5 Healthy Afternoon Energy Boosts

Most people have an energy lull in the afternoon, and this is an opportunity to either improve or reduce your health and fitness. Marketers try selling blended caramel coffee drinks that have 2 candy bars of sugar, or energy shooters that are the nutritional equivalent of soda. These high sugar “solutions” will pep you up for the moment, but will put you on a blood sugar rollercoaster that will leaves you far more tired later in the day. Additionally the long term metabolic impact of these kinds of foods can lead to progressive exhaustion and weight gain.

Here are your healthy alternatives

1. Get 10min of sunlight: Help your internal clock remember that you should be awake right now and also just get moving.

2. Check your lunch: If you’re sleepy after lunch, then the content and/or quantity of your lunch isn’t supporting you. Usually it’s the content — focus on veggies, healthy fat and protein and skip the starch and sugar.

3. Sprint the stairs: If you’re on the 2nd floor, then run as fast as you can up to the 5th floor restroom. Nothing saps your energy more than sitting on your butt, and intense exercise stimulates your body to release it own, natural supply of stimulants to get back into high gear.

4. Caffeinate with caution: Moderate amounts of caffeine aren’t usually a problem unless you drink it too late and it disrupts your sleep. Most people have a 2–4pm cut off for caffeine in order to sleep well.

5. Stay hydrated: People confuse thirst with “I need a nap” and “I am hungry.” Staying adequately hydrated helps you feel great, focus and lose weight. Keep a water bottle with you at your desk. Super cold water is also a nice jolt similar to the stair sprints. Hot weather, air-conditioned air, and lots of talking all dry you out. Keep a water bottle near you.

You can sum up everything above. Eat a better lunch. Move. Get sunlight. Hydrate and maybe caffeinate.