08 Aug 8 Ways to Boost Your Energy Levels

Whether you’re a long-distance marathon runner, a weekend warrior, an occasional exerciser, or a couch potato, you might want to think about ways you can build your energy levels. One of the most common complaints people have is that they don’t have enough energy. Even those who get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep at night wonder if their sleep was restful enough because they still feel tired and stressed out, over-worked, and lacking in the energy it takes to get through a long workday and still have enough energy left over for after-work activities.

There are things you can do to build your energy levels and to make every second of the day count without feeling dragged out and short on steam. Let’s take a look at ways you can build energy and get the most of your day:

• Get plenty of sleep. The current recommendation from experts is that you get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per night. Healthy sleep habits consist of:
  • Sleeping in a dark room
  • Not eating a large meal before bed
  • Avoiding caffeine for at least six hours before sleeping
  • Giving yourself some time to wind down before going to bed
  • Exercise at least 20 minutes a day; just don’t do it right before sleep

• Stay active. While it might sound like exercise would zap you of energy, exercise has been shown to increase your energy level. As mentioned, as little as 20 minutes a day of moderate exercise has been proven to increase energy levels and improve your stamina. If you can do 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, five days a week, you will be surprised at how much energy you have. Many activities count toward aerobic exercise, including walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling, and much more. Anything you can do to bring your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day counts toward a good aerobic exercise you can do to build your energy levels.

• Decreased stress. Stress can come from having a busy work day, relationship difficulties, financial problems, or just not having enough downtime. Think about your stress levels and how they zap you of energy. Things like yoga, meditation, tai chi, and qi gong can lower your stress levels and provide you with more energy to get through your day without stressing out over every little thing.

• Eat for better energy levels. Your diet is important to your level of energy. Focus on healthy eating. You should be getting about 2000 to 2500 calories a day consisting of a diet high in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats. It’s okay to eat between meals as long as you eat a healthy snack, such as fruit, yogurt, or even a handful of nuts. These between-meal snacks can boost your energy levels and can keep you going all day long.

• Stay hydrated. Believe it or not, hydration is almost as important as eating when it comes to having energy. Too many people struggle to function every day slightly dehydrated. Keep a water bottle with you and sip from it regularly, so you stay hydrated. If you exercise heavily, you need even more water, and you need electrolytes, as you will lose electrolytes through sweating. If you can’t keep up with your fluid and electrolyte intake, consider IV hydration with electrolytes to maximize your daily performance and to keep your energy level up.

• The role of vitamin C. Vitamin C will not increase your energy levels, but if you exercise a lot, vitamin C can be an excellent supplement. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant that will remove free radicals generated through exercise or just produced as part of daily living. Vitamin C is involved in many enzymatic reactions that lead to the synthesis of neurotransmitters, some amino acids, and collagen.

• The role of magnesium. Magnesium is required for many enzymatic reactions and has been shown to improve energy levels as it affects almost every biological system in your body. Magnesium is one of the most important reactants in the making of adenosine triphosphate or ATP, which is the energy storage molecule in every cell of your body. Deficiencies of magnesium have been shown to cause low energy levels. Magnesium has a significant effect on your nervous system. You need magnesium reserves to support the nervous system and its electrical activity. People who exercise a lot particularly need to make sure they are not magnesium deficient. The big problem with magnesium is that it does not digest easily so you may want to consider intravenous solutions containing magnesium.

• The role of B vitamins. The B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, have been found to increase energy levels through a variety of mechanisms. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the production of DNA, the production of red blood cells, the regeneration of your bone marrow, the regeneration of your respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract linings, and the health of your nervous system. You can take B vitamins orally as part of a multivitamin or separately. If you don’t think you are absorbing vitamin B well because of stomach problems or other problems with absorption, consider getting vitamin B12 supplementation intravenously as this will guarantee you’re getting enough of the vitamin and maximizing the energy you get from this essential vitamin.

These are just a few ways you can consider to build your energy levels on a daily basis. If you become ill and can’t get the nutrients you need or if you exercise a lot and can’t keep your body full of the nutrition it needs, try our Hydration Hero service. IV hydration vitamin supplementation can give your body all the energy and vitamins to get back to the levels you need in less than an hour. Call our office to find out more! Right now, we are running a Summer 2017 special for 50% off your first hydration, 50% off when you bring a friend and 10% if you share on social media your hydration visit. Check out all our packages at ltmensclinic.com/hydration-hero/ or all our office to schedule an appointment 817-416-5698.