3 minDo you have a lot of energy? Then you often feel cheerful and upbeat. Or do you often find yourself asking questions like: ‘Why am I so tired?’ or ‘How can I get more energy?’
If you often feel listless and exhausted, it can be quite unpleasant. Fortunately, there are ways to support your energy levels! Discover these 6 tips and see what you can do.
In this article, you will read
- What the causes of an energy deficit can be
- 6 tips to improve your energy levels
- How small changes can improve your mood
Causes of energy deficit
Energy dips can ruin your whole day. You feel less productive, lack motivation and your mood drops. But do you know where that energy deficit comes from? It can have various causes, such as:
- Too little sleep or poor sleep quality
- Too little exercise
- Too much coffee, alcohol or sugar
- Too much stress
- Not eating a healthy and varied diet
Tips for more energy
#1. Skip your morning cup of coffee
Yes, you read that right! The Dutch are champions at drinking coffee.
No other country in the world drinks as many cups of coffee per day; on average 2-4 coffees. Coffee is delicious, but as soon as we become dependent on caffeine, things go wrong. You then need caffeine for energy, and after that energy peak, there is immediately a significant dip. Your energy is nowhere to be found.
That is why our advice is to skip your daily cup of coffee in the morning. This way, you are no longer dependent on caffeine, but you start the day feeling refreshed.
#2. Start the day with exercise
Do you often exercise in the evening? It might be smarter to exercise in the morning! Scientific research shows that people who exercise in the morning have more energy throughout the day. 3
It doesn't matter how long you train. You can spend an hour at the gym. You can also go for a half-hour walk. Or you can do a short HIIT workout at home.
Any exercise will wake you up and give you energy. It also makes you more creative and reduces stress. Don't forget to eat enough after your workout to replenish your energy. 3
#3. Eat a healthy and varied diet
If you have breakfast after your morning workout, pay attention to the vitamins you consume. Various vitamins and minerals help support your energy levels. Examples include vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, B12 and C.
There are many nutrients that you need. That is why a varied diet is important. With a busy life, it is easy to miss out on the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables. Supplements can then supplement your diet.
#4. Fresh air works wonders
You probably know the feeling: you've been indoors all day and you're starting to feel sluggish and listless. But after a quick walk outside, your low mood disappears! Half an hour is usually enough.
Especially in the cold winter months, it's nice to literally get some fresh air. An added bonus is that your skin can produce vitamin D through sunlight, which helps boost your immune system. 1
#5. Meditate to reduce stress
Stress is one of the biggest causes of low energy. We often don't notice that our body is stressed. Yet we often feel tired and exhausted. Stress is often the unnoticed culprit. 2
To manage stress, a daily moment of rest is recommended. Even five minutes can make a big difference. Try to make daily meditation, for example with the Headspace app, part of your routine. It relieves stress and therefore provides a lot of energy.
#6. Take more breaks
Tip number 6 ties in with the previous point. Take more breaks to give your body a rest.
We generally keep going and going and going. There is always something waiting for you. It could be the laundry, a text message or that big pile of work you are dreading.
Yet sometimes it's important to ignore that for a moment. Take ten minutes for yourself, do whatever you feel like doing. Be honest, how often do you do that? It immediately lowers your stress level and you'll notice that your energy level peaks right away. So just do it!
