100 Ways to Boost Your Energy. Theresa Cheung
Is your favourite hobby channel-surfing from the couch?
Do you circle the parking lot for 5 minutes instead of parking in the first spot you see and taking a 5-minute walk?
Do you spend most of the day at your desk or indoors?
When you sit down do you slump almost immediately?
If there is more than one ‘yes’ answer, your lifestyle may be the cause of your energy roller-coaster and you should pay special attention to the boosting energy with exercise tips on pages 92–109.
Toxic environment
Your body creates energy not just from nutrients but from oxygen and even positive emotions; therefore your energy levels will be affected by the space around you and the state of mind you are in. The room you work in, the energy in your home, the environment outside your office or house – all these have an effect on the way you feel and the amount of energy you expend in keeping going. For example, if you are constantly exposed to packed streets, buses, trains, car fumes, busy shops, clutter and lack of natural light and greenery, your body and mind are being bombarded with energy-draining stimuli. On the other hand, nature, in particular green leafy forests, clean air and surroundings that are calm and uplifting, can re-energise you.
Hidden energy-zappers such as pollution, additives, preservatives, environmental toxins, watching too much TV (which can suppress production of the sleep hormone) and excessive use of mobile phones and computers, can all drain your energy. Lack of fresh air by staying too long indoors and depriving yourself of energising oxygen is another contributing factor.
If you think that the environment you live and work in may be draining your resources, pay attention to the energy tips on pages 110–43.
Stress
Stress is a major cause of low energy and can affect you mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s well known that many illnesses are stress related, including digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory problems such as asthma, high blood pressure and tension headaches.
Heavy workloads or trying to fit in as many tasks as possible can cause a great deal of stress. Many people are constantly working against the clock and this can slowly sap energy and enthusiasm, resulting in dependency on stimulants such as caffeine to get you through the day and alcohol to help you unwind at night. The benefits of these are fleeting and the adverse effects are long term. Juggling the needs of family and work can crank up the pressure, as can financial worries, relationship problems, feeling lonely and other personal problems that drag you down.
If you do feel that you are more anxious and stressed than you should be and that this is making you feel drained and tired, pay particular attention to the energy tips on pages 171–74.
Boredom
Too much stress will drain your energy, but what is often overlooked is that a certain amount of stress is essential for a healthy, happy life. In moderation, stress sharpens your reflexes, heightens your responses and gives you the energy to cope with demanding and difficult situations. If your life were totally stress-free you wouldn’t have challenges. Life would be predictable. You wouldn’t have to adjust to change. You wouldn’t ever feel pressured. You and everyone else you know would be nice and content. And you’d all be lacking in energy and dying of boredom.
If you want to avoid stress totally you may as well start looking for a coffin. Feeling bored and unchallenged or stuck in a rut is just as draining mentally and emotionally as being burdened down with stress. You need a certain amount of challenge and tension in your life to feel alive. So if you’re lacking in energy, take a careful look at your life and see where you can give yourself greater challenge and stimulation. Perhaps it’s time to learn a new language, review your career or take up a new hobby? You should also pay particular attention to the energy tips on pages 171–74.
Pessimism
Negative mental and emotional states such as fear, guilt, anger, anxiety, loneliness and worry may be the biggest energy-drainers of them all, increasing your risk not just of fatigue and unhappiness but of poor health in general. Although a positive attitude may not be a cure-all, studies do suggest that patients who are positive and optimistic experience fewer, less severe symptoms and recover more quickly than pessimistic, negative thinkers. People who think positively also seem to have a better overall quality of life.
Bear in mind that negativity in others can also sap your strength. Listening to someone you know complain or moan constantly about the weather, their workload or life in general is a real downer. To preserve your energy, distance yourself from people like that as much as possible. If you can’t, disarm them with your positive and upbeat approach. Although relationships with people who have a glass-half-empty approach to life can wear you out, don’t forget that relationships with people who understand the importance of give and take can be a source of great happiness. The secret is to set boundaries and to learn to say ‘no’ when you are stretched too thinly.
Negative thoughts seem to breed and produce more negative thoughts, causing a downward spiral. If you tend to be a pessimist by nature, catch yourself whenever you have a negative thought and try to turn it around into a positive statement. It will be hard at first, but if you keep repeating the positive statements, they will begin to take hold and grow.
If you are prone to worry and negativity, as well as eating healthily and getting the mood-boosting effects of regular exercise (preferably in the fresh air), you should pay particular attention to the energy tips on pages 159–70.
Energy-draining medical conditions
For the great majority of people who suffer from low energy levels, diet and lifestyle factors are chiefly to blame. It is important to bear in mind, however, that many hidden diseases and disorders can also trigger fatigue.
Listed below are the conditions that are most commonly associated with low energy levels. If your fatigue interferes with the quality of your life for more than three weeks and can’t be explained by diet and lifestyle habits, you should see a doctor without delay. This is particularly important if you are suffering from additional symptoms such as night sweats, weight change, breathlessness, pale mucous membranes in the nose and mouth, blood in faeces or urine, swollen lymph glands, irregular or absent periods, or constant thirst.
Fatigue is a good enough reason for you to seek your doctor’s advice. Persistent fatigue should never be ignored in the hope that it will go away.
Iron-deficiency anaemia
Around 4 million women in the UK suffer from anaemia caused by lack of iron, but the syndrome may also occur in men.
Iron is essential to the formation of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells. A nutritional deficiency of iron can lead to low blood haemoglobin levels and a reduced supply of oxygen to organs, tissues and cells. Inadequate oxygen supplies immediately inhibit your body’s energy production and can result in fatigue, apathy, irritability, a racing heart rate and shortness of breath. In other words, your body needs iron to produce red blood cells and carry oxygen around your body; without it you’ll feel lethargic no matter how much sleep you get.
If you suffer from tiredness and heavy periods, ask your doctor for a blood test to determine your iron levels. To reduce the risk of anaemia, make sure you eat a balanced diet with plenty of green vegetables. Don’t take iron supplements unless advised to by your doctor, as the best way to get your iron is from your diet.
Undiagnosed diabetes
According to the Healthcare Commission, thousands of people in the UK may be unaware