10 Ways to Get More Energy Now!
As a mom of 3 kids, I know exhaustion! After years of sleep deprivation and giving my all to my kids, I was on an empty tank. Running on fumes. As a result, I developed what most people call adrenal fatigue (properly called HPA axis dysregulation). In short, I was depleted. It has taken years to get my body back to a good place where I have energy and feel good again. It not only took changing my health habits, but also my mindset and behaviors.
Here are 10 things that I have done to get to a better place. They helped this mama get her mojo back and love life again! And I know they can help you, too! Here they are, in no particular order (Except #1! That one has priority seating for a reason!)
Prioritize sleep
This one is in the #1 spot for a reason. Prioritizing sleep is probably the most important thing you can for your health, yet too many people don’t get adequate sleep. I will be covering the importance of sleep and ways to get better sleep in a future post, but just know that you should be getting 7-9 hours a sleep every night. And I don’t want to hear that excuse “I can function on 6 hours of sleep” (or 5 or 4 or whatever ridiculously low number people say). Yes, it is possible to function on less sleep, but functioning is different than feeling Ah-MAZING. If you are struggling with energy, I cannot stress how critical getting enough shut-eye is. Easiest way to feel more energized? Get your 8 hours, every night!
Do things you love
Nothing sucks energy more than doing things that you dread. Often, we do things out of obligation: committees, special work projects, cooking food for a potluck, participating in activities others want to do. If you love these things, don’t stop. But if you are “shoulding” yourself, don’t! Try for one week doing things that bring you joy and make you happy and see how you feel! Work on removing things you don’t have to do and don’t like for things you love to do but don’t usually take the time to do (isn’t it funny that we have to make ourselves do things we love and force ourselves to stop things we hate? Speaks volumes about our values as a society. Be a rebel and have more fun in your life!!)
Remove Caffeine
“WHAT??!?” you’re thinking. I know, I can read your mind ;) “Why would I want to remove caffeine? I am trying to feel more energic, not less!!” But hear me out for a hot second. First, caffeine is often a band-aid for exhaustion. We are so tired that we have to caffeinate to make it through the day. But often, it is masking how truly tired we are. And by falsely masking our exhaustion, we are more likely to power through when we should be resting. So, remove the caffeine and see how you feel without the jolt. This will give you a truer baseline of what your energy level is really like and then you know how much work you have to do to get back to where you want to be.
Let’s also talk about how caffeine can be disruptive to your sleep, and therefor affect your energy levels that way, too. If you are drinking coffee (or any caffeinated beverage) after noon, it is likely affecting your sleep without you even knowing it. Remove the caffeine and see how you feel.
Listen to Your Body
Being able to tune in and listen to your body’s needs is a critical tool to getting more energy. When we listen to our body, we will know when we need to rest, take a nap, sleep instead of watching TV, sit instead of doing laundry, or actually take your lunch instead of working through. When you learn to tune into your body instead of pushing through, you will rest when you need, and as a result, have more energy. How to tune into your body? It can be as involved or as simple as you need.
Here is a super easy exercise to try: get in a comfortable position (seated or lying down) and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Drop your awareness from your head into your body and start to notice what you feel. Ask yourself where you feel tension, exhaustion, or discomfort. Notice the quality of those feelings in your body. Fully allow your body to lean into those feelings. You only need to do this for a few minutes. This brief check in helps us truly notice how our bodies are feeling, and more often than not, people feel exhausted when they allow themselves to sit.
Exercise
I hate to admit it, but exercise is critical to energy. Why do I hate to admit this? Because it is hard to get your butt in gear when you are dragging and exhausted. Even though I was always active in my younger years, since having kids, I haven’t had a regular exercise routine. I told myself why it’s not a big deal and how someday I would. But once I was thrown into an intense exercise routine, I noticed an immediate boost in my energy levels. Like, way better than any amount of caffeine I could drink. I also slept better. This one step can have a domino effect of health effects on your body and life. Find any way to incorporate some regular movement. Hike as a family. Get childcare at a gym. Find a workout buddy. Get this one step in your life and you will feel the difference.
Learn to Say No
As moms, the natural tendency is to say yes and help everyone. Want to be on PTO? Sure! Can you take the extra shift this week? Ok. You want to do another afterschool activity and need me to drive you there? Of course, honey! In all our desire to be helpful and accommodating, we often run ourselves into the ground and tell ourselves that this is the way it is. That our worth as a mom and woman in our society is to be as helpful and supportive as possible, even at the cost of our own health and happiness. But how helpful are we if our bodies can no longer handle the task because we are depleted? We aren’t! Am I suggesting you say no to everyone? No, but we have to learn how to figure out what things truly feed our soul and help our families, and say no to everything else. (We also have to learn to let go of guilt for not doing all-the-things. You’re a great mom, I promise).
Clean Up Your Diet
Food is medicine, and when you are fueling yourself with junk, you will feel junky and sluggish. Feed yourself nourishing foods, and you will feel good and energized. So what foods should you eat for better energy? I use this as a general rule of thumb: the closer a food is to it’s natural state, the more energy it can provide you. Veggies and fruits are great! Free-range, organic meats, fresh seafood, and eggs are awesome. Nuts, seeds, coconuts can all add energy. Refined grains and sugars: no good. Highly processed foods: again, no good. Now, I personally love a paleo style diet as a great way to eat for maximum energy, but wherever you are, even making small improvements towards a healthy diet can help your energy levels for the better.
Control Stress
We all know that stress causes a huge mental and emotional toll on us, but it also physically manifests in our body as tension and fatigue. It is hard to feel rested and energized if we have chronic stress running through our bodies and brains all day long. Find ways to manage your stress. Meditate. Do things that make you happy. Go for a walk with a friend. Talk to your spouse or family about things troubling you. Get a coach or therapist. Find ways to slow down your monkey mind (you know, when your mind is going a mile a minute). Whatever you do to manage stress, DO IT!
Epsom Salt Bath
These can be quite magical for many reasons. One, you are taking time to be still and slow down, which allows your body to rest and recover from a busy life. Second, you are taking time for yourself, which is a form of self-care, which is also restorative. And third, Epsom salt has amazing properties that can boost energy. How it works: Epsom salt can remove harmful toxins from your body, which creates pathways for the magnesium and sulfate found in the salts to enter. These compounds in the body boost the amount of magnesium in your body available for important functions, including energy production, reducing inflammation, and muscle function.
How to make your magical Epson salt bath: Throw 2-4 cups of Epson salt, 1/2 cup baking soda, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender is a great one for relaxing) to your warm bath and soak for at least 20 minutes. Add candles, soft music, and lock the door for a totally relaxing experience (otherwise the hooligans will come for you). You’ll thank me later!
Ask For Help
So often, when we are run down and don’t feel like we have the energy for our lives, often it’s because we’re trying to DO-IT-ALL. We believe we should be able to manage everything and do it with a smile. But you will never recover if you are constantly doing it all yourself. Stop for a moment and look at what you’re doing. What could be delegated to someone else? At first, your initial instinct will be to say that you are the one who is capable of doing it, but look again. Can you have your kids do an extra chore? Your husband grocery shop on the way home from work? A friend pick up your kid from school? People are more than happy to help out, so take advantage of this and find ways to rest your body and soul when it tells you to. Find a way to ask for help.
I hope you find something here that helps you feel more energized so you can have more fun!! Tell me, what magical things do you do for more energy?