Do you ever feel like you’ve lost your mojo and you need an injection of mental or physical energy?
You’ve ruled out any medical condition that could be causing this fatigue, and you can’t work out what is causing you to feel this way. Lethargy is often something that can be quickly and easily be rectified.
Here is a list of seven things to think about and do that will help you to re-energise and feel like your old self again.
Water! Water! Water!
My first piece of advice is always to look at your water intake. Our bodies consist of 60% water and our brains are 75% water. Feeling lethargic can be because you are dehydrated. Every cell of your body needs water. Water helps to move nutrition around the body and assists toxins on their journey out of the body. Being dehydrated will affect your mood and your level of concentration will drop. Drinking 2 litres of water a day will help you to stay energised. Have more in hot weather and after you have been exercising.
Movement
The last thing you want to do when you’re feeling lethargic is to exercise, but physical movement will wake you up and shake off lethargic feelings. Exercising gives you energy by sending oxygen and fuel to your muscles, making you revitalised and uplifted! 10,000 steps a day is recommended to help improve your health but anything is better than nothing. During your lunch break, go for a brisk walk, jog or run around the block, it soon all adds up. If walking isn’t for you, go to the gym, for a bike ride or a swim. Do anything to get moving and your heart pumping blood around your body. Run up the stairs, play with the kids, take the dog for a walk or someone else’s dog for a walk! Doing any of these will go a long way to increasing your energy levels.
Have a laugh
When was the last time you had a good laugh? Our home and/or work can sometimes become all-consuming and a drain on our energy levels. Taking life too seriously and feeling as if you have a big black cloud above you can also zap your energy. When we laugh, our brain releases the ‘feel good’ hormone Serotonin, which reduces the effect of the stress hormone Cortisol, making you feel less stressed. Give yourself a break and watch a funny movie, watch your favourite comedian or have a laugh with some friends.
Eat regular meals
Feeling lethargic can be a result of haphazard eating which causes your blood sugar levels to fluctuate. Eating regularly throughout the day will allow you to manage your blood sugar levels thereby avoiding energy peaks and troughs. Three meals a day with 2-3 healthy snacks is ideal. Include 7-10 portions of fruit and veg each day and consider your portion sizes! Too much processed food, sugar and carbs can play havoc with your energy levels so be aware of how much of these foods are in your diet.
Find time to relax
What do you do to relax? If you’re struggling for an answer to this one, chances are you are in need of some relaxation. Being on the go all the time will eventually leave you feeling physically tired and mentally drained. Introducing some relaxation techniques into your life will help you to recharge your batteries and re-energise. Two quick solutions are to take a power-nap or have ten minutes of meditation. Your intention when doing either of these is to close your eyes for ten minutes and to feel refreshed and energised when you open them again. Ideally, each week make time to take care of yourself and put some focus on your mental and emotional self-care. Go for a soothing massage or manicure, create a home spa in your bathroom, play computer games if it relaxes you, go for a run or bake a cake. Re-discover your relaxation passions.
Get some fresh air & be in nature
Are you stuck inside all day? This can be the reason you may lack energy. Fresh air and exercise are great ways to shift a sluggish mood. During the day take a break and go for a walk in the park or around the garden, have your lunch outside. If it’s cold, wrap up warm. Sunlight is a great mood enhancer and a great supply of natural vitamin D. Whatever you can do to get closer to nature will lift your mood and significantly increase your psychological well-being.
Have a holistic treatment
Having a treatment allows you time to focus on yourself, to rest and to re-energise. When we are resting, our body and mind have time to relax and regenerate. After a treatment of Reiki or reflexology clients tell me that they feel relaxed, have a sense of contentment, feel refreshed and feel as though they have had 3-4 hours sleep. When you’re working hard looking after others you deserve the opportunity to have some time to focus on yourself and have someone else take care of you.
Need more help?
Ways to feel energised mentally and physically are just one of the topics covered in my 1-2-1 programmes. Delivered in-person or online, these programmes have been designed to provide you with a toolkit of strategies and techniques to help you include self-care in your daily routine, for long-term health and wellbeing.
If you would like to know more, book a free, no-obligation Discovery Call and find out how working with me can help to inject some energy back into your life.
About Sharon
Sharon lives with her partner, Geoff, in Warwickshire and they have two adult children. She worked for over 25 years in an office environment, gaining qualifications to degree level in finance, business and management. While there Sharon witnessed and experienced many stressful situations and suffered stress-related illnesses.
Sharon was advised to make some changes to her lifestyle which included trying complementary therapies. After experiencing the benefits of complementary treatments, Sharon decided to retrain and share her knowledge and experiences to help others recognise and manage their own physical and emotional stress and anxiety levels.
Sharon has been working as a complementary therapist for over 15 years, and she loves helping people manage and reduce their stress levels, to feel uplifted, focused, positive and empowered about their lives.
