It can be hard sometimes keeping your energy levels on a high; especially during the festive season when family members are back home, your toddlers are running around the house and visitors are streaming in and out of your home. In these stressful times, you need to find a few healthy ways to boost your energy levels… and quick!
Family holidays like this, where Christmas and New Year festivities are just a week apart, can be stressful. From decorating, to the wrapping of gifts and even thinking about your New Year resolutions, many people can become overwhelmed by the festivities.
Despite the holiday pressures, we should strive to focus on our physical, mental and spiritual health. As such, today we are going to discuss various ways you can maintain high energy levels this festive season and make unforgettable memories with your family.
Let’s delve into specifics.
Get Caffeine Into Your Bloodstream
If you have been moving up and down doing a thousand chores, you may be feeling sluggish and tired. Drinking a cup of coffee or a can of 5-Hour ENERGY will help perk you up. This is not to say that you should have late nights then rely on caffeine and energy shots to get you through the day.
The most recommended therapy is getting enough sleep and plenty of rest. However, on such rare occasions as this, indulging caffeine in moderation is fine.
Cut Back on Your Sugar Intake
Your sweet tooth, together with the goodies brought in by family members and visitors, can be the ones bringing your energy levels down. This is because too much sugar consumption causes an energy surge which leads to a crash a few hours later.
If you can’t hold yourself from biting a candy after the other, make sure you combine the high-sugar foods with high protein and fatty foods. These foods ensure the sugars are released slower into the bloodstream preventing an energy surge.
Take a Probiotic
There are times you may experience fatigue at high levels. In such cases, you could be suffering from an imbalanced gut. Consuming probiotics (fermented foods) will help solve this issue.
You could also go for a multi-strain probiotic supplement if possible.
Hydrate
We often confuse hunger and fatigue with thirst. Thirst can often make you feel tired and sluggish. The only way to counter this is to hydrate your body throughout the day.
It is with good reason that doctors advise drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up and continue to take at least seven more glasses throughout the day.
If you are one of the few people that detest the taste of water, consider adding a slice or two of lemon. Better yet, you could add cucumber and ginger slices for a more delicious taste.
Get Moving
One of the best ways to boost your energy levels in a matter of seconds is by getting up and moving.
This does not necessarily mean wearing your sports shoes and going jogging – of which, it is also a good option. You could indulge in some small movements like speaking on your phone while moving from one place to the other. You could go the extra mile and use hand actions while speaking to move almost all parts of the body.
In short, being active ensures blood circulates well throughout your body as well as burns extra pounds. To keep the energy flowing, try to do moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes, three to five days a week. The most efficient form of exercise to make the most of your time is circuit training. This could be weight circuits, machine circuits, bodyweight circuits, or even boot camps.
Take a Break From Alcohol
Alcohol is known to have some harmful side effects. For starters, alcohol reduces our quality of sleep, dehydrates our bodies and depletes or energy; if you have suffered from a hangover, you know what I am talking about.
If you cannot completely cut back on alcohol consumption, consume the recommended limits. Do not go past the 2 units a day or 14 units a week. By going past this limit, you will feel tired and unenergetic, even after an 8-hour sleep. Also, do not drink in the evening, just before bedtime because it will interfere with your sleeping patterns.
Take Some Alone Time
Spending time with your family is fun. However, do not be overwhelmed with all the cooking, cleaning and other chores. Take some time off to relax and de-stress. You could go to the gym, the spa or anywhere you fancy. The choice is yours. Ultimately, you need to do what you need to do for you to boost your energy levels and make the most of the holiday season.
Tags: energy, holiday season
