Autumn and winter can make us feel sluggish and lethargic, and with so many festivities and celebrations (aka lots of food, drink and sitting around) there’s no time more important than now to get moving and feeling good. 

Summer naturally makes us want to move – getting up is easier, we may spend more time outside playing sports, and a long evening walk is much more inviting in July that it is in November.

Come autumn, the mornings are darker and just shifting from under the warmth of the duvet can be difficult, let alone heading to your local gym or getting your fitness regime in for the day.

It all comes down to energy – working out how to obtain it and how to use it, but also knowing when enough is enough, so here are five ways to boost your energy this season:

 

Sleep Well

Of course, we all need to sleep in order to replenish energy levels, but it’s not just about how long we sleep; it’s about how well we sleep. Sleep expert Shaun Stevenson says: 

“A good night’s sleep starts the moment you wake up”. 

This means that everything we do throughout the day has an effect on how we sleep at night.

Here are some easy tips for you to help improve your sleep quality:

• Try getting up early, preferably with the sunrise, as this sets the body’s natural clock, and will help you naturally feel more like sleeping when it gets dark.
• Get outside for about 20 minutes early in the day, to let your eyes absorb blue lightwaves that ‘set the body up’ for the day, and encourage digestion, metabolism and cognitive functions to gear up.
• Fit in some exercise during your day, and try not to nap – you’ll sleep better later if you refrain from sleeping in the day.
• Consume enough magnesium - this is helpful for relaxing muscles and improving sleep quality.
• Have a set wind-down routine in the evening – ensuring you turn your phone on silent, off, or take it out of the room entirely whilst your sleeping – you’ll be amazed at how powerful this can be for reducing stress levels and improving sleep!

RELATED POST: Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

 

Eat Well

Food is our fuel, and what you put in, you get out. Consume good quality food and supplements, and your body will thank you with boundless energy and well-being. Fill it with rubbish, and your body won’t do as well.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to how to get the most from our meals, but generally when it comes to feeling more energised, these are the most important tips to remember:

• Eat food that is easy to digest: A huge amount of energy is spend on digestion, and if your body is trying to digest a lot of processed food or raw carrots, you’ll feel more tired and lethargic.
• Use spices: Cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, cumin and cardamom are all useful for improving digestion and nutrient absorption, so add them to porridge or your morning smoothie.
• Eat nutrient-dense foods: If you’re covering your plate with low quality pasta or white bread, swap it for root vegetables, grains or salad, and you’re likely to feel far less ‘heavy’ at the end of a meal.
• Try intermittent fasting: Considered one of the best ways to help the body repair itself after exercise, build lean muscle, and ‘clear away’ toxins and old cells, intermittent fasting is a relatively pain-free way to get a lot of the benefits of a full fast. Try leaving a 14-16 hour gap between your meals over night, which also help improve sleep quality too!

RELATED POST: Healthy Foods to Boost Your Energy Levels on a Keto Diet

 

Exercise Your Body

Exercise boosts blood-flow, oxygen and metabolism, so movement could be one of the most important factors to feeling good and enhancing energy levels.

The body was made to move, and giving it a daily dose of good quality movement can help you feel more alert, motivated, and even happier.

Lots of studies show that exercising regularly is directly linked to reducing anxiety and depression. When we start working out, we release endorphins, the body’s natural ‘happy hormones’, and serotonin, which also boosts mood levels.

Blood-flow to the brain increases, so you’ll be able to think clearer and make better decisions too.

RELATED: Seasonal Affective Disorder: How Exercise & Supplementation Can Help

 

Remember: Positive Mental Attitude

The way we use the mind can also have a powerful impact upon how the body feels. Negative and fearful thoughts can be draining to not just mood levels, but physical energy levels too.

Time and time again, successful athletes like Conor McGregor, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tiger Woods have proven the power of the mind. They are all known to have used visualisation and positive affirmations, and keep a close eye on how their mind is behaving.

If Buddha was right when he said, “what you think, you become”, then it makes sense to keep your mind full of energising, positive thoughts!

 

Establish a Routine

Routine – during the week, make your morning a no-fuss routine and you’ll save valuable time making decisions about which breakfast to have, what to wear, or what you’re going to do first.

Author and ‘biohacker’ Tim Ferris has interviewed countless successful people in the business and fitness world, and almost all of them stick to a strict morning routine.

Having a set routine on weekdays can save you not just energy, but heaps of time too, so you’ve got more of it left to spend doing what you want!

 

Top Tip: Blend some Primal Energy MCT Oil into your morning coffee for a serious energy boost!