6 Ways to Boost Energy Levels (Beyond Sleep)
Are you struggling with the afternoon slump? Or relying on caffeine and sugar to give you energy throughout your day?
Obviously sleep impacts energy levels, but what if your sleep isn’t entirely in your control?
Having two little ones myself, I know that not every night is guaranteed to be a good night’s sleep.
So what are some ways to naturally boost your energy levels, beyond just getting more sleep? This article will talk about six simple ways.
1. Add in more nutrient-dense foods into your day:
Food is our fuel and can sometimes either boost or tank your energy levels. I teach my clients how to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods in my personalized coaching program and some of my favorites include:
- Beef liver (if you’re not a fan of eating it, try beef liver capsules here
- Berries
- Sardines
- Walnuts
- Eggs
- Dark leafy greens
- Avocados
2. Focus on hydration:
Sometimes when I’m feeling tired, it’s a day when I’m not drinking enough water. I recommend drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day, and don’t forget to add in minerals to your water, too!
3. Avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach:
This is one of the quickest ways to start living off stress hormones and suppress your thyroid function from the very beginning of the day. Instead, drink some water upon waking up, have a balanced breakfast, and then enjoy your cup of coffee. Your adrenals will thank you!
4. Have a balanced snack between meals:
If you go too long without eating, your blood sugar levels drop which also can drop your energy levels. Try to avoid going longer than four hours between meals by incorporating a balanced snack – ideally one with complex carbohydrates and protein.
Example: Apple with my 4-Ingredient Fruit Dip recipe
5. Take a cold shower:
I know this sounds crazy, but taking a cold shower not only helps improve alertness, and energy, it can also help reduce stress and support your metabolism. Start by taking a warm shower and then switching to cold water for the last 30-60 seconds, and see how it feels.
6. Get tested:
If you feel like you’re trying all the things, but still struggling with energy, it might be helpful to do some testing. Here’s some I would recommend.
- Nutrient testing: Checking levels of nutrients like B vitamins, iron, calcium, selenium, etc. can be helpful to see if you’re deficient in anything that may be impacting energy.
- Metabolic panel: This looks at different substances in your blood that play a role in your body’s metabolism.
- Food sensitivities: If you eat foods your body is sensitive to, it causes more inflammation and stress on the body, along with impacting your gut health.
- Full thyroid panel: This means looking beyond just your TSH number, and getting a full panel including Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3 and more.
- Hemoglobin A1C: This looks at your blood sugars for the past three months, and can be helpful to see how balanced your blood sugars are throughout the day.
- Vitamin D: This is a hormone that impacts areas such as energy, blood sugar, and moods. Most clients I’ve seen have low levels of Vitamin D (especially if you live in the Midwest).
- Coenzyme Q10: Is an antioxidant that plays a key role in energy and becomes depleted with age. It also can decrease for those on statin medication.
- Cortisol: Is our stress hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands, and can impact how your body uses protein, fat, and carbohydrates for energy.
Let's Stop Yawning, and Start Living!
Helping my clients improve their energy is a key piece of my coaching program. If you’re looking for personalized support with this – make sure to fill out my short coaching application and let’s get started!
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