How to Naturally Boost Your Energy Levels
Are you reaching for the coffee or sweets at 2pm and feel like you can’t stay awake after lunch?
While it might be a common theme to crash after lunch and slam multiple coffees to stay productive after 2 or 3pm, it’s not normal. This is your body signaling to you that you are dealing with blood sugar regulation issues.
Here are some common signs of blood sugar regulation and why it’s so important to support healthy blood sugar levels.
Increased sugar cravings
Weight gain
Increased hunger
Fatigue
Low energy in the morning and between meals
Irritability, anxiety
Feeling shaky between meals
Headaches
Memory issues
Rapid heartbeat
Brain fog
Difficulty sleeping
Hormone imbalances including thyroid
Inflammation
So how can we boost energy levels and support healthy blood sugar regulation?
1) Implement a Nutrient Dense Diet
A nutrient-dense diet focuses on whole foods from the Earth, while simultaneously reducing your intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are things like bread, crackers, cookies, anything processed that comes out of a box or bag. These types of carbohydrates are really quickly digested, and as a result can spike our blood sugar dramatically.
2) Reduce Stress Levels
Take 3-5 slow deep breaths every hour. This helps get oxygen to our cells and takes us out of a stressed state into a calm state. This is especially important to do before meals!
Perform a brain dump. Get every thought out on to paper to make space in your mind.
Take a calm, slow walk. This is amazing for blood sugar regulation and helps us calm down. Your body will thank you for getting outside, moving slowly and being away from technology.
3) Promote Healthy Sleep Habits
The less sleep we get, the more stressed the body is and the more we produce stress hormones, leading to a cascade of inflammation and blood sugar disruption. Here are some easy tips for improving your overall sleep hygiene:
Tonight (and every night) aim for 7-9 hours of sleep. Prioritizing hours to sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health on a daily basis.
Make your bedroom dark and cool. Studies show that even the smallest amount of light from electronic devices can trigger the release of cortisol and keep you awake for hours. This includes your phone!
Turn off electronics an hour or two before bed and get some good Sleepy Time tea for a nice bedtime routine. Having a routine around bedtime signals your body into understanding it’s time to wind down and release more melatonin to allow you to relax and get to sleep quickly.
Contact me to see how I can help you boost your energy levels to balance blood sugar today!