How to, Ways to, Foods that, Supplements that, and/or Vitamins that Increase and Improve and Boost Energy Levels Naturally without Caffeine, Diet
- Get on a DNA-based RDS program that's custom-tailored to your genetic make-up.
- Get a Good Night Sleep
Most of us know that 8 hours of sleep per night is optimal. But what many people don't know is that the actual time you fall asleep is important too. Sleeping from 1 am to 9 am is not though to be as restorative as sleeping from 10 pm to 6 am.
The reason why is because hormone secretion, body temperature, digestion, and other important restorative processes follow a 24-hour cycle linked to natural light exposure. The later in the evening we fall asleep and the later in the morning we wake up, the more out-of-sync our cycle becomes. If you've ever gone to bed at 3 am and woken up the next morning at 11 am, you may have noticed that you feel worn down and not fully "with it".
Growth hormone is one such restorative hormone. Eighty percent of growth hormone, which is needed for lean muscle, optimum immune function, and strong skin, is secreted during sleep between the hours of 11 pm and 1 am.
Try to go to bed before 10 pm. It may be difficult to get used to getting to bed at an early time, especially if you work late or if night-time is your only downtime and you like to watch late-night television. But you'll be rewarded with increased energy.
- Melatonin Mantra: learn a supplement-free way to naturally boost melatonin.
- Natural Remedies for Insomnia: for an in-depth look at insomnia and alternative medicine remedies.
- Eliminate Energy-Sappers From Your Diet
- Not enough alkaline: forming foods in your diet - Foods that are alkaline-forming include figs, molasses, green leafy vegetables, almonds, beets, dates, celery, canteloupe, and parsley (this page has a list of alkaline vs. acid foods and explains the concept of alkaline- and acid-forming foods).
- In addition to eating these foods, taking 1 teaspoon of a greens powder every morning mixed into juice or a smoothie can also raise energy.
- Excess sugar: Excess sugar causes fluctuations in blood sugar, which can result in plummeting energy levels. Try to decrease all forms of refined sugar. Watch out for low-fat foods -- many have forms of sugar, such as high-fructose corn syrup, added to make the food more palatable.
- Insufficent protein: With high-protein, low-carb diets being so popular, it's hard to believe it but insufficient protein is a common reason for fatigue. Pack some almonds and nuts for a quick and convenient protein snack.
- Too much coffee: Although coffee initially raises stress hormones and gives a rush of energy, consuming several cups or more of coffee per day can promote burnout. Try to gradually cut back to one cup a day. If you like the taste of coffee, you may want to try one of these Top 5 Coffee Substitutes. To assess your level of burnout, take the Stress Effects Screening Quiz.
- Not enough water: One of the most common reasons for low energy is not drinking enough water.
- Take 20 Minutes Every Day Just For You
Create a daily ritual where you take 20 to 30 minutes for yourself just relaxing and doing nothing (no watching tv or surfing the net). Pick up a book, listen to music, meditate, have a cup of tea, or try a new yoga pose.
- Consider a Stress-Formula Multivitamin
People who are under chronic stress require more B vitamins. A stress formula multivitamin often has more B vitamins than standard multis. B-50 B supplements are also available as a supplement to a standard multivitamin. The B-2 in a B complex can turn urine a bright yellow color.
- Ditch the Strict Schedule!
If you start to feel anxious and stressed when working on a task, try switching to something else. Do not force yourself to work on something because your predetermined schedule says so; in fact, coming back to that project later when you have a more accepting attitude will yield better results. Loosen the reigns and allow yourself to work on projects that are most appealing to you during the present moment!
- Sleep in the Dark
Light interferes with sleep, at least partly because it inhibits melatonin secretion and thus resets the biological clock. For this reason, it is very important to keep your bedroom as dark as possible to ensure full cycles of sleep. (if your room is not pitch black, I suggest using a sleeping mask)! You will only be at you most industrious when you have a solid night of sleep under your belt.
- Fill Your Diet with Sufficient Brain Food
Roughly 50-60% of the brain's overall weight is pure fat, which is used as insulation for its billions of nerve cells. The better insulated a cell, the faster it sends messages and the speedier your thinking. Therefore eating foods with a healthy mix of fats is essential for energy and productivity. Fish (wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies especially) and dark leafy green vegetables are excellent choices.
- Stretch
Regular stretching does more than keep your muscles and tendons in a healthy state; it also keeps the brain's arteries open and unclogged. Because the brain accounts for 15% of the body's blood flow (while being only 2% of its overall weight) maintaining a free flow of oxygenated blood to our most vital organ is an excellent way to create more vigor in your life!
- Plan a Vacation
Consistently having things to look forward to is a great way to increase vitality over the long haul, and planning a really great vacation will motivate you to be all the more productive!
- Spend One Day a Month In Complete Silence
With all that modern culture throws at us, spending one day a month in complete silence (and even solitude) is a wonderful practice to increase productivity and energy levels over the long-haul. Why? Because the little voice in your head never stops, and cultivating the ability to quiet this chatterbox, even for a little while, can do wonders for your perspective and ability to get things done! Try this one time and see how you feel.
- Try Audio Guidance Sound Technology
Audio Guidance CD's are simple, holistic, and backed by decades of reputable science. The brain emits a frequency like a battery, and audio guidance uses sound patterns to purposefully mold brain waves into desired states. This is an incredible tool for increasing productivity and for more information do a quick search for "Monroe Institute".
- Eat Bigger Meals in the Middle of the Day
A great way to pamper your body and increase energy is to get in the habit of eating your bigger meal in the middle of the day. Your digestion is much more active during the day, allowing your body to use food for energy more effectively. At night, the body naturally begins to slow down and it is harder to digest.
- Say Thank You 50 Times a Day!
Gratitude yields energy. Every night before you go to bed, spend 5 minutes saying thank you out loud for all the experiences you had during the day: the people you interacted with, the work you accomplished, the food you ate, etc. As you do this, really try and feel the gratitude emanate from within. This is a wonderful practice for increasing productivity!
- Implement At Least 20 minutes of Cardio Exercise 4 Times a Week
Getting a sufficient cardio workout increases the body's ability to get oxygen to the cells efficiently; this lowers blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and decreases body fat. These are absolute necessities for increasing productivity and a staple in the lifestyle of almost every high-energy person.
- Proper diet certainly contributes to a good energy level (and I list suggestions here), but you may also want to approach the problem by looking at all areas of your life. The causes of fatigue can be physiological (such as thyroid hormone levels), emotional (too much stress) and lifestyle related (hours of quality sleep at night). So, along with making some dietary adjustments, be sure to check those out too.
- Dont's (Foods to Avoid when Looking for Energy):
Cookies, baked goods, candy bars, sodas and fruit drinks. These foods, loaded with simple sugars, cause a quick energy boost and, because of rising insulin levels, just as quick a decline, often leaving you more drained than before.
Caffeine. Although it is an effective short-term solution for some, it can also have a negative rebound effect. If you do have a caffeine habit, work on slowly eliminating it from your diet, so that you can be in touch with your more natural energy.
Foods That Contribute to Drowsiness:
Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can alter the level of serotonin in your brain and bring on feelings of calm and relaxation. That can make them a good before-bedtime snack, but less good in the middle of the day. One lunch trick to help you overcome the temptation to nap is to eat pure protein. Protein is broken down into its amino-acid building blocks during digestion. One amino acid, tyrosine, increases the production of the chemicals that are also released when you are under acute mental or physical stress and are well known for their ability to increase levels of alertness and energy levels.?For maximum effect, eat only protein, as carbohydrates will interfere with its effect.
- Do's:
Get Enough Iron. Many women lack energy because they lack iron in their diet. If you are still in your reproductive years and menstruate regularly, you lose iron each month. Unless it is replaced in your diet or with supplements, you will suffer some of the unpleasant symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia -- chronic fatigue being one of them. If you don't already take an iron supplement, you should.
Get a Boost from Herbs. Although not scientifically proven, some herbs popularly touted as having energy-enhancing effects are ginseng and ginkgo biloba. Perhaps a tea made from one of these would help.
Go Natural. Eating only whole, natural, minimally processed foods is important not only for overall health but also to maximize energy levels. Be sure you are eating a balanced diet, meeting all your needs from each of the levels of the food pyramid.
Exercise. It often works to do your exercising at lunchtime to help boost your metabolism and keep your engines running on high for the afternoon. If you can switch your schedule so that you can exercise at noontime, that may help.
- Consider Embracing the Urge to Nap. The desire for an afternoon nap can be the result of natural biorhythm patterns, and often it is best to just give in to it if you can. Take a quick 15- or 20-minute nap -- instead of spending an hour or two fighting it -- and then move on, refreshed and ready to go. Naps are becoming more and more popular, and some workplaces have even established a napping room, recognizing those natural patterns and knowing that workers can work more effectively if allowed to have a brief nap.
- Exercise gradually, but steadily. Start slowly, so you don't increase your fatigue, and try to build up to 20 to 30 minutes of activity per day.
- Learn various stress-reduction techniques, such as deep breathing or meditation.
- Maintain a manageable and even pace. Set priorities and manage your time and energy efficiently.
- Practice good sleep habits. Establish a ritual for going to bed. Limit naps; don't take work to bed; don't consume caffeine (from coffee, teas, colas, or chocolate); and maintain a firm time for going to bed and waking up.
- Eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Don't fill up on high-fat or sugary foods, which tend to make you feel sluggish.
Reward Deficiency Solutions Systems
- Find out if you or your children have a genetic predisposition to RDS
- How to eliminate negative RDS behaviors; Stress, Craving, Depression or Anxiety
Dr. Blum and Dr. Waite advocated a non-specific "healthy diet" and non-specific regular exercise to accompany a regimen of taking SynaptoseTM, the nutrigenomic neuroadaptogen they developed based on Dr. Blum's many years of research to increase the endogenous production of Dopamine and reduce negative Reward Deficiency Syndrome behaviors. The scientific evidence they have thus far accumulated, they say, demonstrates that SynaptoseTM changes the plasticity of the brain synapses while balancing the endogenous neurotransmitters, positively affecting the Brain Reward Cascade.
Dr. Blum and Dr. Waite advocated a non-specific "healthy diet" and non-specific regular exercise to accompany a regimen of taking SynaptoseTM, the nutrigenomic neuroadaptogen they developed based on Dr. Blum's many years of research to increase the endogenous production of Dopamine and reduce negative Reward Deficiency Syndrome behaviors. The scientific evidence they have thus far accumulated, they say, demonstrates that SynaptoseTM changes the plasticity of the brain synapses while balancing the endogenous neurotransmitters, positively affecting the Brain Reward Cascade.
