6 Ways to Jumpstart Your Afternoon Energy

It’s 11:00 in the morning and your energy is waning. Minutes
seem to tick by like hours and your mind feels foggy. You’ve
still got six more hours to look alert and act productive, so how
do you cope with the afternoon blahs? Follow these six tips!

1. If you have a job that involves sitting at a desk all day or
staring at a computer screen, take five minutes to stand up or
lean back, close your eyes and stretch, especially in your
shoulder and leg areas. Being seated all the time can make your
whole body feel stiff and sleepy. A good stretch session helps
limber up your body and gets the blood flowing again.

2. Avoid the tempting lure of caffeine or sugar-laden foods such
as coffee, tea or chocolate. Caffeine may perk up your energy
levels temporarily, but it also has a bad habit of leaving you
sluggish after the effect has worn off. Instead, choose whole
grain foods, fruits and vegetables to give your body the fuel it
really wants! Eating healthier will boost your mood, elevate
your alertness and make you feel better all day long.

3. Along with healthier foods, take a quick 10-15 minute walk
during your lunch break. Just a few minutes will give you a
burst of energy that refreshes you and makes you feel more alert
– while burning off your lunch calories in the process!

4. Sometimes, afternoon slumps can be your body’s way of telling
you that it needs something. You may be feeling tired if your
blood sugar is low (which happens especially after the effect of
those caffeine and high sugar foods has worn off!). Packing a
low calorie snack like graham crackers, granola, fruit or
vegetable slices can give your body a boost and keep you from
feeling hungry in the late afternoon and caving in to the urge to
devour the entire contents of the vending machine after work!

5. Drowsiness is often a sign that you’re not getting enough
water. Drinking more water throughout the day not only helps keep
you awake, but also keeps you from feeling those hunger pangs
that inevitably creep up in mid-morning. Taking a large sports
bottle that you can drink from throughout the day is a great way
to get your recommended eight glasses a day as well!

6. If afternoon fatigue is a recurring problem, it may be a side
effect of medications you are taking. Allergy pills are well
known culprits, as are some blood pressure and anxiety/depression
medicines. Don’t try to circumvent these effects with caffeine,
otherwise you’ll overload your body with stimulants while it’s
already trying to deal with drowsiness, and you’ll feel mentally
and physically exhausted. Instead, try a short 15-20 minute
catnap. You’ll be surprised how refresh you’ll feel when you
wake up! (Don’t try this at work though – I know it’s tempting!)

If you follow these tips on a regular basis, you’ll not only make
it through the afternoon blahs, but you’ll also feel better
physically and mentally, sleep better at night, and wake up
rejuvenated and re-energized the next morning. Make it a GREAT
day!

 

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