Need a Boost? Here’s How to Have More Energy

You can’t add hours to the day. But you may be able to boost your energy — and what you can accomplish each day — by making healthy choices.

“People need to recognize how much they can do for their health through changes in lifestyle,” noted family physician Thomas Ljungman, MD, medical director of The Well Being Center for Mind/Body Health at Excela Health. “If you think the only health interventions available are procedures and medications, you’re not being fair to yourself. Through nutrition, exercise and intentional relaxation, you can feel healthier than you’ve felt in a long time.”

Try this experiment: Write down everything you eat and drink for a week or two. Then, look to see if you’re getting enough of these energy suppliers each day:

• Six to 11 servings of carbohydrates
• Two to three servings of protein, from meat, fish, nuts and other sources
• Two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables. A diet low in vitamin C may cause fatigue.
• Six to eight cups of water, juice or milk

If you’re doing all the right things yet still feel fatigued, see your doctor. Constant fatigue can signal a number of conditions, including diabetes, depression and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Also, snacks can help keep you energized throughout the day. Try baked tortilla chips and salsa or low-fat yogurt and raisins.

What about sleep? Do you sleep two or more hours longer on your days off? You may not be getting enough sleep during the week. To improve sleep time:

• Don’t drink fluids before bedtime — to avoid waking up to use the bathroom.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: For instance, read or listen to soothing music.

Finally, don’t forget about stress. Short-term stress — for example, rushing to meet a deadline — can actually leave you feeling energized. But if you’re almost always stressed or anxious, your energy levels will suffer. At the opposite end of the spectrum: Research shows that boredom can leave you feeling tired.

One place to start if you’re stressed or bored: Schedule time for activities that interest you, such as painting or another hobby.

“People have a huge amount of control over their health. They just have to make some changes in the way they live,” added Dr. Ljungman. “Intentional relaxation, which can have profound health benefits, is very undervalued by our society.”