Tiredness feels like a fact of adult life. No matter how much sleep you’ve been getting there always seems to be that afternoon slump which leaves you craving your bed. The good news is you’re not the only one and we’ve rounded up 9 techniques to help you fight off tiredness. From chewing gum to extra sun, there’s a sure-fire fix for your 3pm fatigue.
1) Eat a healthy breakfast
Loading up on carbs or skipping breakfast altogether is a recipe for energy dips throughout the day. Instead, opt for a meal with protein and good fats that will keep you fuller for longer. Eating a healthy breakfast everyday staves off that hangry feeling and means you’ll make better food choices throughout the day. The benefits include more energy and even weight management since you won’t be reaching for a sugary treat by 10am.
2) Check your vitamin levels
Vitamins D, B12 and Iron are well-known culprits of fatigue. For a proper assessment of your vitamin levels it’s best to visit the doctor and have a blood test. If you’re very low they may prescribe a supplement but if you want a quick natural fix then try one of these:
Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin is easy to find - just head outside. Before 10am and after 3pm are the safest times of day for sun in terms of UV exposure. You only need 25 minutes a day of sun exposure and through the office window doesn’t count. If you’re a morning person then eat breakfast outdoors with MyDeal outdoor furniture. For the late risers, take a short stroll with your afternoon coffee before heading back to the desk.
B12: For meat eaters a serve of salmon, lamb or beef throughout the day is the perfect supplement. Vegetarians should reach for eggs and dairy like cheese or yoghurt.
Iron: Red meat is the best source of iron and the most easily absorbed by the body. Compliment it with some fresh greens - like spinach and broccoli - and snack on nuts, seeds and dried fruits throughout the day.
3) Try essential oils
A scientist at heart, Dr. Angela Ebbage founded Essentially Audrey to share her knowledge of the benefits of essential oils. They’re great for all-around self care and here’s how you can use them to combat fatigue:
“Essentially Audrey has a great way to combat tiredness throughout the day naturally. "Wake Me Up" essential oil roller contains quality certified therapeutic grade Peppermint and Wild Orange Essential Oils. Peppermint Oil has been shown to increase alertness and decrease fatigue, providing you with natural "pep". Wild Orange Oil has been shown to lift mood.
The Wake Me Up roller can be easily applied behind the ears, making it available to the body via the olfactory system or simply smelt directly from the bottle. At the great price at only $8.50, it is a must for every bag and every workplace desk to help combat tiredness.”
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4) Connect with the earth
There’s something magical about the feeling of fresh grass beneath your feet. Perhaps it’s nostalgia, or perhaps you are feeling the earth’s electrons. Marie Slocombe, from Earthing Oz, explains how to get a good zap of energy from the earth.
“Earthing or grounding is the practice of having direct bare skin contact with the ground and is a terrific way to combat tiredness and boost energy levels. If you're feeling drained throughout the day, simply sit outside with your bare feet on the ground (grass or sand preferably) for 10 minutes to soak up Earth's natural healing energy.
There is also a range of indoor earthing products so you can earth while you work to fight fatigue and boost energy.”
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Personal development coach Carly Evans has a list of 18 ways you can boost your energy levels. Here’s 3 of our faves:
5) Drink plenty of water
“If you feel tired all the time, dehydration may be a cause. One in five people don’t realise that they need at least 8 glasses of water per day. We lose around 1.5 litres of water each day just through bodily processes alone, and this doesn’t include if you’re sweating more in hot weather, exercising more, or drinking tea and coffee which act as diuretics. A lot of people get stuck in a trap of feeling tired, drinking more coffee to perk them up and dehydrating themselves even more. Drink a litre of water when you wake in the morning, and at least another litre of water throughout the day.”
6) Good nutrition including cleansing
“Most of us know what constitutes a good diet, but do we stick to it? If we are tired a lot of the time our bodies are likely to crave carbs which give us a quick hit of energy, but ultimately convert to sugar in the body. Pay attention to how you feel after eating certain foods. We often don’t get enough of the vitamins and minerals we need through our diet so it’s important to supplement with good quality supplements. I use a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, plus magnesium powder, fish oil and probiotic. Sometimes if my energy levels seems really off I’ll go to my GP and get my iron levels checked, and supplement if needed.”
7) Love yourself
“If you have a healthy level of self esteem/self worth/self love, you’ll do more of what’s good for you, and less of what isn’t. You’ll set stronger personal boundaries for yourself and stop saying yes to things that don’t bring you joy.”
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8) Chew gum
Losing concentration? Try chewing some gum. Research from Cardiff University shows that it increases blood flow to the brain which improves alertness and intellectual performance.
9) Have a power nap
Have you ever wondered why it’s called a ‘power nap’? If done correctly a nap is just the thing you need to reset your energy levels
Around 10-20 minutes is the ideal nap length. More than this can lead to grogginess when you wake as you haven’t completed a full sleep cycle and wake yourself while in a stage of deep sleep. If you really need more, then 90 minutes is your maximum as it completes a full REM cycling meaning you’ll wake up during light sleep.
The best time for a nap is between 2-4pm but we know your workplace probably doesn’t encourage sleeping on the job. If you fight through the fatigue till bedtime there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on quality sleep and wake the next morning tired again. Allow yourself a super fast and effective nap as soon as you get home from work instead. Close the blinds to create a dark, quiet space and invest in a luxe mattress topper that will help you fall straight to sleep so you can make the most out of your evening.
Test out a few of these techniques and say goodbye to tiredness at any time of day.
