Picture this… It’s 2pm. You start to feel your eyes getting heavy, your brain slows down and as if on a timer you get that overwhelming craving for a candy bar, coffee, or anything that will bring your out of the haze.
Does this sound familiar?
If you are lucky enough to be retired or self-employed (*wink, wink) my recommendation is a 20-30 minute nap to press the reset button on your energy tank. Unfortunately, not all of us have that luxury. What do we do?
First step is to recognize the patterns in your body. When I started to pay closer attention to my energy levels and the body’s response to low energy – i.e. the sugar and caffeine cravings – I gained a little more control in how I choose to manage these moments.
Below are a a few suggestions from entrepreneur.com that have worked well for me:
1. Get in motion! Seems counter-intuitive to ask someone who is tired to get up and exercise; however, mental fatigue is generally not linked to physical fatigue. Taking time to go walk, jog in place, take a bike ride or another activity will send blood and nutrients to your heart, brain and lungs to help them operate more efficiently.
2. Drink up! Some statistics show that up to 75 percent of the American population is chronically dehydrated. You’ve probably heard the body is mostly water (and if you’ve had a cold lately you know all about the fluids in the body!). This means when we take in more water it can help nourish the brain and muscles.
3. Return to the breath. Take a long, deep breath in. Hold at the top for just a moment, then completely exhale to the bottom of the lungs.
Did you feel it?! You just gave yourself an instant wake-up call by delivering oxygen to the brain and other cells in the body.
4. Try chia seeds! These are an ancient Mayan secret to promoting strength and stamina in their warriors, this new “superfood” is full of Omega-3s, antioxidants and fiber for a healthy source of energy even for us non-warriors.
Food for thought:
Have you been struggling with low energy during the work day?
We’ve all been there! Instead of giving into the same ol’ temptations, why not try an all natural fix from the list above?
