Image via Flickr by icouldbreathe’
Do you often feel lethargic? Do you need a caffeinated beverage to get through the day? When you lack energy, each day feels like a struggle. Here are four surprising ways to battle fatigue.
Hydrate Your Body
The amount of water you drink on a daily basis directly affects your level of energy. You might believe that all beverages hydrate you enough, but that’s not true. Water is always the best thing you can drink. Get in the habit of hydrating regularly. Research suggests that women should ingest nine cups of water daily, whereas men need a dozen. To help yourself reach this goal, always take a refillable beverage container wherever you go. Replenish it with water every couple of hours. You’ll feel better once you’ve learned to hydrate properly.
Eat Healthful Foods
You might think of malnutrition as an issue only for seventeenth-century pirates who battled scurvy due to their low intake of Vitamin C, but your diet affects your energy level as well. Malnourishment is a battle that people have fought for countless generations, and it’s still an issue now. When you feel lethargic, your body is telling you that it needs better fuel, and now might be the time to consider taking a look at supplements like Bio Complete 3 that can help give your body a bit of an extra boost when it comes to things like digestion so that you are able to get the most out of the food that you eat.
That’s particularly true if your diet includes a lot of sugary sweets. You may experience a sugar crash that wipes out your energy. Alter your diet to include protein-rich foods and good fats such as those provided by grass-fed beef. Other foods that will give you a surge of energy include eggs, avocados, and fish. Each of these will propel you out of your lull.
Work Out in a Healthy Environment
When you’re tired, the last thing you want to do is exercise. You already feel exhausted, and the idea of burning calories seems crazy. It’s actually one of the best things you can do to feel more energetic, though. When you work out, your body naturally produces endorphins. The benefit of these chemicals is that you experience a euphoric feeling after working out. It will overwhelm your senses, negating the lethargic sensations.
You need a clean environment to make your workout count, though. An area with indoor air quality (IAQ) issues will prevent you from breathing properly. You’ll lose the health benefits of working out, making your situation worse instead of better. The best way to prevent IAQ problems is by regularly changing your air conditioner filter on your HVAC unit. A dirty vent is one of the most common causes of IAQ.
Sleep Better
This step sounds like the most obvious one, but your lack of energy might have a different cause than you realize. How bright is the room where you sleep? How loud is the space as well as the surrounding outside area? Brightness can reduce the quality of your sleep cycles. The same is true of irritating noises such as trains or vehicles on heavily traveled roads. Try to improve the quality of your sleep by making certain that you’re in a dark, quiet space. You’ll feel much more energetic when you sleep well.
You don’t have to feel lethargic. Simply consider these tips, then decide which ones can help you feel more energetic.