5 Tips to improve energy and vitality

06 Aug 5 Tips to improve energy and vitality

1. Am I sleeping enough?

This is quite possibly the most common cause, we simply are not sleeping enough, nor is the quality of sleep up to par. Turn off all electronics 2 hours before bedtime to reduce exposure to blue light in the dark hours when the body is naturally preparing for sleep. Try make your bedroom as dark as possible, try keep your bedroom cool, or take a shower or bath before bed, the sudden rise then drop in temperature helps some reach slumber easier. I personally read my fiction books at night, and leave my study and research reading for daytime hours. Eliminate caffeine at least 5-6 hours before bed, maybe even longer if you sensitive to caffeine, remember this includes a lot more than just coffee, even decaf still has some caffeine. As does chocolate, most teas, some sodas like coke. 

1.  Is my nutrition adequate?

Seriously, if your diet, is crisps and a sausage roll, with the occasional bowl Rice Krispies most days, after a few days or week, you’re going to feel like crap and start to get deficiencies overtime, a multi vitamin is a band aid, and a shit one at that. Sort yourself out, you are an adult, start to increase your vegetable intake, add some fruit, some whole-grains and legumes and lean quality protein sources, make sure its suitably diverse over a week. Not only will this help sort out any deficiencies, but it addresses other critical factors like sufficient fiber and micronutrients not found in a pill. 

1.  Is my Hydration sufficient?  

One of the signs of dehydration is lethargy, so look at your day, and see if you are taking in around 2.7 to 3 liters of fluid a day, this can include teas, coffee as well as the water in your shakes, even adding stews and soup to your day counts and then good old plain water as well. Keep a small 500 ml bottle water on your desk at all times, I prefer 3-5 small bottles water over a 2l or larger bottle, I find the 2l daunting, but little 250-500ml bottles less so, and I am more likely to hit my fluid intake this way. 

1.  Am I too sedentary?

Modern civilization and our daily lives, for most, promote a sedentary lifestyle, we drive to work, we sit behind computers all day, drive home, maybe cook a meal or slap something in the microwave, before plonking our ass on the sofa to catch up on some GOT or heavens forbid the Bachelorette (but whatever floats your boat). We know that regular exercise improves energy levels. It doesn’t have to be some Ironman or -woman type training, but adding in 3 sessions a week, of resistance training (my favorite) and some cardio training, will not only increase energy, but we have all the health benefits that come with regular exercise.

1.  Do I have ways of moderating stress?

To be fair, we live in an ever-increasing stressful environment, more work less money, every increasing tax, and seemingly less income, kids driving you up the wall, keeping your partners happy, socializing. So many demands on our limited time. Our body can only handle so much stress before forcing you to take a break, some of the signs is lethargy and general apathy, your body and mind need a break. Having ways of moderating stress is a lifesaver, whether it be taking time out of your day to meditate, read a good book, take a long hot bath, get laid, go for a massage. Whatever strategies you can use to help balance the stress on your mind and body. 

These are just some suggestions, not only are they necessary for alleviating fatigue, they are the very foundations of good health in general and will go a long way in improving your general wellbeing and staving off lifestyle related diseases and conditions.