Our energy levels naturally wax and wane. If you experience a dip in your energy in the afternoons then it may be tied to your diet and eating a hard-to-digest breakfast or lunch.
Also, feeling chronically stressed contributes to energy dips and mental fatigue. Persistent stress leads our body’s stress system to remain on high alert. While chipping away at chronic stress isn’t exactly simple, there are many straightforward ways you can combat low energy and mental fatigue—in the moment and through developing healthier daily habits. Start boosting your energy with the eight tips listed below. We often work with patients to identify the root causes of fatigue so that we can create a treatment plan to promote increasing energy consistently.
Eat energy-supplying foods
Start your day with a breakfast that will help you maintain energy levels throughout the day. Reach for soluble fibers, healthy fats, and proteins. Some days, you could eat hot oats with nut butter (such as almond butter), walnuts, cinnamon, and your favorite berries. On other days, you might savor an egg and vegetable-packed frittata. For lunch, choose foods that increase oxygen levels in your blood—key for sparking or sustaining energy. This might include dark leafy greens, like kale or spinach, legumes, lentils, grass-fed meats, avocado, and fruit. When picking out energy-boosting foods, remember to also prioritize taste: Eat foods that you genuinely enjoy. It’s not just helpful for improving your energy and combating mental fatigue; it’s also an important way to honor your needs (and add to your overall satisfaction ).
Stay well hydrated
Many of us simply don’t drink enough water on a regular basis. In fact, mild dehydration can cause fatigue, brain fog , mental fatigue, and headaches. Dehydration can even sink your mood. Not having enough water in our system is problematic on the most basic cellular level. Our cells, organs, and tissues require water to function properly and optimally. To ensure you’re drinking enough, divide your body weight in half and drink half that amount in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., you want to have 75 ounces of water.
Go for low-intensity exercise
Regular exercise increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen to our brain and tissues. It also has a positive effect on sleep by helping you fall asleep faster and sleep better (which, in turn, boosts your energy during the day). To experience an energy boost, skip the high-intensity workout in favor of low-intensity exercise, like a walk around the park, a 20- to 30-minute yoga session, or a brisk jog. Even if you are feeling low energy, get up and go.
High-intensity exercise causes fatigue in several ways (and might be extra exhausting when you’re already, well, exhausted). High-intensity exercise relies on anaerobic pathways, which operate without oxygen, to supply your muscles with ATP, an energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things. Multiple by-products build up during the anaerobic production of ATP, including lactate and hydrogen ions, which both can contribute to muscle fatigue. An intense workout also causes neural fatigue. When certain neurotransmitters tell our muscle fibers to contract during exercise, our system fatigues. Muscle contraction also can become less efficient, leading to burnout . Some research has shown that low-intensity exercise reduced fatigue symptoms by 65 percent. Another study found that low-intensity exercise decreased study-related fatigue in college students and improved their sleep quality.
Practice breathwork
Most people are breathing really intensely or shallowly …making us more stressed biologically. On the flip side, slow, controlled breathing can lead to an increase of oxygen in our blood, which leads to more energy. Deep breathing also can lead to greater cerebral oxygen delivery, possibly improving cognitive ability, according to this model. Deep breathing can increase activity in the cortical and subcortical structures of our brain. These changes, in turn, can lead to psychological outputs such as increased alertness, reduced anxiety , and increased comfort and relaxation. You can practice deep breathing techniques throughout the day, especially when you are feeling low energy and any time you need an extra boost. Hensal’s favorite exercise is alternate nostril breathing. To practice, start by sitting comfortably and repeat the below for 3 to 5 minutes:
Put your left hand on your lap.
Close your eyes.
Take several deep breaths, in and out of your nose.
Using your right thumb, close your right nostril. Slowly inhale through your left nostril.
Using your ring finger, close the left nostril.
Open the right nostril and exhale.
Inhale through the right nostril and then close it.
Opening the left nostril, exhale slowly.
When you first start, Hensal suggests hanging reminders around your space to remember to breathe intentionally.
Add positive affirmations
Pairing your breathwork with supportive statements can further help combat low energy, mental fatigue, and reduce stress. A positive affirmation might sound like:
“I have plenty of energy to get me through the day and live my life to the fullest.”
“I have the mental capacity to accomplish all the things I’d like to accomplish.”
To create a personally meaningful affirmation, think about what you’re struggling with the most and create a statement that gives you what you need.
Make time for play
Another great way to recharge and combat burnout and mental fatigue is to engage in playful activitiesl. Since play is personal, think about what specifically inspires you and feels fun.
For instance, you might draw, paint, dance, bake, or spend time in nature. And if you’re pressed for time, remember that it doesn’t take much to recharge and re-energize. Even 10 minutes of genuine play counts. For an extra energy (and mood!) boost, take playful activities outside: Sunlight may increase the release of serotonin, known as the “happiness hormone.” Being outside may also help you to feel more alive .
Outsource what you can
Trying to manage it all can lead to mental fatigue (not to mention physical fatigue as well). Lighten your load by delegating responsibilities to other members of your household, whether that’s your spouse, kids, or roommate. Or consider which services you might hire out, such as house cleaning. You can also streamline some chores, like using meal kits on some nights or ordering groceries online. In general, it’s helpful to think through your daily and weekly tasks at work and at home. What is essential to keep your household running? What matters most to you that only you can do? What professional tasks are truly non-negotiable? Which can you delegate to someone else?
Pinpoint the problem
In addition to combating common energy-siphoning factors, it’s also critical to determine your individual triggers. Take some time to reflect on what else in your life is draining your energy.
Start by reviewing your day and reevaluating your job and relationships. After a bit of self-reflection, you also might find that some of your habits aren’t helpful —such as drinking too much coffee, checking email alllll the time, saying yes to everything, multitasking, and hyper-focusing on the negative. Try to reduce these less-than-healthy habits, making sure to treat yourself with kindness and understanding along the way.
Working with a clinician can also help you put some of these lifestyle practices into action and optimize your overall health for better energy and mental clarity. In some cases, no matter what energy-boosting strategies you try on your own, you may still be exhausted. That’s when it’s important to dig deeper to pinpoint the root cause of your mental fatigue—something Foundations Medical Center can help with.
For example, fatigue may result from sleep apnea, nutritional deficiencies, and thyroid disease (and other underlying reasons ). Identifying why you’re tired all the time, despite doing all the “right” things, not only boosts your energy; it boosts your overall health and wellness. Book an appointment with us today, and take your first step towards increasing your energy and feeling better.
Source: Parsley Health
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