Although you might be used to dragging yourself through sleepy day after sleepy day, there are easy ways you can increase your energy levels. Here are five tips to help you feel livelier and alert.
1. Avoid Caffeinated Beverages
Although many people turn to coffee and tea as a pick-me up, caffeinated beverages can interfere with your sleep schedule and end up making you more tired. Limit yourself to one caffeinated beverage in the morning, and make sure that you avoid caffeine several hours before bed.
2. Get Moving
Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to make sure you are sleeping well at night. Although vigorous cardiac activity will provide the most benefit, even a casual stroll can help.
3. Get Plenty of Natural Daylight
One reason many people have difficulty sleeping is that they do not receive the exposure to natural daylight that would help properly set their internal clocks. Spend time outside during the daylight hours, and signal to your mind that it is time to wind down by taking a leisurely stroll during the twilight. Your body and mind will be primed for rest.
4. Fix Your Sleep Schedule
Sometimes, over-tiredness is not a complicated issue. People are exhausted because they do not have time to sleep. Sometimes, this is not a choice, and people need to overhaul their lifestyle in order to make sufficient time for rest. In other cases, merely making sleep a higher priority is enough to see a real difference Sleep hygiene is also crucial. Avoiding bright lights (including computer screens) can help you fall and stay asleep. Establishing a strong bedtime ritual can also help signal to your overstimulated brain that the time to shut down has come. For some individuals, they might paradoxically find that they have more energy if they sleep less. For these people, oversleeping can lead to drowsiness the next day. If you sleep more than eight hours but are still tired, try cutting back to seven or even six hours for a day or two. If you do decide to experiment with your sleep schedule, keep a journal so you can keep track of what behaviors make a difference. If you try basic fixes to your sleep and nothing seems to help, you might want to see a sleep specialist to rule out sleep apnea or any other serious medical issue.
5. Try Fasting
Another way to increase your energy level is to try intermittent fasting. Fasting is a major step, and should not be tried without first speaking to a doctor about any potential risk. However, many people around the world practice intermittent fasting for a variety of health benefits, including increased energy.