How to Keep Your Energy Levels Steady Throughout the Day
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When it comes to energy level, food definitely plays a part. The timing and contents of your meals can make a difference. If you find yourself addicted to caffeine or sugar, this can make energy crashes a bit worse too. Finding a healthier replacement for these substances in your diet can be helpful. For example, a mushroom tea or something similar might be a good alternative. If you are eating a lot of sugar, this can lead to big differences in your blood glucose and can make your low energy levels feel even worse than usual. Weaning yourself off of these can be helpful in the long run, enabling you to have more steady energy during the course of the day. You will also feel better being less dependent on sugar and caffeine to get you through your week.
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As far as food goes, it’s best to have balanced meals throughout the day to keep your energy up. Aim to have protein, fiber, and fat in each meal or snack you eat. This will help you stay full longer and stabilize blood glucose as well. At meals, you probably get each of these nutrients fairly easily, but snacks can be lacking in the fat and fiber department. Eating fruit is okay, but doesn’t have protein or fat, so probably won’t keep you full. Having nuts or seeds with your fruit makes for a more well-rounded snack. Fiber is found most heavily in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Jerky is a high protein snack and often has enough fat too, so paired with some carrot sticks for fiber is a great snack. Check out my other blog post on healthy snacks for more ideas of what to eat. For most people, I recommend adding a bit more nuts and seeds into the diet for extra micronutrients and how balanced they are.
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Your sleeping patterns and habits can also play a role in your energy levels. Try your best to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. This will help you feel more energized and balanced. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you’re having trouble sleeping, check out my other blog post on why sleep is important and lots of good tips to help you sleep better. Electronics can wreak havoc on natural melatonin levels, so shutting off all your screens an hour before bedtime is a great idea to help you fall asleep more easily.
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Sleeping well, eating balanced meals, and keeping your caffeine and sugar intake under control can really help with energy levels. If you need one more tip for feeling more energized during that afternoon slump, I would suggest going outside in the sun and taking a short walk. Another way to perk up is to diffuse or wear some essential oils. Examples of bright, energizing scents are citrus or mints. Peppermint, lemon, orange, lime, or spearmint are great ideas. Try it out and let me know what you think!
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Struggling to figure out what to eat throughout the week? Send me a message at nourishmentwithnicole@gmail.com and let’s chat about it! Share your favorite way to overcome that afternoon energy slump in the comments!