Clients, friends, families and colleagues, often ask, "How do I get more energy?" Many people rely on artificial means to acquire the energy they crave. But what people get from these artificial substances such as 5-Hour Energy drinks, can leave a lasting and detrimental health effect.
Today, society wants the "quick fix" by either popping a pill or taking an energy drink. None of these "fixes" address the real problem, but merely masks the problem.
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If you lack energy when you wake up in the morning after a full eight hours of sleep, you may want to figure out what the underlying problem is.
Life is pretty stressful. You deal with longer commutes, extended work days, information overload and a rocky economy. Meanwhile your food sources are deteriorating due to pesticides and maltreatment of animals. If you continue to deal with daily stress and eat unhealthy foods or drinks, you can age prematurely.
Exercise can provide more energy. But it can also deplete energy depending on your activity and stress levels. If your energy is low, you may have no desire to work out or even get up in the morning.
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Day-to-day challenges may run on high levels of adrenaline or cortisol (stress hormones). You may think exercise is the best solution to reduce stress. But, over-exercising actually releases more stress hormones which in turn can lead to exhaustion and premature aging. What happens is your adrenal is fatigued; midsection fat is stored and mental acuity decreases. The result—low energy.
If you get a full eight-hours of sleep, running 3-mile intervals in the mornings may help gain energy for the day.
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But, if you lack sleep and can't grasp enough energy for the day, you might want to consider breathing techniques. Breathing is breathing right? Not exactly. There's a certain technique to properly breathe. You may have inverted breathing pattern that stems from stress. It's when you breathe upwards rather than expand the diaphragm. Below is a simple technique for you to practice that will help reduce daily stresses and improve energy.
- Stand with your hands hanging down by your side completely relaxed.
- Put one of your hands onto your lower abdominal in the area of your belly button.
- Breathe into your hand and be sure that your belly expands as you breathe in, allowing your diaphragm room to drop down and pull air into the bottom of your lungs.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose or mouth.
Try to clear your mind and focus on your breath. This will help improve your mental clarity, athletic ability and energy level.
More: Breathing Techniques to Improve Your Performance
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