How to Improve Your Energy Levels
Feeling tired can be defined as the need to rest or sleep. Low energy or fatigue can creep in at any time of the day. Our natural state during waking hours is to be energised to be able to get on with our tasks and gradually slow down as the day comes to an end. Sleep is a golden time to rest and heal the body, it is essential for the recovery of the body and mind to prepare for the next day. If our energy production mechanism deviates from this natural rhythm, we may feel tired at different times during the day and low energy may become continuous.
Energy levels can be affected by many factors, such as thyroid problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, or adrenal exhaustion, which can lead to long-term fatigue. Here are some key factors that can reduce energy.
Stress
The human body is not designed to cope with long-term mental, emotional or physical stress without consequences. If a person is stressed continuously, it can lead to constant fatigue. Prolonged stress depletes the body of key vitamins like B vitamins and Magnesium that are needed for energy production, especially if a person does not get enough of them through food. Anxiety, which is often accompanied by stress, can further stimulate the stress response, leading to increased nutrient deficiencies. This in turn promotes low energy and anxiety, leading to a vicious circle. Ongoing stress and anxiety can lead to over production of cortisol, which in turn interferes with sleep and causes fatigue due to lack of sleep.
Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural part of our immune response and is very important in dealing with different threats to the immune system. Inflammation similarly to stress hormones is designed to be temporary and acute. Chronic stress, sleep disorders, and poor nutrition are associated with underlying and chronic inflammation, which can also affect our energy levels. Inflammation can have a negative effect on our energy levels, as it causes oxidative stress and can damage our cellular power houses (mitochondria), leading to reduced energy production and reduced energy levels. Using TurmaForte Turmeric can help with managing inflammation.
Gut health
Issues with gut health, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), leaky gut (intestinal permeability) or colitis, means that digestion and absorption of nutrients may become compromised. As a result, the body may be deficient in the cofactors needed to produce enzymes that are important for energy production, such as B vitamins and Magnesium. Continuous stress and intestinal inflammation can lead to fatigue and low energy.
Nutrition
Consuming foods high in simple carbohydrates and sugar can directly lead to an imbalance in blood sugar. Your blood sugar will rise sharply and then fall rapidly causing fatigue, tiredness and difficult to focus. Feeling tired increases the appetite for sweet and carbohydrate rich foods. In addition, lack of certain nutrients in carbohydrate dense foods also have a detrimental effect on energy levels. Nutrient deficiencies can be caused by digestive problems, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts and high-quality proteins, which are rich in vitamins and minerals needed for energy production.
Here are some diet and lifestyle suggestions to help you improve your energy levels:
- Take time off to help reduce stress - try meditation, walking, grounding and yoga for example.
- Get your sleep in order - Make it a habit to go to bed earlier (10pm) and avoid the blue light in the evenings, reducing the amount of time you spend behind various screens such as TVs and mobile phones, as this can interfere with sleep.
- Reduce your intake of various stimulants, such as caffeine, as this may promote cortisol production and evening alertness, which may affect the quality of sleep.
- Nutrition – reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates and focus more on vegetables and protein rich foods.
- To reduce stress, you can try a dietary supplement that contains soothing nutrients. Food-Grown Magnesium can be beneficial because it increases the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter associated with a calm and relaxed state. Magnesium is also key nutrient for sleep.
Food-Grown B vitamins help to increase energy levels, especially vitamins B2, B3 and B5. KSM-66 Ashwagandha has been shown to balance adrenal glands and helps to support mood and thyroid function. Multi Strain Biotics probiotics can help to reduce intestinal inflammation and ensure that the food you eat is absorbed from the gut.
It doesn't matter, whether you're tired all the time or just at certain times of the day - it's worth supporting your body as a whole to remove the factors that are robbing you of your energy. This can be very important in order to restore your energy supplies in the long run.
Written by Marianne Grechko, Nutritional Therapist at Wild Nutrition
