This post is sponsored by Alomune, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Do you ever feel exhausted before your day starts and wish you knew how to effectively increase your energy level? Fatigue and lack of energy is something I battle with every day, but a few simple tips have helped me boost my energy without relying on caffeine.
My morning starts at 5:40. When my first alarm goes off, I roll out of bed and make sure that my two oldest daughters are getting ready for school. After they leave, I wake my middle school son. As soon as he gets on his bus, it’s time to start the youngest two on their morning routines. I eat breakfast with them, make sandwiches for their lunches, and walk them to school.
By the time I get home from school drop off at 9:00, I am already exhausted from a long morning….and I haven’t even started work yet! I am frequently tempted to crawl back into bed and take a morning nap…but work always wins out.
Since I’m not a coffee or tea drinker, I’ve had to rely on other ways to give my energy level a much needed boost. Here are a few of the tricks that have worked for me. What are your best energy-boosting tips?
Tips to Increase Your Energy Level Without Caffeine
- Drink more water – There are so many reasons to increase your water consumption, and I’m sure you’ve heard all of them. Not drinking enough water leads to dehydration which leads to fatigue, decreased ability to concentrate and poor metabolism. Drinking more water, in turn, boosts the body’s metabolism and helps curb the fatigue, not to mention the fact that the brain needs water to function well. Just do it.
- Exercise regularly – When I make time to exercise, I always feel better and more energized. Instead of feeling tired after I’ve gone to the gym, I feel ready to conquer the rest of the day. I used to make the excuse that I didn’t have time to exercise, but the fact is, when I exercise, I use my time more efficiently because I have more energy. Something as simple as a taking a walk or taking a break to stretch my muscles helps boost my energy. Check out my article on the Alomune blog about fitting exercise into your busy day.
- Take breaks and mix it up – When I feel the fatigue coming on, I know it’s time to get up and do something different for a few minutes. Whether it’s running up and down the stairs to get my heart pumping, throwing another load of dirty clothes in the washing machine or even reading a few chapters of a good book, changing things up acts like a rest button for my energy.
- Eat right – from choosing a nutritious, high protein-low carb breakfast to making healthy snack choices throughout the day to avoiding processed and fast foods, eating well makes a huge difference in my energy level. I notice a huge difference in my late morning energy when I’ve eaten an egg for breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal. Same thing goes for the afternoon slump. When I feel my energy waning in the late afternoon, I head for some low fat cheese or a small handful of nuts to get a quick non-caffeinated boost.
- Play music – Playing instrumental music while I work helps keep my mind alert and tends to keep my body moving, too (I can’t help but dance a little!). Not everyone functions well with music playing in the background, but for me, music is a life-saver. I always feel more alert with music playing versus working in silence. My favorite working music is The Piano Guys.
- Get enough sleep at night – This is one tip that I always struggle with, even though I know how important sleep is. The brain simply functions better when it is well-rested. Rather than making a drastic change all at once, try getting to bed 10 or 15 minutes earlier each night so that eventually you’re getting sufficient sleep every night.
- Soak in some sun – Even during the cold months of winter, it’s important to get outside every day. While I’m at home, I open the curtains and let the sunshine in my room. After being told last year that my fatigue was due in large part to my Vitamin D deficiency, I’ve payed more attention to the time I spend outside soaking in the natural Vit D. Sunscreen on, of course.
For more healthy living tips, check out my latest article on the Alomune blog (there’s so much more there, too) and be sure to follow @Alomune on twitter and on Pinterest, too (my favorite is their Kid-friendly nutritious snacks board). And of course, don’t forget to check out their site at Alomune.com.
What are your best tips for increasing your energy level?
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Alissa says
Great tips!
Omega vitamins Orthomol says
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Jennifer Sikora says
I am SO glad you posted these tips because I am THE worlds worst coffee drinker and I am getting ready to change that. I was freaking out about how to get more energy once I cut my coffee consumption down.
Thanks for sharing these tips!
rose paden says
Great tips! I am always drinking lots of water! thanks for sharing!
shelly peterson says
Great tips! there are some i need to start doing!
MommaDJane says
I need to start playing music more often. I used to always use Pandora in the office but have gotten out of the habit lately.