6:30 AM Go for an outdoor morning power walk. Exposure to sunlight within two hours of rising sends a strong signal to your circadian clock that it’s your wake up time, explains sleep specialist Robert Rosenberg, DO, author of Sleep Soundly Every Night: Feel Fantastic Every Day. The result? Your body will not only feel more alert now, but you’ll be more likely to feel drowsy later tonight, so you fall asleep faster. 7:15 AM Rehydrate with lemon water. There are plenty of reasons to drink up: dehydration itself is a major energy zapper. (One 2012 study of healthy young women, for example, found that even mild dehydration caused fatigue.) But adding a spritz of lemon to H20 makes it even better, since this citrus fruit’s packed with electrolytes that help your cells produce energy, explains Rene Ricek, RD, lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton’s Health Eating. (Try this slimming Sassy Water recipe for tasty hydration.) MORE: 6 Smoothies For Fatigue And Bloating 7:30 AMawesome omelet variations Have an omelet for breakfast. While research has always shown you need to eat a morning meal to have energy, new research now shows you want to pack in as much protein as possible. Folks who consumed a breakfast that was at least 50% protein reported better alertness and attention for four hours post-meal than those who ate one that was mostly carbs. Why? Protein contains amino acids, which elevate energizing brain chemicals such as dopamine and norepinephrine, and also helps you feel fuller, so you’re less likely to raid the vending machine for a blood sugar spiking sweet treat, explains Gary Kaplan, DO, clinical associate professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. (Check out these .) 8:30 AM Make this moment meditative. Stuck in traffic? Try this deep breathing exercise courtesy of Holly Phillips, MD, author of The Exhaustion Breakthrough (published by Rodale, which also published Prevention): Exhale fully through your mouth, then close your mouth and inhale slowly for 5 seconds. Hold your breath for 6, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 7. Repeat 5 times. This helps reduce fatigue by calming your nervous system: One 2011 study of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) found that doing these types of exercises 4 times a day over a 10-day period reduced fatigue by 27%. MORE: 7 Caffeine-Free Ways To Boost Your Energy 9:30 AM Stand up already. Studies show that creating an adjustable workstation (the ability to sit or stand) improves arousal level while at work. “Sitting is the new smoking: It ages you prematurely and zaps energy,” says certified life coach Kirkland Shave, director of Mountain Trek, a fitness boot camp in British Columbia. But you don’t need to shell out $3000 for a standing desk: stand periodically, like when you’re on the phone, or raise your computer monitor using books or boxes. Alternatively, sit on a Swiss ball in front of your desk to engage your core and lower-body muscles, says Shave. 10:30 AM Take a 30-second break. Stand up at your desk and stretch, chat with a coworker, go to the bathroom. Taking two short breaks during a repetitive 50 minute task actually improves performance, according to a University of Illinois study. Other research shows employees who insert 30-second “microbursts” like these once every hour report more energy during the day. The reason: it forces you to disengage from what you’ve been doing, so you feel reenergized when you get back to it, says Phillips. 11:30 AM Tap it out. A technique known as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), where you tap a series of stimulating points on your body for 3 to 5 minutes, has been shown to boost both sports and professional performance. “When you tap, it sends calming signals to your amygdala, the part of the brain that secretes the stress hormone cortisol,” explains Nick Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution. As a result, your body’s allowed a relaxing break where it can recharge itself. Start by tapping on the side of your hand, right above your wrist (a move known as the karate chop). As you tap, say, “I’m tired, but I choose to feel energized now.” Repeat it anytime you feel your energy flag during the day. (Learn more about how to do EFT here.) 12:30 PM Lunch on a salmon, quinoa, and kale salad. This lunchtime meal is brimming with energy-boosting superfoods, says Phillips. Salmon’s rich with omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation in the body that can enhance fatigue (when your body’s fighting inflammation, it’s too exhausted to do much of anything else). Quinoa’s rich in amino acids, which helps with muscle repair, and folate, magnesium, and phosphorus, all of which support energy levels. And kale’s one of the most nutrient-rich veggies on the planet and has tons of fiber, which helps keep energy up by stabilizing blood sugar levels.1:30 PM Down a cup of coffee, then if you can, close your office door and take a 15-minute snooze. This strategy is even more effective at boosting alertness than taking a short power nap alone, according to a study done at Loughborough University in the UK. The reason this works? The brief snooze clears your brain of adenosine, a sleep inducing compound, explains Rosenberg. But just as you wake up, your java jolt kicks in, leaving you with even more vim and vigor. (Here’s how to sneak in a nap at work.)2:30 PMMind Your Body Take a stretch break. Try this quick move from celebrity fitness trainer Joel Harper, author of : Stand with your feet together and cross your arms loosely with your hands on your biceps. Now, bend forward slowly at the waist and let your body melt down, releasing all tension. Hold for 10 seconds. Release your arms and let your head and arms relax down at an angle, while alternatively bending one knee, for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat. “Anytime you bring your head down below your heart, you create energy immediately because it gets blood flowing,” explains Harper. MORE: 8 Foods That Will Make You Look Less Tired3:30 PM Snack on a Sweet Tart. Huh? Really? Yep, say experts. “My go-to foods for a quick energy boost is a small piece of chocolate or candy such as Sweet Tarts or Halloween-size tootsie rolls,” says Mark Moyad, MD, director of preventative and alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center. “I find that many of my patients who run around trying to get healthy are following a good diet but are getting very few simple sugars within low calories.” The result? They feel dizzy and just plain pooped from too-low glucose levels. “Just a couple pieces of Sweet Tarts or mini size chocolate candy can give them a quick rush of glucose and they feel better,” explains Moyad. Or take a few sips of coconut oil or carrot juice, both of which have glucose and energizing potassium.4:30 PM Check in with your body. Drop what you’re doing, stand up, close your eyes, and focus your mind on how you’re physically feeling, says Phillips. Start at the top of your head and work your way down to your feet, looking for areas of tension or discomfort. “If you’ve been slouching in front of a computer or clenching your jaw, they’ll cause pain, which in turn will drain your energy,” she explains. If an area’s sore, stretch it out.5:30 PM Do some gardening when you get home. Being outdoors around nature boosts vitality, according to a University of Rochester study. In addition, sunlight increases your brain’s production of serotonin, which is linked to better mood and more energy, says Kaplan. MORE: 4 Food Myths Making You Tired All The Time6:30 PM Eat a light dinner. The heavier the meal, the longer it’ll take your body to digest, which can interfere with sleep. If possible, opt for a vegetarian dish that contains beans or lentils, both of which are rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that promotes sleep, says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, nutritionist at NYU Medical Center and author of The Only Cleanse. Try a vegetarian chili, or a lentil artichoke soup. (Check out these 13 vegetarian dinners you’ll love.)7:30 PM Walk the dog. Fifteen minutes of exercise after each meal curbs the blood sugar spikes that leave you hungry and fatigued, according to a 2013 George Washington University study. In addition, exercise promotes an increase in body temperature, which is why you often feel reenergized after a workout, points out Shave. But by the time it drops 2 or 3 hours later, and you start feeling sleepy, you’ll be ready for bed.8:30 PM Unplug. You want to disconnect yourself from all electronics—Kindles, computers, iPhone—90 minutes before bedtime, says Rosenberg. The reason: the blue lights emitted from these devices suppress the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. Case in point: people who read before bed using an iPad or similar device took longer to fall asleep than when they read from a printed book, according to a recent Harvard study. They also found it harder to wake up in the AM and feel alert, even when they slept the same amount than the screen-free control group. MORE: The Fastest Way To De-Clutter Your Bedroom9 PM Snack on walnuts and tart cherries. Walnuts are high in tryptophan, while tart (sour) cherries are one of the few foods out there that contain the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. A 2014 Louisiana State University study found that insomniacs who drank 8 ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day got almost 1½ more zzzz time each night. MORE: 8 Weird Reasons You’re Tired All The Time9:30 PM Take a bubble bath. A warm bath will raise your body temperature, while exposure to room temperature as you get out cools you down, which in turn sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep, explains Rosenberg. And throw in some Epsom salts. They’re rich in magnesium, which you’ll absorb through your skin, and it helps fight fatigue. One USDA study found women with low magnesium had higher heart rates and required more oxygen to perform physical tasks than when their magnesium levels were restored to normal.
