Avoid Added Sugar
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. This rise and fall 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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Eating small meals and snacks every few hours can reduce your perception of fatigue because your brain needs a steady supply of nutrients.
Eat foods with a low glycemic index to help you avoid the lag in energy that typically occurs after eating quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches. Foods include whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil. Proteins and fats have glycemic indexes that are close to zero.
Some studies found green tea and oolong tea can increase metabolism by 4-5%. The teas help convert some of the fat stored in your body into free fatty acids, which may increase fat burning by 10-17%.
Studies show that the more you move, the more energy you’ll have.
Try burst training, where you work at nearly 100% capacity for 45 seconds, rest for 90 seconds, and then repeat for 20 minutes. It helps burn fat for the next 36 hours and increases metabolism.