With everyday struggles and long days, it’s hard to stay focused and awake through out the day. I know sometimes I find myself starting my day at 8am and it may not end until 8pm. It’s especially hard when you spend most of your time sitting on your butt; whether that’s in class or at work. Well don’t fear, I have researched some good ways to regain the energy you need to make it through your day.
The most common thing to do these days is to take a ton of 5 hour energy shots, drink a gallon of coffee or shoot yourself up with energy drinks until you bounce off walls. This can be a quick fix at times, but most of these “energy enhancers” are load with either too much sugar, caffeine, or an unhealthy amount of Vitamin B. If you truly want to gain energy the health way, you have to do it the natural way.
When trying to find ways to get more energy, you must first look at what you are doing. You need to know what exactly is causing you to not have energy.
You want to look at:
- Sleep
- Eating habits
- Amount of exercise
These factors are important. If you’re not getting enough sleep at night, you’re not allowing your body to recuperate. The “Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics" published a review about partial sleep deprivation and energy balance. Partial sleep deprivation is getting 6 1/2 hours to 5 hours of sleep a night. This review found that reduced sleep might:
- Disrupt appetite hormones
- Promote greater food intake
- Change body composition to favor more fat storage
Even though it may be hard, try fitting a solid nap in your day. If that’s not possible, you might have to give yourself a bedtime and go to sleep every day by a certain hour. In order for your body to function at it’s highest level, doctors say you need at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
Eating habits is another factor that can affect your energy levels. It’s important to look at what you are eating, how much, and how often you eat. Sports nutritionist Rebecca Scritchfield stated in her 2009 Washington Running Report that adequate levels of the mineral iron (which carries oxygen throughout the body) contribute to sufficient energy levels. Healthy, leafy greens, like spinach, are rich sources of iron.
Besides iron, you also want to look at carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain the most glucose and give the quickest form of energy. If you need a quick fix, crackers or some kind of whole grain bread would be the way to go, BUT you have to be careful. Any extra carbohydrates will be stored in your liver. If you put too many carbs in your body and you max out your liver, your body will then turn the carbs into fat. If you want to have longer lasting energy, also try adding more brown rice, lentils, and beans to your diet.
Protein is another mineral that is important to energy. Your body needs protein for cell replacement, maintenance, and energy. Protein is mostly stored and used by your muscles. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to affect blood sugar levels, so protein is good for energy you want later after your meal. It would be a good idea to have a mix of carbohydrates and protein in your diet. That way you are getting the materials needed to make quick energy and energy for later use.
You also want to look at how often you eat. It’ better if you spread out your meals. Instead of having 2 big meals a day, try have 3 meals a day with snacks in between. That way you’re allowing your body to have a steady flow of food and your energy will be spread out throughout the day.
So now you’re aware of the importance of sleep and diet, but there’s one more thing to consider: exercise. According to Jennifer Warner from WebMD Health News, expending energy by engaging in regular exercise may pay off with increased energy in the long run.
Researcher Tim Puetz, PhD, of UGA says, "We live in a society where people are always looking for the next sports drink, energy bar, or cup of coffee that will give them the extra edge to get through the day, but it may be that lacing up your tennis shoes and getting out and doing some physical activity every morning can provide that spark of energy that people are looking for."
Any time you increase your circulation, you allow materials to get to viral parts of your body easier. It serves no good for you to fill your body full of rich carbs and protein if you have poor blood circulation. Getting up and moving could make a difference in your day. Luckily SFA has an amazing Rec Center to help us out.
Just a thought - Devonte Hill
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