And only one of these effortless hacks includes a jolt of caffeine.
Sometimes you really just need to buckle down and get stuff done. But there’s a hitch in the plan: You’re beat. You worked your tail off yesterday, you tossed and turned until 3:00am, and your commute went—forgive the pun—completely off the rails. But all is not lost. You can reclaim that lark-like energy you felt earlier in the week, and you don’t even need to down a Redbull to do it. Just follow these 13 tricks for an instant adrenaline substitute and you’ll be ready to tackle anything Hump Day has to throw at you. And for more great advice on living your best life, don’t miss the 32 Secrets of a Stress-Proof Life.
It’s the way of the modern office worker: Eyes glued to a computer screen, focused on your work—or, let’s be honest, some silly video about baby animals. But according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this rapt attention is depleting your brain’s energy; without realizing it, chances are, you aren’t blinking. Every blink causes your brain’s visual and somatosensory cortexes to take a “mini nap” that allows for an essential recharge and subsequent energy boost.
According to the NPD group, a whopping 31 million Americans skip breakfast every day—most commonly because they’re “too busy or running late.” So if you’re one of the 10 percent of the country who skips the most essential meal, take literally five minutes each morning and stop skipping it. Breakfast has been shown time and again to jumpstart your body’s functions and give you the energy reserves you need to make it to lunch.
There’s a reason why upbeat music is played at gyms—it keeps people from careening off a low-energy cliff and calling it quits on a workout midway through. According to Scientific American, fast-paced music grants an instant energy boost by essentially “overriding” our brain’s signals for fatigue. However, the benefits of such much top out at 145BPM. So you’d get the same benefits by listening to “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift (160BPM) as you will listening to “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (147 BPM).
While you’re listening to those fast-paced tunes, there’s another thing you can do to get even more energy out of music. But be warned: This technique may irritate any adjacent office drones. According to research in the Journal of Music Therapy, tapping your feet and your fingers along to upbeat music will provide an instant cure for any tiredness. (And yes, singing along to your favorite tunes mitigates fatigue as well—but we would never, ever endorse that.) And for more great tips on jolting your energy levels, don’t miss the 15 Ways to Be A Higher-Energy Person Immediately.
Researchers from the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia found that, when it comes to powering through your midday crash, a visit to your office stairwell will do miles better than another cup of Joe. Walking up and down stairs for about 10 minutes—that’s about 30 stories—offers the same level of energy as roughly 4 ounces of coffee or 1 ounce of espresso. And as an added bonus, you’ll get a quick workout in, too. There’s a reason this is the number one way for getting an afternoon boost.
Yes, the “thymus” is a real thing, and it’s located at the top of your chest, a few inches below your collarbone. Its primary function is to produce T lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that, according to energy coaches and practitioners of Chinese medicine, can boost your energy levels. To properly tap the thymus, slowly and deeply breath in and out while gently tapping that area for 20 seconds. Do this up to five times per day for instant energy boosts.
Snagging a moment to sleep at some point during the day—between 10 and 30 minutes, and before 4:00 pm, so as not to disrupt your nighttime sleep—has been shown to increase memory, cognitive function, and alertness. And if you cut the nap off before 30 minutes, you won’t suffer what’s called “sleep inertia,” or that dazed and confused sensation you feel between waking up and being fully awake.
According to a study in The Journal of Nutrition, a 2 percent level of dehydration doesn’t set in until we start feeling Hey, I’m thirsty. The same study says that a 1.5 percent level of dehydration is enough for significant fatigue to come on. The solution? Be sure you’re drinking enough water so that you never crave hydration. For women, that amounts to about eight eight-ounce cups per day; for men, it’s ten.
No, you don’t have to go full Ice Bucket Challenge. But research in Behavioral and Brain Functions suggests that a mere three minutes spent in cold water can halt sudden tiredness in its tracks. And better yet, if you do it every day, you’ll do wonders against chronic fatigue.
Sure, if you want to perk up and maximize your productivity, it may seem counterintuitive to leave your desk. But as research in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has shown, dedicated just half an hour per weekday to exercising provides immediate—and long-lasting, if you adopt the practice as a habit—energy boosts. That’s as simple as leaving your desk, running a mile, and stretching up—and you could fit it all in a typical lunch break.
Don’t listen to what they say: Carbs aren’t all evil and they won’t make you crash—as long as you eat the right ones. Instead of simple carbs (like white bread, most cereals, or pretty much anything with processed sugar), spring for complex carbs. They’re proven to give you immediate and long-lasting burst of energy. (A bowl of oatmeal or a slice of wheat bread will do.)
Yes, chewing gum may be verboten in your office. (Or, for you students out there, is just straight-up forbidden in your lecture halls.) But it’s high time you take the issue up with your boss, especially if you find yourself hitting a regular slump during the day. According to a study in Nutritional Neuroscience, chewing a piece of gum will increase alertness by 10 percent and also help with “retrieval from semantic memory”—in other words, you’re more likely to remember the minutes from that 2:00pm pow-wow.
Duh. But if you really want to maximize your caffeine-to-energy ratio, take it from us and try a coffee nap.
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Running on fumes? Here’s how to stop feeling so tired all the time.
You’re only as old as you feel, the saying goes. But what if you feel old, tired, and rundown?
Fatigue is a common complaint, especially after people hit middle age. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple ways to boost energy. Some even slow the aging process.
Here’s how to refill your tank when your energy levels sputter.
1. Rule out health problems.
Fatigue is a common symptom of many illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, anemia, thyroid disease, and sleep apnea. Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired.
Many medications can contribute to fatigue. These include some blood pressure medicines, antihistamines, diuretics, and other drugs. If you begin to experience fatigue after starting a new medication, tell your doctor.
2. Get moving.
The last thing you may feel like doing when you’re tired is exercising. But many studies show that physical activity boosts energy levels.
“Exercise has consistently been linked to improved vigor and overall quality of life,” says Kerry J. Stewart, professor of medicine and director of clinical and research exercise physiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “People who become active have a greater sense of self-confidence. But exercise also improves the working efficiency of your heart, lungs, and muscles,” Stewart says. “That’s the equivalent of improving the fuel efficiency of a car. It gives you more energy for any kind of activity.”
3. Strike a pose.
Although almost any exercise is good, yoga may be especially effective for boosting energy. After six weeks of once-a-week yoga classes, volunteers in a British study reported improvements in clear-mindedness, energy, and confidence.
It’s never too late to try, either. University of Oregon researchers offered yoga instruction to 135 men and women ages 65 to 85. At the end of six months, participants reported an increased sense of well-being and a boost in overall energy.
4. Drink plenty of water.
Dehydration zaps energy and impairs physical performance. “Our research shows that dehydration makes it harder for athletes to complete a weight lifting workout,” says Dan Judelson, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University at Fullerton. “It’s reasonable to think that dehydration causes fatigue even for people who are just doing chores.”
Dehydration has also been shown to decrease alertness and concentration.
How to know if you’re drinking enough water?“Urine should be pale yellow or straw colored,” Judelson says. “If it’s darker than that, you need to drink water.”
5. Get to bed early.
Lack of sleep increases the risk of accidents and is one of the leading causes of daytime fatigue. The solution: Get to bed early enough for a full night’s sleep.
When people enrolled in a 2004 Stanford University study were allowed to sleep as long as they wanted, they reported more vigor and less fatigue. Good sleep habits may also have important health benefits. Centenarians report better than average sleep.
If you do fall short on shut-eye, take a brief afternoon nap. Napping restores wakefulness and promotes performance and learning. A 10-minute nap is usually enough to boost energy. Don’t nap longer than 30 minutes, though, or you may have trouble sleeping that night. A nap followed by a cup of coffee may provide an even bigger energy boost, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
6. Go fish.
Good for your heart, omega-3 oils may also boost alertness. According to a 2009 study by scientists at Italy’s University of Siena, volunteers who took a fish oil capsule for 21 days demonstrated faster mental reaction times. They also reported feeling more vigorous.
7. Keep time with your body clock.
Some people get a burst of energy first thing in the morning. They’re often called morning larks. Night owls are people who are at their best at the end of the day.
These individual differences in daily energy patterns are determined by brain structure and genetics, so they can be tough to change. Instead, become aware of your own circadian rhythms. Then schedule demanding activities when your energy levels are typically at their peak.
8. Shed extra weight.
Losing extra weight can provide a powerful energy boost, says Stewart, of Johns Hopkins University. Even small reductions in body fat improve mood, vigor, and quality of life.
Most weight loss experts recommend cutting back on portion sizes, eating balanced meals, and increasing physical activity.
9. Eat more often.
Some people may benefit by eating smaller meals more frequently during the day. This may help to steady your blood sugar level.
Favor whole grains and other complex carbohydrates. These take longer than refined carbohydrates to digest, preventing fluctuations of blood sugar.
If you start eating more often, watch your portion sizes to avoid weight gain.
Sources
Kerry J. Stewart, EdD, professor of medicine; director, Clinical and Research Exercise Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Hartfiel, N. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, April 6, 2010.
Oken, B. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, Jan-Feb 2006..
Daniel Judelson, PhD, assistant professor, California State University, Fullerton.
Harris, R. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2007.
Smith, A. Nutritional Neuroscience, February 2010.
Smith, A. Nutritional Neuroscience, April 2009.
Childs, Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, February 2008.
Ruusunen, A. Public Health Nutrition, April 2010.
Kamdar, B, Sleep Medicine, September 2004.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Fontani G, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, August 2009.
Roennenberg T, Journal of Biological Rhythms, February 2003.
Schmidt, C. Cognitive Neuropsychology, October 2007.
Stewart, K. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, March-April 2003.
