How Do I Get More Energy in the Afternoon?

It’s 3pm and you are staring at your office computer, trying really, really hard not to fall asleep.  Sound familiar?  Unless you are the owner of the company, a nap is probably not an option for you.  Starbucks is expensive and loaded with calories and the stuff in the cafeteria vending machine will make you crash and burn off the sugar rush.  What can you do?

Strategies for Staying Awake in the Afternoon

1. Drink Water.  Sometimes fatigue is really dehydration.  RealAge.com suggests drinking a glass of water, taking a walk around the block (fresh air is an energy boost too) and then drinking water again.  Source: RealAge
2. Eat Yogurt.  Yogurt is a great energy boosting snack.  Why?  Because it’s high in magnesium, which releases energy in your body.  It also contains an amino acid called tyrosine which converts to adrenaline, giving you that extra energy boost.  (Source:  Livestrong)
3. Eat a Well-Balanced Lunch.  Get the proper mix of protein, carbs, veggies and healthy fats in your lunch and you will feel satiated and energized.  Try a spinach salad with grilled chicken and a slice of whole wheat bread.  Spinach is loaded with iron.  Iron produces hemoglobin which carries oxygen to your cells where it is used to produce energy.  (Source:  Livestrong)

   

4. Sleep 7-9 hours Each Night.  I’m pretty bad with this one – as is evidenced by my preponderance of 2 a.m. blog posts…but if you are sleepy during the day perhaps you should go to bed earlier.  If, hypothetically, you have small children who like to wake you up, you could always try to convince everyone to take an afternoon nap.  A little snooze when you get home from work does miracles.
5. Get Moving!  Remember when you were in kindergarten and your teacher made you jump up and down in the middle of the afternoon?  Exercise is the quickest way to boost your energy.  Try taking a walk, go up a flight of stairs or even just stand and stretch.  This will increase the energy producing molecules in the mitochondria.  Wow, every thing I needed to know I really did learn in kindergarten – who knew?  (Source: CanadianLiving)

Lisa

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