7 Ways to Healthily Increase Energy When Tired
1. Take a hot shower
A cold shower makes you want to crawl back into a deep dark hole and die when you're really tired. Try an inviting hot water modality (like a shower or hot tub) instead. Heat has been shown to have beneficial effects on increasing total-body blood flow, tissue oxygenation, nitric oxide production, and muscular relaxation. Enjoy!
2. Stay away from isolated caffeine
Drinking isolated caffeine when you're tired is not a great idea because it adds to your overall cortisol stress. While it'll temporarily increase your focus, it'll also make you feel an ugly combination unpleasant/jittery energy with worsening symptoms of fatigue, like headaches and stress. We highly recommended you drink this coffee next time you're tired, beet juice is actually the first ingredient.
3. Take a 20 min nap (preferably in the sun)
20 minutes is perfect for a nap. Anything less you'll still feel tired, anything more you'll increase your chances of feeling sleepy. Accelerate the healing benefits of a nap by lying in the sun for a healthy dose of energizing Vitamin D. Your body is a solar panel and it's in your best interests to keep it charged!
4. Get moving
Nothing zaps energy like endless hours of sitting. Just going for a walk or doing some light stretching can do wonders for your energy. When you're really fatigued, shoot for low intensity activities only and skip the hard gym workouts. Tomorrow you will thank you.
5. Listen to music
Try some calming music to help eliminate the symptoms of fatigue, some more energetic music to better focus, and "night driving music" which is a mix of repetitive melodies with varying rhythms (think house and progressive) for a balance of energy and calm.
6. Take some slow, deep breaths
There is a certain amount of stress that comes with being tired. Taking slow, deep breaths is a way to release this tension while oxygenating you entire body to just feel better.
7. Eat more protein (stay way from sugar and carbs)
Sugar and carbs can boost your energy when your tired but they'll also make you crash later on and add more to your cortisol stress. Eat more protein, which will help to eliminate cravings and balance blood sugar the right way for steady energy throughout the day.