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5 Best Ways to Boost Your Energy

Hi Connie,

Speaking from personal experience, I can say that being a stay at home mom is really hard work as there are so many things to get done each day.

On the other hand, it's an extremely rewarding experience because it allows you to share your little ones' world and watch them develop and grow into adults. So don't give up, even if you constantly find yourself feeling emotionally drained and physically tired. Instead, take these simple and practical steps to increase your energy levels and help you cope better with fatigue as well as everyday stress.

What Can a Stay-At-Home Mom Do to Stop Feeling Tired?

1. Sleep Well

The best thing you can do to feel well rested in the morning and avoid feeling tired throughout the day is to have enough sleep. Many of us skimp on sleep to meet daily demands of a busy lifestyle but that's not a long term solution. When you don't get enough sleep over a long period of time, your ability to think clearly and function effectively is greatly compromised. You'll be far less productive the next day and more likely to experience that mid-afternoon slump. Therefore, make sure to get about 7-8 hours of uninterrupted quality sleep each night.

Prepare your body and mind for sleep by giving yourself some time, maybe an hour, to wind down before bedtime. Put away your tomorrow's "to-do" list and avoid sleep saboteurs such as coffee, nicotine, too much fluids and heavy meals before bed. Calm your mind by listening to soft music, or do gentle stretching exercises to totally relax your body. But more importantly, help your kids unwind so that you can get some undisturbed sleep throughout the night.

If you find your energy levels dropping in the afternoon or feeling irritable and unable to concentrate, consider taking a power nap. A short nap of 20-30 minutes will recover alertness, get you out of an energy slump and revitalize you in a flash.

2. Eat Energy-Boosting Foods

For extra energy to keep you going throughout your busy day, you should eat foods that provide sustained energy instead of sugary foods such as candy bar and chocolate. There's no doubt that sugared foods will give you an instant energy rush, but they'll leave you feeling sluggish in an hour when your blood sugar levels crash.

You want to consume protein for a long-lasting boost of extra energy. Lean white meat such as skinless turkey and chicken breast are excellent proteins as they usually have a lower fat content than red meat. They also contain an amino acid (tyrosine) which boosts brain chemicals (dopamine and norepinephrine) that help you feel more alert and energized.

Foods high in magnesium such as almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and navy beans will also help boost energy levels as the mineral is responsible for converting your body's sugar to energy.

It's also important to watch what you drink. Energy drinks tend to have a lot of added sugar and caffeine in them, which can drain your energy and make you feel even more tired once the sugar/caffeine effects have worn off.

Water is the best choice. It eliminates toxins from your body, raises your metabolic rate and boost your energy levels naturally. Regular water intake also prevents you from getting dehydrated, which can cause headaches and not to mention, fatigue.

3. Fight Off Stress

Stress can be a huge energy-zapper so try to reduce everyday stress as much as possible. A good stress reducer is to change the way you respond to stress, and not to be too strict with yourself (and your children).

For example, instead of feeling angry and screaming back at your kids when they misbehave, calm down by taking a few slow deep breaths. This very simple anti-stress technique will help you regain control over your emotions in a stressful situation.

There are many ways to release stress at home. You can dance around your living room, grow flowers in your garden, relax yourself in a lavender-infused bath, revisit an old hobby that you really enjoyed, or exercise. Exercising regularly gets your blood flowing and heart pumping which gives an instant kick of energy.

Foods that are rich in Vitamin B are amazing stress busters so load up on lentils, bananas, potatoes, molasses, oats, barley, wheat bran, avocado, tuna and salmon.

4. Stay Awake with Ginseng

Ginseng has long been known and used as a natural energy booster. It's believed that the substances in ginseng prevent stress hormones from flooding your system, which in turn stops chronic stress from depleting your mental and physical energy.

Moreover, ginseng helps relax blood vessels, which means more oxygen can be delivered to your body and brain.

5. Fast for 24 Hours

If you're always feeling tired and restless, I'd highly suggest you do a 24 hour detox fast. It's a great way to allow your body to flush out built-up toxins and have a quick "clean-up". With the toxins removed, you'll feel much more clear-headed and alert than before.

If you can't seem to feel energized, no matter how well you sleep, eat or relax, please make an appointment with your doctor to have your blood tested and your thyroid checked.

Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) may sometimes result in a sluggish metabolic rate which causes low energy levels. Extreme fatigue and legarthy may also indicate an iron deficiency anemia.

By Diane Hanson

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