Afternoon Energy-Boosting Tips

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You’re halfway through the work day and find yourself feeling fatigued. Normally, as most people probably would, you’d take a coffee break – and while caffeine can certainly help give you that added energy boost you so desperately need, there are some other things I recommended trying in order to help you beat the afternoon slump and feel more awake and alert.

Reduce Screen Use

Coffee breaks aren’t just for getting that caffeine boost. They can also be a great way to give your eyes a break from constant computer use and eyestrain which is also known to play a role in how fatigued people might find themselves feeling throughout the day. Taking as short as a 10 or 15 minute break from the computer screen can cause the eyes to feel quite a bit of relief. If you are someone who spends a lot of time on the computer, you should also make sure you’re sitting at about an arm’s length in distance. If you’re someone who has reading glasses but don’t always wear them, try to get into the routine of doing so as this can also be helpful for the eyes. Many optometry offices also now offer glasses with a special blue light coating which also helps to reduce digital eye strain.

Move Around

Just as sitting in front of the computer screen all day isn’t good for your eyes and is known to cause fatigue, sitting for prolonged periods of time can also cause you to feel tired, so try to get up and move around as much as you can – whether it’s going to the gym or a walk around the block on your lunch break. If you find you don’t have the time to get in some physical activity while on the job or at school, there are also some desk exercises that you can do, which can be just as beneficial. Remember, physical activity doesn’t just help to improve your energy levels, but it can also do wonders for the mood.

Try Green Tea

As mentioned, coffee is usually the go-to beverage when it comes boosting energy. That being said, a cup of coffee, if consumed later in the afternoon, can actually cause you to have a harder time falling asleep at night – so green tea is a better alternative. While it still contains caffeine, it has much less than that in a cup of coffee but can still give you that afternoon energy boost without causing a disruption in your evening routine and messing up your internal clock – also known as your circadian rhythm. Green tea is also loaded in nutrients and antioxidants, meaning there are many other ways that it can improve your overall health. For example, it can improve brain function, physical performance, reduces risk of infection, reduces risk of cardiovascular disease, and may even help protect against certain types of cancer.

Eat Healthy Snacks

Believe it or not, there are certain foods out there that are known to cause fatigue more-so than others – especially foods that contain little to no nutritional value or cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then crash. The best way to prevent this is to make sure you’re not only eating healthy well-balanced meals (consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein) but also snacking healthily, too. Some of the best snacks that can help keep you energized include nuts and seeds, while things like tuna and crackers (whole wheat) as well as Greek yogurt also make for good, healthy snacks.