Caffeine Free Tips For More Energy Now

Most people are looking for a little more energy, so they can do more things or simply just get through their day.  In Ayurveda, your tired feeling is your body talking to you and should be listened to.  Being tired means you need to take a break and get some energy.  There are three sources of energy in Ayurveda: sleep, food and meditation.  All three are natural sources of energy. 

Sleep and meditation are the best ways to give your body real rejuvenation, but few people consider them for energy.  If you are chronically tired, getting additional sleep and meditating more are absolutely essential.  Getting enough food is necessary for energy too, but most people are tending to overeat or eating the wrong things to get energy.

The focus of this blog is getting an energy boost in the middle of your day, and here are some quick sources of energy to turn the fatigue around without resorting to caffeine.  Coffee in the morning is fine, but drinking it throughout the day can cause side effects of jitteriness and insomnia.  It is nice to have a few alternatives that are natural and potentially less harmful.

1. Get some movement for five to ten minutes.  A brisk walk outside (sun and a change of scenery are always a winner) is the best, but even a walk around the office, dancing to your favorite song or some jumping jacks in place will deliver energy.   Physical exercise gets your heart pumping and increases circulation to your brain, helping to make you more alert.
2. Try some aromatherapy.  Essential oils like pine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, or jasmine help increase alertness.  Keep a bottle of essential oil near you and put some on your wrists and inhale deeply.  Also, a few drops in a bowl of water will refresh the entire room.
3. Give your eyes some rest.  Long hours of staring at the computer screen causes eye fatigue. Your tired eyes may be making you feel tired.  Take a break at least once an hour to look away from the screen. Have your eyes use your distance vision by looking out the window or anywhere outside.   A five-minute gaze at something else can help you feel more awake.
4.  Do something new. Doing the same things over and over again can quickly make you tired and bored. While you may not be able to totally leave a task, we usually have some choices about what and when we have to do something.  If you’ve been working on one thing for over an hour and you are feeling like you are drooping, mix it up by doing something else for awhile.  It helps to flip on the energy switch.
5. A few Yoga  poses that help stretch the spine.  You do not need to go to a class (which would be good thing too, FYI), but sitting throughout the day makes the energy in the spine get stagnant. If we can elongate the spine, it will energize the spine and the entire nervous system. 

While having a cup of caffeine may seem easier, you are better off trying one of the above tips.  You could even replace your caffeine drink with a natural, low calorie beverage like water.  It will hydrate you (which is also a source of fatigue) instead of being a diuretic which caffeine is.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa