If you’re eating a lot of processed foods high in sugar and fat, you may find that they affect your energy levels as well as your health. Choose whole, nutritious foods to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function at its best.

Eat a Nutritious Diet

High-sugar foods cause your blood sugar to rise quickly, sometimes referred to as a blood sugar spike. This results in your body releasing large amounts of insulin to bring your blood sugar back down. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2768570/">This rise and fall</a> in blood sugar are what cause a rush of energy followed by a slump.Minimize your intake of sugar and focus on eating whole foods instead.

Avoid Added Sugar

The smoke from cigarettes is extremely harmful. The toxins and tar in the smoke reduce the efficiency of your lungs. Over time, this can reduce the amount of oxygen transported around your body, making you feel tired. Quitting smoking is great for both your energy levels and your health.

Avoid Smoking

Social isolation can cause low mood and tiredness, especially as you get older. If you feel tired and in low spirits, it can be helpful to get out socializing with friends, joining a social club or starting a new hobby that gets you out and about.

Be Social

One study found that sedentary people with persistent, unexplained fatigue decreased their tiredness by around 65% just by regularly participating in low-intensity cycling.Get up and move your body like brisk walking or cycling to boost your energy levels.

Move More

Feelings of stress can mean that you struggle to concentrate, experience racing thoughts, difficulty switching off and tiredness.Strategies to improve your energy levels include taking some time for yourself to relax, reading or going for a walk.

Reduce Stress

Dehydration can affect your brain function, mood and energy levels.If you feel tired and don’t think you drink enough water, try drinking it regularly throughout the day to ensure you stay hydrated.

Stay Hydrated

Lack of sleep can result in you feeling lethargic, grumpy and tired. If you often feel this way, you may want to consider whether you’re getting enough sleep.Try and aim for around 7 hours of quality sleep per night. Wind down from your day with relaxing behaviors before bed.

Get More Sleep

Regularly drinking alcohol before bed can interfere with the quality of your sleep. Alcohol can also act as a diuretic, meaning that if you drink it before bed it can make you get up at night, disturbing your sleep.If you drink regularly, limiting the amount of alcohol you consume could help improve your energy levels.

Limit Alcohol

With increasingly busy lives, many people regularly find themselves feeling tired and drained. However, if the tiredness you're experiencing is lifestyle-related, there are lots of things you can do to increase your energy levels. This article looks at 9 ways you can change your lifestyle and boost your energy levels naturally.