Tips for natural energy boosters

Photo by Collin Richie

Because you don’t always need caffeine to wake up

Watch your sleep

Get up at the same time every morning. Waking up at the same time every day sets your body’s internal clock after a few weeks and helps you roll out of bed easier.

Remember that your sleep needs will vary each night. Stress levels, diet and exercise play into how much rest you’ll need each night. Instead of focusing on going to bed at the same time each evening, go to sleep when you feel tired so that you will get more sleep on days that you are tired.

Stop eating at night

Stay away from nighttime snacks. It takes about three to five hours to digest most foods. Food digestion can disrupt your sleep.

Move your meals up a few hours. Research shows that increasing the fasting time between dinner at night and breakfast the next morning may help the body better regulate blood sugar, increase energy and stay healthier.

Put away the phone

Limit use of personal electronics devices an hour before bed. The blue light that shines from tablets, phones and the television can signal your body to stay awake by preventing it from producing melatonin.

Try a light-reducing app. If you must use electronics, there are apps that can help you to reduce the blue light coming from your device at nighttime.

Exercise in the morning

It helps heat up the body’s temperature and naturally boosts your energy, even if it’s only from a 15-minute walk. Exercising before eating breakfast may also help you burn fat.