The following was recently shared by Mika Ellison.on the NPR Podcast “Life Kit.” It is a brief guide to reclaiming your energy and fighting burnout. Need help implementing these ideas? Make an appointment your with doctor today!
Do you feel like fighting exhaustion is basically your part-time job? But no matter what you do, any progress just seems like treading water?
Dr. Amy Shah has absolutely been there — and she didn’t want to accept that as the state of affairs forever. “It felt disappointing that this was just going to be life,” she says.
Shah’s quest to regain her vitality led her in 2021 to write I’m So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life. Through her research, she found that there are simple, natural ways to jumpstart your personal battery — that don’t require a double-shot of espresso every morning.
Here are five of Shah’s top ways to give yourself a much-needed jolt of energy.
🥦 Eat more nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods. They can support gut health by improving digestion, boosting your metabolic rate and promoting serotonin production. That grocery list includes high-fiber foods like blueberries, avocados, seeds and nuts, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.
🥤 Skip sugary, caffeinated drinks. They’re the “worst offenders” to your energy levels, Shah says. “Your blood sugar spikes then drops. Your cortisol spikes. Your inflammation levels rise.” Many sodas and energy drinks may give you a quick surge of energy initially, but will often make you feel even more tired and sluggish once that rush has worn off, she says.
🌭 Avoid processed meats. They have ingredients that have been linked to increased inflammation and other health issues such as cancer and high blood pressure, Shah says. If you do choose to eat meat, she says to opt for lean, organic choices like hormone-free chicken or grass-fed beef.
🌞 Expose yourself to sunlight early in the morning. It signals the brain to stop producing sleep-inducing melatonin and tells the body to wake up. “That’s one of the easiest ways to boost energy,” Shah says.
🕰️ Align your eating schedule with your biological clock. Eat during daylight hours, then give your digestive system a break during nighttime hours. Shah says you should stop eating three hours before bed and give your body at least a 12-hour break between eating periods to let your gut fully rest and digest.