If you’re leaning on coffee and energy drinks to keep yourself toned all day, but you keep wondering why you keep feeling sluggish most of the time, you might want to try changing your lifestyle. Bonus: Many of these healthy habits will not only reduce fatigue, but will also contribute to your overall health and well-being!
How to get energy in the morningTo energize your day, make some changes to your morning routine. Start the day with light physical movements, drink water with lemon, and be sure to have a protein-rich breakfast.
- Try to get out into daylight within minutes of waking up, as the day/night cycle affects your circadian clock, sleep and wakefulness. Your body responds to light as a signal to wake up, so increasing the amount of natural light (pull the curtains as wide as possible) that you are exposed to during the day helps you maintain a high concentration of mindfulness.
- Get moving. Whether it’s simple stretching, walking the dog, doing yoga, or whatever exercise you enjoy. Since your muscles are literally paralyzed after sleep, reactivating them with stretches and gentle movements releases energy-boosting endorphins.
- Instead of drinking coffee, drink a glass of water with a lemon added to it. This simple habit aids digestion, keeps you hydrated, has powerful antioxidant properties, and provides about 15% of your daily value of vitamin C. Remember that fatigue is a common symptom of dehydration, so drink plenty of water throughout the day, not just at breakfast.
- Start your day with a well-balanced healthy breakfast. Research shows that a protein-rich breakfast helps reduce afternoon sugar cravings. Need breakfast ideas? Try a vegetable omelet, high-fiber whole grain cereal with skim milk, a fruit smoothie with low-fat yogurt, or oatmeal with a little vegetable or nut butter.