If you’re like me, and you don’t want to be reliant on a specific substance for energy, then maybe some of these things can help you.
Although, we’re all made different and some things that work for me, might not work for you. Also, I’m not a doctor, psychologist, coach, or any sort of health professional. So, if you really want to know if something is safe and good for you as an individual, go to a professional.
Get Actual Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep has usually been pretty easy for me. As long as the bed is comfy, the room dark, and there aren’t any loud distractions, then I’ll be out in a few minutes. But when I married Janae, I quickly learned that going to sleep isn’t that simple for everyone.
Plus, as I’ve gotten older there’s a difference between sleep quantity and quality.
Here are some of the things my wife and I do to get quality sleep:
- Limit bright lights when it’s dark outside. You can install dimmer switches, buy adjustable lamps, or use lights from a distant room or hallway.
- Get to bed early by having something to look forward to when going to bed; a book, journal, calm music, soft blanket, stretches, meditation, etc.
- When you’ve turned the lights off, use a subtle noise (like a sleep machine) to drown out noises from outside your room.
- Keep the room cold, this can help you fall and stay asleep. (Temperature can play a huge role in our sleep quality, so try different blankets and room temperatures to find what’s best for you.)
- If you’re having a hard time falling asleep, then slowly relax each part of your body from bottom to top. Start with your toes and let go of their tightness, like butter softening in the afternoon sun. Only move up to the next area of your body when the one you’re currently focused on feels heavy and relaxed.
Wake up Before the Sun
The general rule here is to wake up early, because your next night’s rest begins when you wake up and get out of bed.
And depending on where you live and the time of year, this might need to be modified. For example, it’s the end of November right now, and sunrise is around 7AM. I need more time in the morning before work though, so I wake up around 6:35AM.
If we fast forward to the summer though, sunrise is around 5AM. That’s too early for me, so I wake up at 5:50AM instead.
Workout in the Morning
This might be different for you, but talking with friends and family, it seems like nine times out of ten it’s best to workout first thing in the morning. It’s nice to get it out of the way, and it’s a wonderful way to feel productive from the start of the day too.
Plus, if most of us are honest, we don’t enjoy working out. We like how it helps our physical health, mental health, and/or emotional health.
So as much as neither of us really want to work out tomorrow morning, do what you can today to make it less of a pain tomorrow.
Salt Drink
To keep it short and sweet, yes, we need to drink water every day. However, we can dilute the different nutrients in our system if we don’t replace those throughout the day too.
The easiest way I’ve found to do this is a “salt drink” like Raw Replenish or LMNT. (I guess you can mix salt into your water as well, if you’d prefer to do that instead.)
Cold Shower or Sauna
A 2-3 minute cold plunge or cold shower, in my opinion, is the true replacement for that afternoon coffee, energy drink, etc. Not only is it a shock to the system, but it puts our mind in a fight or flight mode that can seriously help us get out of the afternoon funk.
A sauna can have a similar effect, because instead of the short burst of shock and/or pain of the cold, a sauna is a long, drawn-out moment in intense heat. Aka you can spend about 20 minutes long in a sauna 2-3 times a week and get a wealth of total benefits.
(I’ve found that alternating days that I do a cold shower versus a sauna is best. Along with switching off which one I start the week with, so the pattern is different every week.)
Red Light Therapy
This is a newer thing I’ve been trying because it’s built into the sauna that I use. However, in my opinion, the 20 minutes that I spend in the sauna and redlight turns into this mental relief session because I sit and ponder different things. Or I kick back and relax while listening to a podcast, and my mind has an almost therapy-like experience.
Raw Veggie-Filled Meals
I know, I’m going to sound like your mom or dad here. But you need to have veggies in every meal. Not just roasted veggies though. You need fresh, raw vegetables!
Whenever I feel drowsy and slow around noon, I try to grab cucumber slices, carrots, and/or tomatoes.
There aren’t many things in life that can help turn around a day that are cheap, healthy, natural, and unprocessed. But raw vegetables can. I’m still shocked by how much better I feel 3-5 minutes after I start eating them.
(And yes, I know they don’t always taste the greatest. If you have to, treat it like medicine. Get them down and move on with your day.)
Boredom Remedy
We all have workdays that feel like an endless drag. No matter how much you try to stay productive, every minute feels like ten. The mental boredom eventually turns into a yawn, we stretch out a little while seated, and suddenly our eyelids weigh twice as much as before.
Productivity drops and you’re fighting an afternoon nap.
When this happens, get up and go do something different for 5-20 minutes that’s physically, mentally, or emotionally interesting. If you’re driving, park on the side of the road and do a mini circuit. If you’re at a work site, go call a loved one or two.
Either way, get up and move!
STOP EATING!
Easting is one of my favorite things to do! Ice cream, steak, apple sauce, etc. It doesn’t matter what the food is, if it tastes good, then I’ll eat it!
BUT most the time I want to eat, it’s not because I’m hungry. It’s actually a coping mechanism for something else.
So, the next time you feel like a bottomless pit and you’re eating 2nd breakfast, STOP, and take 3-5 minutes to check in with yourself. Ponder the stupid simple question, “How are you feeling?”
Don’t brush it off. How are you really feeling? Once you figure that out, identify what will actually help, not numb, what you’re feeling?
The Recap
There are so many different things out there that can help you live a happy and healthy life. I hope one or more of these different practices can help you stay awake and aware naturally. (Without coffee, energy shots, chews, and/or drinks.)
Remember, by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.