Five Ways To Boost Your Energy

Feel drained by late morning or mid-day? Well, you’re not alone. But these energy- boosting tips can change all that!

Walk It Off

Even though you may feel exercise is the last thing you want to do when your energy is in a slump, it will actually offer you a quick pick-me-up. Just a short stroll around the block helps you revive. It’s best to go outside (because you get the benefit of fresh air) but just walking down an office corridor or through a mall will not only get your blood flowing and lungs working better, but a change of scene can help boost your brain activity. Experts found that when daily 10-minute walks continued for three weeks, overall energy levels increased and moods lifted.

Go Nuts In a government study, women with magnesium deficiencies had higher heart rates and required more oxygen to do physical tasks than they did after their magnesium levels were restored. The recommended daily intake is around 300 milligrams for women. Just adding a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet should be enough.

Doze Off When you feel you’ve lost focus and just can’t concentrate any more, go ahead and give yourself permission to get some shut eye. Research conducted by the National Institutes of Mental Health found that a 60-minute "power nap" not only helps us reverse the mind-numbing effects of information overload, it may also help us to better retain what we’ve learned.

Eat A Healthy Breakfast Studies show that people who start their day by eating a healthy breakfast, packed with vitamins and minerals (not sweet and over-processed foods) report being in a better mood and having more energy throughout the day. Plus, studies published in the journal Nutritional Health found that missing any meal during the day led to a greater feeling of exhaustion by day's end.

Tame Stress We all know how stress leaves us mentally and physically depleted. Tame this energy sucker by adding relaxation activities to your day. It can simply be listening to music, reading a romance novel, meditating, yoga -– or just looking at a painting of a peaceful scene. Whatever is relaxing for you will reduce tension and help increase energy.