Do you lack energy?
Could you nap at any point through out the day and sleep perfectly through the night?
Do you wake up feeling like you could sleep for another 3 hours?
Me too. I don't know why this happens but it's pretty annoying. I hate not having energy. I like doing things... however when I do things, it must always include a coffee or Red Bull. I know, I know... Red Bull is bad... but I kid you not when I tell you that caffienated beverages get me through the day. No matter what day it is.. week day... weekend... it doesn't matter. Thank god for iced coffee during the summer months.
I was thinking that I should probably do another research and education related blog post soon because I've been kind of slacking in terms of actually providing you all with useful information, so this is the perfect opportunity to do so. What brought this on? The fact that I want to go for a walk... but being in my bed just feels SO GOOD. In my night gown... hair pulled out of my braid and plopped on top of my head... pillows and a duvet all around me... are you understanding how I'm feeling? :) I could put on Dr. Phil and literally fall asleep to the sound of his southern accent. Haha... I might be getting a little carried away.
The point is as a young, healthy 24 year old woman, I should have more damn energy than this!!! Perhaps it's because I haven't exercised in a while in attempts to heal my shin splints. I did notice that when I ran in the morning I had more energy through my whole day. Anyways, regardless... I googled (is this officially a word now?) natural ways to boost energy levels and came across an awesome article with FIFTY.. yes, 5-0 ways to boost energy naturally. I'm not going to copy and paste all 50 into this blog post, but I'll provide a link to the full article after I share my fav 10 :).
1. Pull down on your earlobes. What? Apparently this helps you stay awake and alert when you're feeling drowsy. I will have to try this...
2. Roll up and down on your toes. This stimulates the circulatory system which helps deliver much needed oxygen and glucose throughout the body.
3. Crank up the AC. Warm, stuffy environments accelerate mental fatigue. If you need to stay awake and energized in a lecture hall or meeting room, find an open seat under an AC vent.
4. Exercise regularly in the morning. I'M DOING THIS!! Even 30 minutes of exercise can make you feel energized for hours after. Exercise in the morning gets the endorphines flowing which keeps you happy and productive most of the day.
5. Eat at least 3 meals per day. Give yourself lasting energy by eating on a regular schedule.
6. Avoid late night television or aimless web browsing. Get a little more sleep instead.
7. Cut down on coffee and energy drinks (uhmm.. what?). Although coffee can give you a rush of energy, in the end it causes more fatigue. It doesn't have to be eliminated but you probably shouldn't drink more than 1 cup per day. OMG I'm totally drinking way more than that.
8. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can reduce blood volume which can lead ot feelings of fatigue. Drinking plenty of water will increase your need to go to the restroom which is a feeling that also helps you stay awake! :)
9. Watch your attitude. If you let the bad things that happen during the day get you down, you're bound to start feeling worn out. Watch your attitude and make sure you're not letting yourself be overly negative. A generally upbeat and optimistic outlook on life will keep your energy level up. Yes, the worst thing that can happen might actually happen, but giving it too much worry will only drain you. Look for the positive in every situation and you won't be so tired.
10. Avoid energy vampires. Lol. Energy Vampires always have something to complain about, or a problem that needs to be fixed, and they'll drain your energy by making you listen to them about their problems or by giving them attention.
For the whole list of all 50 energy boosting tips, you can click here! They have some really neat tips and tricks. I definitely wouldn't have thought of half of them but I will definitely be trying some of them out!! I think I could think up maybe 4 tips on my own...
1. Nap often.
2. Drink coffee.
3. Sleep 10 hours per night.
4. Go take a vacation.
Seems logical right? :).
Speaking of vacation..... I really want to go south this fall. I'm thinking I want to go the week after my birthday (which is Halloween - feel free to send gifts :P). Some place warm, where I can lay on a beach chair in my bikini and just bask in the sun. I also want to learn how to surf and swim with dolphins and play beach volleyball and run along the water and go dancing and drink from a coconut (I've done this here in Toronto but it seems much cooler doing it at an exotic destination) and basically anything you can do, I want to do. This place, Club Med in Turks and Caicos seems like a good option. No? Have you ever been? What did you think? It says it's good for people who like water sports, which means I could probably learn to surf somewhere (that's at the top of my to-do list) and play beach volleyball. :)
Random fact for you - I've never been somewhere warm. The only "trips" I've been on is when C and I went to Manhattan a couple of years ago.....
.... and when I was 16, my boyfriend at the time and his family and I drove from our little town in Ontario all the way to Edmonton Alberta... 4 days... 44 hours... not really what I'd call a "vacation" but it was far, and that counts kind of in my books.
Q: What's your "go-to" tip for keeping your energy high during the day?
Q: Best vacation you've ever been on?
