Why are you energetic

When you eat too few calories, your metabolism slows down in order to conserve energy, potentially causing fatigue. Your body can function within a range of calories depending on your weight, height, age and other factors.

However, most people require a minimum of 1, calories per day to prevent a metabolic slowdown. Experts on aging believe that although metabolism decreases with age, older people may need to eat at the top of their calorie range in order to perform normal functions without becoming fatigued Not getting enough vitamin D, iron and other important nutrients can also lead to fatigue.

In order to keep your energy levels up, avoid drastic cuts in calorie intake, even if your goal is weight loss. You can calculate your calorie needs using the calorie calculator in this article.

Your body requires a minimum number of calories in order to perform daily functions. Consuming too few calories can lead to fatigue and make it difficult to meet nutrient needs. Research has found that when your sleep pattern is out of sync with your circadian rhythm, chronic fatigue may develop In one study, healthy young men were allowed to sleep either seven hours or just under five hours before being kept awake for 21—23 hours.

Their fatigue ratings increased before and after sleep, regardless of the number of hours they slept However, if your job involves shift work, there are strategies to retrain your body clock, which should improve your energy levels.

In one study, shift workers reported significantly less fatigue and better mood after being exposed to bright light pulses, wearing dark sunglasses outside and sleeping in total darkness Using glasses to block blue light may also help people who perform shift work. Try to sleep at night or retrain your body clock. Inadequate protein intake could be contributing to your fatigue. Consuming protein has been shown to boost your metabolic rate more than carbs or fat do In one study, self-reported fatigue levels were significantly lower among Korean college students who reported eating high-protein foods like fish, meat, eggs and beans at least twice a day 5.

Other studies have found that high-protein diets tend to produce less fatigue among weight lifters and people who perform resistance training 30 , To keep your metabolism strong and prevent fatigue, aim to consume a high-quality protein source at every meal. Consuming adequate protein is important for keeping your metabolism up and preventing fatigue. Include a good protein source at every meal. The many biochemical reactions that take place in your body every day result in a loss of water that needs to be replaced.

Several studies have shown that being even mildly dehydrated can lead to lower energy levels and a decreased ability to concentrate 33 , 34 , Although you may have heard that you should drink eight, 8-ounce ml glasses of water daily, you may require more or less than this depending on your weight, age, gender and level of activity. The key is drinking enough to maintain good hydration levels. Common symptoms of dehydration include thirst, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches.

Even mild dehydration may reduce energy levels and alertness. Make sure to drink enough to replace fluid lost during the day. For example, a study in sleep-deprived healthy adults found that consuming an energy shot led to modest improvements in alertness and mental function Unfortunately, these energy drinks are also likely to set you up for rebound fatigue when the effects of caffeine and sugar wear off.

One review of 41 studies found that although energy drinks led to increased alertness and improved mood for several hours after consumption, excessive daytime sleepiness often occurred the following day Although the caffeine content varies widely among brands, an energy shot may contain up to mg, and some energy drinks provide as much as mg per can. By comparison, coffee typically contains between 77— mg of caffeine per cup However, even at smaller dosages, drinking caffeinated beverages in the afternoon may interfere with sleep and lead to low energy levels the following day To break the cycle, try cutting back and gradually weaning yourself off these energy drinks.

In addition, limit coffee and other caffeinated beverage consumption to early in the day. Energy drinks contain caffeine and other ingredients that can provide a temporary energy boost, but often lead to rebound fatigue. Although some stress is normal, excessive levels of stress have been linked to fatigue in several studies 41 , 42 , One study in college students found that avoiding dealing with stress led to the greatest level of fatigue While you may not be able to avoid stressful situations, developing strategies for managing your stress may help prevent you from feeling completely exhausted.

For instance, large reviews of studies suggest yoga and meditation can help relieve stress 44 , Read on for our tips on how to feel more awake and alert. One of our main sources of energy is, of course, the food we eat. So, if we want to keep our energy levels up, we must eat healthfully and try to integrate the most nutritious foods in our diets. We measure the energy that we can derive from foods in calories.

So, in order to feel fresh and ready for action, we must learn to maintain a balance in terms of our calorie intake. Official guidelines from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion for — suggest that women should have a calorie intake of 1,—2, per day, and men of 2,—3, per day. The exact amount varies depending on age, body weight, and height. Some foods provide an energy kick but have little or no nutritional value.

This means that they will not support a healthful energy reserve and may harm you in the long-term. Such foods are a source of so-called empty calories , and they typically include processed and ultra-processed products, such as candy, chips, and soda. But what are some specific foods that you might want to add into your diet at a time when you feel tired and in urgent need of an energy boost? This means that energy derived from these foods is released gradually, helping to keep us alert for longer.

Such foods include wholegrains, nuts, and some fruits — particularly grapes, apples, oranges, peaches, pears, and grapefruit — and vegetables and legumes with a high fiber content, including peas, beans, and leafy greens. Research has also demonstrated that bananas can be a great source of energy. Fatigue can be a symptom of dehydration , so making sure that you drink enough water throughout the day could help to alleviate the feeling of tiredness.

But is this actually what we need to make us feel more energized? The authors of the Harvard Medical School report explain that caffeine — which naturally occurs in coffee, tea, and cocoa — can help to improve concentration and render our brains more alert and receptive. Caffeine also increases your pulse , which may lend you more physical strength for a while.

But, the authors caution, these effects may not be seen in habitual drinkers like me , whose bodies may have built up tolerance to this substance.

However, for people to whom a cup of coffee is only an occasional solution to sluggishness or that afternoon slump, research has actually determined at which time of day coffee should be drunk for the best effect. The answer? You should have your cup of coffee at in the morning — or at least between a.

At those times, I find it useful to get up from my chair, stretch a little, walk around the office, and then continue work at the standing desk. First, they write, in any form of exercise, at cellular level, more energy-producing units form in your muscles, so that your body may sustain the activity. Stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy. Talking with a friend or relative, joining a support group, or seeing a psychotherapist can all help diffuse stress.

Relaxation therapies like meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga , and tai chi are also effective tools for reducing stress. One of the main reasons for fatigue is overwork. Overwork can include professional, family, and social obligations.

Try to streamline your list of "must-do" activities. Set your priorities in terms of the most important tasks. Pare down those that are less important. Consider asking for extra help at work, if necessary. Exercise almost guarantees that you'll sleep more soundly. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen. And exercising can lead to higher brain dopamine levels, which helps elevate mood.

When walking, pick up the pace periodically to get extra health benefits. You know smoking threatens your health. But you may not know that smoking actually siphons off your energy by causing insomnia. The nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant, so it speeds the heart rate, raises blood pressure, and stimulates brain-wave activity associated with wakefulness, making it harder to fall asleep.

And once you do fall asleep, its addictive power can kick in and awaken you with cravings. If you think you may be sleep-deprived, try getting less sleep. This advice may sound odd but determining how much sleep you actually need can reduce the time you spend in bed not sleeping. This process makes it easier to fall asleep and promotes more restful sleep in the long run.

Here's how to do it:. Eating foods with a low glycemic index — whose sugars are absorbed slowly — may help you avoid the lag in energy that typically occurs after eating quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches.

Foods with a low glycemic index include whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil.