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by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner
If you are dragging through the days lately, you are not alone. Here’s the fix …
Cold weather and shorter days often produce barriers that limit our ability for physical activity. They also impact our mental energy, which further lends itself to sedentary pastimes. The result: An uninspired brain in a body too tired to recharge it.
Try these top energizers to rev up your late-winter mojo!
Exercise
When already tired, expending more energy through exercise may seem impossible. Many try to preserve the precious little reserve of stamina that remains to get through daily activities. Studies involving more than 6,800 people confirm otherwise. More than 90 percent of those studies proved sedentary individuals who completed exercise programs reduced fatigue and increased energy.
These studies included healthy adults as well as those suffering from cancer and chronic health conditions. If exercise can overcome fatigue from those causes, imagine how well it tackles a little seasonal fatigue.
How Exercise Invigorates
Increased circulation improves the body’s performance. The lungs and brain are more effectively nourished when blood and oxygen are pumping through the body. This helps you work more efficiently at other tasks throughout the day, beyond your workout. Over time, exercise increases muscle strength and endurance. Daily functioning will become less tiresome because it will require less effort with a fit body.
Through exercise, one also gains a burst of endorphins, feel-good hormones. These help combat stress and negative moods, both which cause fatigue (and can lead to insomnia when chronic).
Some days—whether blustery outside or dreary within– your usual workout may seem overwhelming. This even happens to your favorite fitness gurus! Try shorter bursts of exercise. Still unable to get off the couch? Aim for any type of physical activity, preferably at the time of your usual workout. This keeps momentum by respecting the time you schedule for fitness.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of weekly activity, as recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. As we close this winter, gain energy instead of weight.
Quick Energizers
- Take a brisk walk.
- Enjoy a 30-minute workout. Make it fun!
- Prioritize tasks. Do the most important first to assure completion. It also can motivate you to do more.
- Use a timer. Limit strenuous activities to 15 minutes. This helps conserve energy to accomplish other daily tasks. (What good is a well-scrubbed kitchen if you don’t have energy left to cook dinner?)
- Take a 20-minute power nap.
- Replenish your system with a full glass of water. Wash out impurities while increasing energy.
- Enjoy a piece of fruit. Its natural sugar and high-fiber content combat fatigue and mid-day slumps.
- Step outdoors for fresh air. Breathe deeply.
- Be asleep between the hours of 11:00pm and 1:00am. Growth hormone– which helps repair muscle, improve immunities, and build lean muscle and healthy skin—is mostly secreted within this replenishing timeframe.
- Aromatherapy can improve focus and energy. Energizing scents include lemon, orange, mint, and grapefruit.
- Try an energizing meditation.
If fatigue persists, see your physician to determine if health factors are contributing to your tiredness.
Act as If
If all else fails, trick yourself. Use positivity to energize your mind and body. Stand tall with proper posture, move more, smile, and engage in your day. You may forget you are tired, at least for a little while. During that time, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.
Sources
“Exercise Fights Fatigue, Boosts Energy,” by Jennifer Warner at webmd.com.
Mayoclinic.org
“5 Ways to Boost Your Energy,” by Cathy Wong at verywell.com.
Image Credits
Lightning workout: pixabay.com/en/the-darkness-people-fitness-club-3183028
Stopwatch: pixabay.com/en/stopwatch-precision-quick-record-2648253
Sun on face: pixabay.com/en/person-girl-human-joy-sunset-sun-2471177
