9 Easy Tips for Staying Energized All Day Long, According to Experts

Regardless of whether it’s the middle of winter or peak of summer, many Americans struggle to keep their energy levels up throughout the day for one reason or another. This often has us heading to the kitchen or the nearest coffee shop to grab a caffeinated beverage just to get through the afternoon. But caffeine isn’t the only way to boost energy levels. There are plenty of alternative ways to increase alertness throughout the day—no stimulants required!

For just a few ideas, we interviewed nine registered dietitians for their top tips to maintain healthy energy levels all day long without a drop of caffeine.

9 Easy Tips for Staying Energized All Day Long

With the stress of daily life and increasingly busy schedules, finishing your day strong without a midday cup of joe can seem impossible—but this doesn’t have to be the case! Here is what nine RDs recommend you try instead.

Embrace a Balanced Diet

While balanced eating is a smart move for overall health and disease prevention, embracing a nutrient-rich diet is also key to feeling awake and productive throughout the day, according to a registered dietitian . “Choosing healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, while avoiding excessive amounts of fried foods high in saturated fats and foods with a lot of added sugar can help keep energy levels optimal,” she says. For those not following a plant-based diet, the inclusion of lean protein options like fish, lean meats, eggs, and low-fat dairy can also be part of a balanced eating routine.

Don't Skip Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that is largely due to the fact that it can help maintain healthy energy levels all day long—even if your slump comes mid-afternoon. “Your body has been fasting while you were sleeping, and the fuel tank needs a refill,” says a registered dietitian. “The body needs that fuel to move your muscles and power your brain, among many other important things. Breakfast can help not only with your energy, but also focus, concentration, and hunger control throughout the day.”

Reach for Protein-Rich Snacks

Protein should always be prioritized when it comes to snacking for better energy levels, according to a registered dietitian. “It’s tempting to reach for caffeine or sugar for an energy boost, but protein more meaningfully boosts energy by providing sustained fuel as it’s broken down more slowly,” she says. “This steady supply of energy will prevent spikes and crashes in our blood sugar, helping us feel more energized.” 

High-protein snacks like hard-boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, yogurt, or cottage cheese are all fantastic options. “Try combining a protein-rich snack with complex carbohydrates (i.e. fiber) to keep energy levels even more steady, like nuts and fruit, cheese and whole grain crackers, and veggies with hummus or cottage cheese,” a dietitian adds.

Choose Meal Times Intentionally

In the midst of a busy day, we’re often forced to squeeze in meals whenever we have a free moment. However, choosing your meal times wisely can result in big payoffs when it comes to sustained energy levels. “About three hours after a meal our body’s blood sugar naturally begins to go down, which causes the sensation of hunger,” says Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS, chief registered dietitian at Live it Up. “So that afternoon slump you experience? It shouldn’t be ignored.” 

This translates to either eating a snack three hours post-meal or having another meal at that time, then making sure to have another snack (or meal if you snacked prior) three hours after that. “Pack a combo snack (protein plus fiber) to eat halfway between lunch and dinner to help bring your energy back up and give you the pep you need to get through the rest of your day,” Gargano says.

Stay Hydrated

From improving digestion to boosting skin health, there’s no shortage of reasons why we’re constantly encouraged to drink more water. Well, add better energy levels to the list, because hydration plays a huge role in how awake (or tired) we feel. “Even mild dehydration can lead to increased feelings of fatigue,” says a registered dietitian. To gauge your personal hydration needs, she offers a simple guideline of dividing your body weight (in pounds) in half and drinking that amount of water in ounces. 

“Adjust this number based on your activity level and the color of your urine, aiming for a light straw color,” she adds. “If you find yourself needing the restroom too frequently, consider balancing your water intake with electrolytes found in fruits and vegetables to help retain fluid more effectively.” But you don’t just have to rely on water for your hydration goals—herbal tea and decaffeinated, unsweetened beverages count, too!

Prioritize Regular Exercise

While some may cite working out as the root cause of their low energy levels, an expert assures that it’s actually crucial for maintaining them. “Physical activity boosts circulation and releases endorphins, enhancing energy and mood,” she says. “Even small bursts, like a five minute stretch, a brisk walk, or desk exercises, can combat sluggishness and improve focus.” Full workouts anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half can also have this benefit. However, if you engage in extremely strenuous workouts or prolonged endurance exercise, expect to feel tired afterwards.

Reach for Nutrient-Dense Smoothies

Whether you opt for smoothies as a meal replacement or hearty snack, this healthy option can encourage healthy energy levels all day long. “Smoothies are easy to digest since they’re already blended, and a great opportunity to pack in nutrient-rich foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and yogurt that fuel the body,” says an expert. With every satiety-promoting and blood sugar-regulating ingredient (i.e. those full of protein and fiber) you add to your smoothie, you can expect serious returns in energy.

Prioritize Restful Sleep

“Getting more sleep seems like a no-brainer when it comes to increasing energy levels,” says a community dietitian. However, achieving a good night’s sleep is much easier said than done. Thankfully, there are plenty of tricks of the trade for sleeping well. 

“During the week and weekend, try to go to bed around the same time every day and wake up around the same time,” she says. “Some people think they can make up for lost sleep during the weekends, but that is not the case—a consistent sleep schedule is the best thing for your circadian rhythms.” Avoiding screen time and large meals at least an hour before bed, keeping your bedroom as dark as possible, and limiting naps are other smart ways to improve your sleep hygiene.

Avoid Large Meals

Speaking of large meals, limiting them throughout the day will also promote alertness and focus, according to a registered dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. “We’re all familiar with the drowsiness that follows a large meal,” she explains. “Our body naturally diverts some of its resources to digesting all that extra food, which can make you feel tired and sluggish.” 

Thankfully, there are plenty of solutions that will still leave you feeling plenty satisfied! “Rather than three large meals, aim for smaller meals and snacks every few hours to better maintain your energy levels throughout the day,” Murphy explains. “What you eat is also important, since meals that are high in (simple) carbohydrates and fat are more likely to make you tired than meals with plenty of protein.” 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Cinnamon Isn't Just Delicious, It's Also Incredibly Useful!

Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest spices, that imparts a magnificent aroma to a wide variety of foods. But, besides its great taste and smell, cinnamon is considered to have quite a variety of healing properties too. Many of its benefits derive from the spice's anti-fungal, antibacterial and antioxidant prowess. You can smell it, ingest it, or apply it. Either way, the health benefits of cinnamon are more than skin-deep. These top 14 tips will get you going, and in the process, you may also be surprised to discover that this great spice has all kinds of ingenious uses too !

In the Know: Learn to Identify Real Cinnamon 

Before getting to its uses, here's a fact you may want to consider. Much of the cinnamon available is not real cinnamon (Cinnamon Verum or Cinnamomum Zeylancium), it is Cassia. Cassia contains substances that have strong anticoagulant properties, which may be harmful to the liver when consumed in large quantities. It is easier to spot the difference between the two when buying cinnamon sticks. Though, it is a lot harder to identify real cinnamon in its powder form. 

 

Here's how to spot the difference:

Cinnamon is a paler tan brown, as opposed to the reddish rust brown of cassia. 

 

Cinnamon has a thin, paper-textured bark that forms multiple thin layers when rolled up. Cassia bark is thicker, forming just a few layers. 

 

Cinnamon is more fragile and can crumble a lot easier than cassia, which is tough and a lot harder to grind. 

 

Cinnamon has a delicate, sweeter aroma, whereas cassia is more pungent and full-bodied. 

 

Cinnamon is very expensive in comparison to cassia and is a lot harder to obtain. 

 

Nevertheless, it is important to note that there are no dramatic nutritional differences between the two and to actually notice the difference, you would need to consume it in large amounts.

1. Use it Boost your Brain Power  

Studies show that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory. It is the perfect spice to use when you're feeling out of focus. Carry a stick around with you and take a whiff every now and then. Alternatively, every morning, add a couple of dashes to your coffee or cereal - this will start your day off on a good note and it will help you stay more focused and alert. 

 

 2. Enhance the Aroma in your Home 

 - Use it in Potpourri Sprinkle a couple of drops of cinnamon essential oil atop dry potpourri and place it in a small bowl, preferably somewhere that gets good ventilation, allowing the aroma to spread in the kitchen, near doorways, or atop the radiator. The room will carry with it a subtle hint of cinnamon, providing you with some year-round comfort. 

 

3. Use it to Reduce Cholesterol 

  In a study conducted by the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, over a period of 40 days on a group of diabetic patients, each was given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon daily, researchers observed that their triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels dropped. 

 

 4. Use it to Repel Moths  

Cinnamon is great at warding off pesky moths. Just break three to four cinnamon sticks and combine them with half a cup of whole cloves and half a cup whole black peppercorns. Fill sachets with one tablespoon of the mixture and toss the sachets in your underwear drawer or hang them in your closets.

5. Use it to Treat Diabetes  

The Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center also conducted a study on diabetic patients. In this study, the diabetic patients were given one-quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon over 40 days, after which researchers observed that patients' blood sugar levels fell by as much as 30 percent. In another study, published by Fertility and Sterility in 2007, researchers gave half of their participants cinnamon extract, and the other half, a placebo. In eight weeks, the women who took the cinnamon extract showed greatly-reduced insulin levels in comparison to the placebo group. 

 

6. Use it to Promote Weight Loss 

  Due to cinnamon's effectiveness in reducing insulin resistance, research by the Human Nutrition Center at Tufts reports that cinnamon triples insulin's capacity to metabolize blood sugar. Therefore, the spice can reduce hunger and sugar cravings leading to weight loss. Cinnamon is a particularly useful ingredient to have for anyone living with diabetes and finding it difficult to lose weight. 

 

 7. Use it to Boost your Circulation 

One of the health benefits of cinnamon is that it can be used to thin the blood, which in turn increases circulation throughout the body. This helps to reduce pain in troubled areas, as well as supply oxygen to the blood cells. It is also a great dietary complement for heart attack survivors. 

 

8. Use it to Reduce Arthritis Pain  

In a 2008 study, published in the journal Bio-organic and Medicinal Chemistry, researchers discovered that cinnamon slowed the breaking down of bones, ultimately reducing bone damage. 

 

9. Use it as a Light Bulb Diffuser  

As odd as it may seem, cinnamon can be used as a light bulb diffuser to bring its scent to a room. All you need to do is add one drop of cinnamon essential oil on a cool light bulb. When you turn the lights on, the heat from the bulb will emanate the aroma throughout the room. 

 

10. Use it to Treat Bladder Infections 

Consuming cinnamon will reduce (or help you avoid) urinary tract infections and bladder infections. Cinnamon packs an anti-bacterial and antifungal punch, and it is also a diuretic, contributing to urinary discharge.

11. Use it to Treat Insect Bites  

To help alleviate the pain and itching of an insect bite, apply a mixture of cinnamon and honey. The duo will disinfect the infected area, moisturize the skin and heal it. 

 

12. Use it to Relieve Cold and Flu  

This use of cinnamon is pretty well-known, especially across East Asia and Europe. To treat a cold or flu, it is usually combined with ginger. 

 

13. Use it to Sooth Stomach Pain 

To relieve a stomachache, combine honey and cinnamon. These two ingredients are packed with anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, helping to treat ulcers, as well as reducing gas in the stomach. 

 

14. Use it to Prevent Food from Spoiling 

Adding cinnamon helps to prevent the spoiling of food. It does so by delaying bacterial growth.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Benefits of Not Wearing a Bra

The majority of women wear bras. They do so to look attractive, put-together and to seem appropriate. While there is a time and a place to wear a bra, there are some unexpected benefits to ditching your brassiere once in a while. Here are 8 ways your breasts can improve by saying adieu to your trusty old bra.

1. Improve your breast shape 

Not wearing a bra does not cause your breasts to sag. A long-running French study proved that most bras have the opposite effect, causing breasts to lose their shape over time. The study found that the support of bras weakens the muscles in the chest, making them droop. In order to keep your breasts round and perky, it's best to let them do their own thing. Your bra is keeping you back from having more beautiful breasts.

2. Get a better night's sleep 

For some time we have known that sleeping with a bra is not ideal. There have been claims that sleeping with a bra is what causes breast cancer, though this severe consequence is highly unlikely and has never been proven true. However, it has been proven that wearing a bra to bed is more likely to cause discomfort and disturb your sleep cycle. 

 

3. Boost your circulation 

Tight clothing can have an effect on bodily circulation. Frequently wearing tight clothing, especially tight bras, can be bad for your circulation. The tightness and squeezing around your chest can slow your circulation by compressing your major blood vessels. This has been proven to create cardiovascular issues down the road.

4. Improve your breast health  

The study also proved that going bra-less improves perkiness. The study also found that bras are not fatally bad for your health. This means that they are not going to cause breast cancer all on their own. There are many genetic and environmental factors at play when it comes to that. But, not wearing a bra will improve your breast health in other ways. Besides improving blood flow, sweat and dirt are no longer trapped against the skin by your tight bra.

 

5. Save some money 

Bras are expensive, especially the nice, comfortable and stylish ones. So, no matter what amount of money you spend on a bra, consider it money saved and money earned. This pocketed money can be spent on something more important to you. 

 

6. Strengthen your breasts  

Bras prevent your chest from having to fight gravity. While you might think that without your bra your breasts would succumb to gravity and sag, quite the opposite happens when you ditch your bra. When your chest has to battle gravity, the chest muscles work harder and strengthen your breasts. This doesn't just make you stronger, it actually increases your breast size. So, in saying bye to your bra, you could gain a whole cup size. 

 

7. Encourage healthy breast tissue 

 As a part of the 15-year study, scientists have found that wearing a bra may be hindering your ability to grow healthy breast tissue. Healthy breast tissue is important for many reasons as healthy tissue will decrease, but not totally prevent, your chance for various breast diseases, including breast cancer. Healthy breast tissue will also support breasts more and help breast muscles strengthen, leading to naturally larger, stronger, rounder and perkier breasts. 

 

8. Comfort  

This is likely the best reason to ditch your bra. There is no greater feeling of relief than taking off your bra after a long day.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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