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Energy boosters -

The truth is, even little tweaks in your meals can have a significant impact on your energy, mood, and overall well-being. The rewards can be huge. A study published in in the journal Nature Food found that trading just 10 percent of your daily calories from beef and processed meats to more nutritious foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and fish, can increase your healthy life span.

So you may not only live longer but also extend the amount of time you live free of serious illness. For someone eating 2, calories, that means trading just calories—roughly one snack or side dish a day. Want to try this and our other expert-advised ideas?

Start the year off right by making a few small changes every day. We tend to lose muscle and strength with age, but getting enough protein can help protect against this, Woods says. Plus, protein takes longer to break down than carbs, which slows the release of blood sugar.

According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , people who had a high-protein breakfast 30 percent of calories from protein experienced a better insulin response and blood glucose level after 4 hours compared with those who had mostly carbs.

To get a head start, add some protein to your morning meal. Top toast with cottage cheese or an egg, stir nut butter into oatmeal, or pair cereal with Greek yogurt and chia seeds.

This extra nutrition is particularly important for older adults. A study published in in The Journal of Nutrition found that people ages 55 and older who ate at least three servings of whole grains daily had better markers of heart health—smaller increases in waist size, blood pressure, and blood sugar—compared with those who got less than half a serving.

Bored with brown rice and oatmeal? Try amaranth , buckwheat, farro, or quinoa. While experts recommend five or more servings of produce a day, even smaller amounts boost heart health.

A study in BMJ found that every extra daily serving—up to five—slashes the risk of dying of heart disease by 4 percent. Each fruit and vegetable contains its own combination of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that fight inflammation , says Judy Simon, a registered dietitian with the University of Washington.

For the biggest benefit, choose an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables. According to research in The Journal of Nutrition , people over age 50 who consumed the biggest variety of produce were 21 percent less likely to die from heart disease over a year span compared with those who had the least.

Simon suggests tossing extra veggies into your main course. You can also add greens to soups and sandwiches, broccoli or cauliflower in stir-fries, and mushrooms, peppers, or zucchini to pasta dishes. Leafy greens help protect brain health , broccoli and brussels sprouts are potential cancer preventers, and green peas can improve digestive health.

Plus, eating veggies before the rest of your meal can lower your blood sugar response afterward, according to scientists from Cornell University.

This may help people with prediabetes and diabetes—close to half of Americans—keep their conditions in check. Many snack staples, such as pretzels, cereal bars, and crackers, are highly processed. A diet high in these packaged foods is linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and dementia.

But a review of research published in the journal Antioxidants suggests a diet high in nuts can protect against conditions like these. Aim for an ounce—about a handful—of nuts a day. Caffeine or a sugary snack can be a quick fix to that mid-day energy slump if you are struggling to keep your eyes open halfway through the day.

Caffeine stimulates your nervous system to give you an energy boost and makes you feel more awake. Still, relying on caffeine can cause heartburn or an upset stomach and increase your blood pressure.

Read on to learn about 15 other ways to get energy without relying on caffeine. Research has shown that using electronics before bedtime disrupts your sleep.

As a result, you might feel more tired and less cognitively sharp. A study published in found that people who read e-books before falling asleep were less alert in the morning compared to those who read a printed book.

Reading e-books before bed also made it more difficult for readers to fall asleep. Try these tips to minimize your electronics use before bedtime:.

Some evidence suggests that chewing gum increases alertness and helps you focus on the task at hand. In a study published in , researchers found that participants who chewed gum while studying a minute physiology lesson were more alert than those who did not.

Try drinking water if you are trying to replace caffeine, especially because dehydration can make you tired. Other dehydration symptoms include dizziness, dry mouth and skin, and irritability. Dehydration has been shown to negatively affect attention and short-term memory.

In contrast, drinking water has the opposite effect. Aim to drink 91— fluid ounces of water per day. Keep in mind that you might need more water than that, depending on your activity level, age, environment, health conditions, and weight.

Here are some ways to increase your water intake:. A balanced diet can give you all of the energy you need throughout the day. Aim to eat regularly, or about every three to four hours.

Research has shown that eating frequent helps increase alertness. Snacks that create lasting energy contain lean protein and fiber-rich carbs. Here are some examples:. Keep in mind that drinks with added sugar, such as energy drinks and soda, can give you short-term energy.

You may have a drop in energy after an hour or so and feel more tired than before. Yoga breathing techniques, called pranayama, can affect your mind and increase energy. Research has found that fast and forceful exhales improve reaction time.

At the same time, slow and mindful breathing alleviates anxiety. Try a fast breathing technique known as " kapalabhati," or the breath of fire:. When possible, try waking up and going to bed at the same time each day. Humans are creatures of habit, so a routine can help keep your energy up during the day and wind down at bedtime.

Routines have been shown to increase energy and support efficiency when completing tasks. Here are other habits to add to your routine to help maximize your energy:.

It might be time to take a small break if you have lost your focus staring at a computer. Try getting up and walking around to boost your energy if you spend most of your day sitting. Research has shown that short periods of moderate-intensity exercise throughout the day can improve your mood and decrease fatigue without negatively affecting work performance.

Here are some ways to incorporate more exercise into your day:. A short massage could aid brain function. A study published in found that 20 minutes of brain massage significantly decreased mental fatigue.

The researchers also noted increases in attention and memory. Try applying pressure to the "kiss point," or GV in acupressure:. Vitamin D, which comes from sunlight, is an essential vitamin that supports strong bones. Low vitamin D levels can cause fatigue and weakness. Increasing your vitamin D intake helps reduce muscle fatigue and keeps your muscle cells healthy.

You can increase your vitamin D intake by:. Talk to a healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting a supplement if you suspect you have a vitamin D deficiency. The Food and Drug Administration minimally regulates supplements. The effects of supplements vary from person to person and depend on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications.

Stress can affect your health in many ways. For example, long-term stress may cause difficulty sleeping and contribute to fatigue. You are also more likely to start work fatigued and become more tired during the day if you are stressed. Relieving that stress can ease your fatigue and give you more energy.

Here are a few ways you can reduce stress:. Reach out to a healthcare provider if you have severe stress symptoms for more than two weeks. They can help you figure out how to cope with stress. Vitamin B12 helps keep your blood and nerve cells healthy.

Most adults need 2. A B12 deficiency can cause fatigue and weakness. You can try eating more Brich foods to boost energy. Sources include:. People who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet might have trouble getting enough B Animal foods make up the most natural sources of the vitamin.

Talk to a healthcare provider if you suspect you may be low on B They might recommend a supplement to help meet your intake goal. Research has shown that naps of any length help improve cognitive function and how alert you feel. Still, experts only advise long naps i.

Napping for long periods makes it hard to fall asleep at night. Here are some tips for napping:. Some evidence suggests that musical activity helps boost energy levels. A study published in found that participants who actively made music through singing, keyboard playing, or rhythm tapping felt more energetic than others.

In contrast, the researchers noted that listening to music or a story might decrease your energy. The next time you listen to a song, try singing along to feel more awake. Your body responds to lightness and darkness as signals to be awake and to fall asleep. Your circadian rhythm —the physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a hour cycle—takes those light and dark signals so that your body knows when to rest and when to be awake.

Here are a few ways you can use sunlight to regulate your circadian rhythm:. Aromatherapy involves applying essential oils, such as those from flowers, herbs, or trees, to your skin or inhaling them.

A study published in found that a blend of clove bud, frankincense, orange, and thyme helped decrease fatigue in women with post-acute COVID, or long COVID. Other essential oils that you might try using include:. There are many other ways to get energy without resorting to a cup of coffee if you are trying to cut back on your caffeine intake.

However you decide to get more energy, there are plenty of alternatives to that cup of coffee. For example, eat regularly throughout the day with lean proteins and fiber-rich carbohydrates since you get energy from food. You can also substitute caffeine with water to avoid dehydration and the fatigue that comes with it.

Try relieving stress with exercise or meditation. Chang AM, Aeschbach D, Duffy JF, et al. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Pham HT, Chuang HL, Kuo CP, et al. Electronic device use before bedtime and sleep quality among university students. Healthcare Basel. Ginns P, Kim T, Zervos E. Chewing gum while studying: Effects on alertness and test performance.

Appl Cogn Psychol. Zhang N, Du SM, Zhang JF, et al. Effects of dehydration and rehydration on cognitive performance and mood among male college students in Cangzhou, China: A self-controlled trial.

We include products we think are useful for our Energy boosters. If you buy Energy boosters links on this page, we may Energ a Cranberry side dish recipes Energy boosters. Medical Ebergy Today only shows blosters brands and products that we stand behind. Getting regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, maintaining low stress levels, and getting enough sleep each night can all help maintain good energy levels. Can vitamins and supplements also help? Sometimes, people might need an extra boost of energy when life gets busy or during particularly intensive exercise. Here, we look at some of the most effective vitamins and supplements for boosting energy levels. Electrolyte balance imbalances more energy? The Enhancing immune endurance to boosting DKA and diabetic foot ulcers Endrgy making healthy, lasting lifestyle changes. Move more. In the short term, increasing your physical activity to increase your energy seems like the opposite of what you should be doing. But in the long term, it works.