Whether it's first thing in the morning or when you hit that afternoon slump, many of us turn to stimulants like caffeine found in coffee and tea. However, if you're looking to cut down on your caffeine intake, there are plenty of healthy ways to maintain your energy levels without relying on such stimulants.
Instead of reaching for a cup of coffee or an energy drink, consider trying these natural methods. From diet and exercise to supplements maintaining your energy levels, we’ve put together our top tips for feeling healthy energy levels, completely stimulant-free.
6 Healthy Ways to Boost Energy
1) Get Outdoors
Simply getting outside and spending time in nature can leave you feeling more energised – especially when the weather is good! The natural sunlight will help to top up your vitamin D levels, which is known to be beneficial for helping your mood, reducing feelings of fatigue, as well as supporting your overall health with a range of other important bodily functions.
Not only will nature boost your energy, but it also helps to encourage creativity, focus, and performance too.
2) Eat Well
The phrase “you are what you eat” can certainly ring true! The foods you eat can have an impact on the way you feel, so it’s important to ensure you’re choosing foods that provide you with energy and can keep you feeling fuller for longer.
You should eat a range of complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, veg, whole grains, and beans that provide you with energy to burn throughout your day. Lean proteins like fish, chicken, eggs, and tofu are also a great option to maintain healthy blood sugar levels and for keeping your energy up. Lastly, healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and coconut will make you feel full and satisfied.
3) Stay Hydrated
Resist the temptation to reach for your favourite coffee or a can of coke when you need a drink and choose water instead.
We know that water doesn’t sound as appealing as a skinny caramel latte, but it’s important that your body is hydrated to prevent feelings of fatigue and drowsiness.
Boost your energy without caffeine by drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Dehydration can affect your focus, mood, and performance, so keep a handy water bottle nearby to refill throughout your day as a reminder to choose water over caffeine.
4) Go For a Walk
Step away from the caffeine – quite literally! Going for a walk can help to boost your energy and help to awaken your senses. Whether it’s a walk round your house, in the garden, or in the outdoors, a simple stretch of your legs can help to clear your mind and improve mood by releasing “feel good” hormones, such as serotonin and endorphins.
5) Take A Power Nap
It may sound a bit strange to encourage sleeping in order to boost energy, but a quick power nap can really help to improve your alertness, memory, and overall energy. Although it’s not recommended to sleep at your desk while at work, but 20-30 minutes of napping can leave you feeling refreshed, recharged, and energised. Even 10 mins could help towards boosting your energy too!
6) Take Supplements
The reason you may feel a sudden dip in energy can be due to a lack of essential nutrients that your body needs to function normally. Using supplements can be a great way to maintain your energy naturally without turning to caffeine.
Supplements For Energy
B Vitamins
When looking for vitamins to maintain your energy levels, look no further than the B vitamins. The most common vitamin B deficiency is of vitamin B12 as the body can’t produce it by itself. As vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal products, those following a vegan or vegetarian diet are more at risk of being deficient in vitamin B12 and may wish to take supplements.
Ashwagandha
A great natural way to maintain your energy levels is by taking ashwagandha supplements. Used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine practices for centuries, ashwagandha helps to support your mind.
Take our Garden of Life Mood + microbiome supplement daily to help your body adapt to stress and help promote emotional wellbeing while supporting your microbiome.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is produced in our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight. It plays a vital role in supporting the immune system, maintaining healthy bone health, and promoting optimal energy levels.
However, insufficient sun exposure can result in a deficiency of this essential vitamin and may wish to take supplements.
Therefore, maintaining your energy levels without the use of stimulants is possible through various natural methods. These include getting outdoors for sunlight exposure, maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated with water, taking walks, power napping, and incorporating vitamins and supplements into your diet.
