As a busy mum and carer, the one thing I always wanted was more energy. When I had more energy, I was better able to cope with what life threw at me, my vibration was higher and I was a nicer person to be around. When I was tired, everything felt harder. It was harder to get started in the morning, harder to get motivated and harder to focus.
It easy to deplete your energy stores, especially when you’re putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own, so here are some simply ways to increase your energy levels that I found work for me. At heart, it’s a series of self care practices that helped me get through the last couple of years.
Simple ways to increase your energy
Get your bloods checked out.
I have an under-active thyroid, so when my levels are low, I get bone tired. But there are a whole host of other physiological reason that can cause you to feel tired. For women, it could be linked to your hormone levels, (PMT or the menopause). Alternatively, for both genders it could be caused by something like anaemia. Getting your bloods checked out is a good way to rule out any physiological causes of your tiredness.
Get an early night.
One of the reasons I was always tired was my dad would wake me up in the middle of the night for something. Then once I was awake, it was hard to get back to sleep. I found going to bed earlier gave me a little more sleep, and at weekends, when my husband was home, I’d take an afternoon nap.
Poor sleep has been shown to adversely affect not just your physical health, but also your mental health. If your sleep is disturbed, always make time to catch up. Sleep is like a bank account. You can be overdrawn for a period of time, but sooner or later, you have to balance your account and put the money back.
Try meditating
I’ve found meditation is a great way to quiet your mind and de-stress. Practiced regularly, mediation has been shown to reduce stress levels, which has a knock on effect on your sense of well-being, your focus and your physical health. For example, when you’re more relaxed, your blood pressure and heart rate are lower than when you’re stressed.
Have a look on YouTube for some mediation music, lie down and listen to it. Let your body relax and try and empty your mind. I found I get my best ideas after I’ve meditated.
Take a look at what you’re eating
We live in age age where obesity is becoming an epidemic, whilst, paradoxically, we’re more mal-nourished than ever. By mal-nourished, I don’t mean we’re starving, I mean that our diets lack the full range of nutrients that our bodies need. We’ve been brainwashing into believing fats are bad for you, but the body needs fat, for the fat-soluble vitamins i.e. vitamins A, D, E and K.
Eating a balanced diet, with a wide variety of different vegetables will most definitely increase your energy levels.
Take a look at what you’re drinking
Too much caffeine, from tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks affects your ability to get off to sleep, which then has a knock on effect on your energy levels. Try and reduce how much caffeine you drink after 6pm, and increase how much water you drink. We should be drinking 2 litres of water per day, but usually we drink much less. When I worked in the hospital, we always kept a jug of water and glass on the patients bedside tray.
Go for a walk
It may seem counter-intuitive, but I found going for a walk, especially when its around nature, not just increases your energy levels, but also reduces your stress. Walking the dogs in the woods was like a walking mediation for me. Breathing in fresh air and taking in the sunlight really gave me a boost.
If you’re looking to increase your energy, then any form of exercise will do. Have a look at yoga and qi gong exercises on YouTube, or enroll on a course via Udemy.
Journalling
I’ve recently taken up journalling to help me unwind. Journalling helps you work through the things that are bothering you, but it also allows me to write down ideas, and clarify my goals.
I bought a bullet journal, so that I can be a little more creative with my journal. Have a look at my Pinterest board for some fun ideas.
Using positive affirmations
I’ve found that thinking positive, and using positive affirmations, are a great way to increase your vibration. Louise Hay has some of the best positive affirmations I’ve come across, so have a look at her affirmations page. I’ve kept a couple of pages in my journal free just to write down the affirmations that appeal to me. I also include them on my vision board.
Choose some affirmations that speak to your spirit. Trust your intuition and repeat these daily.
Self-healing
I’m currently working towards my Reiki Master and Reiki teacher qualifications, and so practice Reiki self-healing regularly. It’s a little like meditating, but focusing on clearly the chakras. I sometimes feel called to add some crystals to my healing practice. These amplify the healing for the targeted area.
Declutter
Decluttering is very cathartic. Releasing stuff you no longer need or want allows you to make space for other things to come into your life. In addition. your home feels bigger and brighter, and it takes less time to clean and maintain.
You could also sell some of your excess stuff and use the money to pamper yourself.
These are the 10 ways that have worked best for me. If you have other suggestions, I’d love to hear them.