleep on a hammock near the beach. Find a secluded place by the ocean where you can listen to the waves crashing. Or if you’re into something more ”nature-al,” find a treehouse where you can enjoy the elevation and pass out for a few hours.
For more travel and inspirational tips that will satisfy your mind, body, and soul, check out @wellnesstravelmama on IG.
#4 EXERCISE
Every morning, my goal is to get up at 5am to move my body in an “exercise-way” for, at least, 20 minutes. Unfortunately, I haven’t reached my goal yet.
When I used to exercise daily, I had an incredible amount of energy. I have friends (and family) all around me who walk every day, or workout at the gym, or who run several times a week, or who go “soul-cycling.” They seem to have energy to do this several times a week.
My mind knows that I would have more energy if I did any one of these things; but, my body is not talking to my mind right now even know it knows it’s the right thing to do.
However, what I do know is that when I don’t want to get up and move my body and I still do it anyway, I am always thankful that I did because I feel so much better after I do. That natural boost of energy that I didn’t have before I started is there after I finish working out—which seems like an oxymoron, but it’s so true!
If you’re not a self-starter, find a trainer who can work with you one-on-one or virtually. Click here to get started and on your way to eating clean, getting fit, and boosting your energy!
#5 REDUCE YOUR SUGAR INTAKE
I bet you didn’t think this was going to be #5. It’s natural to think that sugar would give you a boost of energy—and it might, for a little while, but then you will come crashing down.
Sugar causes your blood sugar to increase so quickly that your body starts producing more insulin to decrease your blood sugar. It’s been said that the up and down of these levels can cause you to feel sluggish.
So not only is sugar linked to cancer, but it’s also linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. So why eat it? Yes, it tastes good. Yes, you only live once. Just remember one word: moderation.
I have friends who removed sugar from their kids’ diet and their kids, literally, went through withdrawals. That’s how much sugar affects us.
I feel a difference when I remove soda from my life. Yes, it tastes good. Yes, there are so many different flavors, but I know that it does more harm than good. It takes at least three weeks for my body to detox from the sugar that’s in soda. I definitely feel more energized when I take it out of my daily dietary intake.
I could go on and one, but I’m going to stop for now. For a bonus tip, check out my facebook page @allmommyissues.