How to Naturally Raise Your Energy Level
These days, who couldn’t use a little more energy? With more options than ever before, it can be incredibly tempting to plan your day around trips to your favorite coffee shop or reach for that potent energy drink. But with all the research showing the harmful effects of caffeine, it can be far more effective, not to mention cheaper, to embrace more natural solutions.
Here are five simple, healthy ways to maximize your energy level.
Get Better Sleep
We’d all like to get more sleep. Sadly, that isn’t an option for many of us. What IS an option is getting better sleep. We all spend about ⅓ of our life in bed, so there’s no reason not to invest in some premium bedding materials that will guarantee you are maximizing the benefits of the sleep you do get. Technologies are improving every day and sleep-tech is no exception. Try using a combination of sleep masks, white noise machines, shredded bamboo pillows, and/or weighted blankets to see just how cozy your bed can become. Not to mention how much more well-rested you’ll feel waking up.
Take Care of Your Skin
Did you know that technically your skin is your body’s largest organ? Because of that, taking care of your skin is a great way to make that fresh, rejuvenated right-out-of-the-shower feeling last all day long.
The emergence of essential oils has really taken skin care to the next level. One of my personal favorites is argan oil. Using argan oil for skin has been clinically proven to increase skin elasticity, slow the signs of aging, and reduce the visibility of stretch marks. With benefits like that, you’ll be feeling like your best self in no time.
Break a Sweat
For those people like me who don’t really enjoy going to the gym, consistently working exercise into a weekly routine can sometimes be difficult. But there are many energy benefits to exercising that make the efforts of taking a walk around the block, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or working out along with a video completely worth it. Who knows, you might even find that you like the after-effects so much that those gym trips seem less daunting and more enjoyable.
Catch Some Rays
Vitamin D is an amazing source of extra energy because its effects actually take place within the cell. And luckily, we humans all get a nearly unlimited, completely free source of vitamin D in the form of the sun.
Small changes like sitting outside on your lunch break or taking your kids (or pets) to a local park can really recharge your body. Bonus, being outside often leads to getting exercise, making this a “double-shot” energy boost. Just don’t forget the sunglasses and sunscreen (SPF 15 recommended) so you only get benefits from your outdoor adventures in the sun.
Improve Your Diet
It seems proverbs about diet such as “Your body is a temple” and “You are what you eat” are a dime a dozen. But there’s a reason these sayings have survived the test of time – because they’re correct. Cutting some processed foods out in favor of whole foods can go a long way towards increasing your energy level as well as saving you some of your hard-earned money. Some of the best foods for boosting energy include oatmeal, yogurt, strawberries, and hummus. But it’s really hard to go wrong with any whole food, especially compared to the processed, preservative-laden counterparts usually taking up space in our freezers and pantries.
