Fatigue and a lack of energy are two of the major roadblocks to our destinies. You know what you want to do; you have it figured out. But somehow you just feel weak physically and the motivation to do what know you must do simply isn’t there. That sucks.

Years of research through asking doctors, reading books, observing, etc will reveal to you that proper answers to why this is the case may not be received in our lifetime.

Luckily, I've also learned that even without discovering the root causes of my tiredness, there are things I can do to alleviate it. Below are some

energy boosters that have worked for me and others over the years. Try them to see which ones work best for you, and use more than one at a time if necessary.

1) Energetic music

Different types of music have different effects on us, but you can learn which are best for you by trial and error. Once you find the music that wakes you up, keep it handy and ready. Here is a compiled list of songs that have tempos, messages, and moods that will probably infuse confidence that will, as a consequence, boost your energy levels. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/282328
 

2) Sleep

It is recommended that we get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Try drinking something warm before bed, or relax with a simple meditation. To avoid digestion processes to get in the way of your sleep, try having your supper at least 4 hours before bedtime. When you sleep, your digestion process slows down, making the food that’s left in your stomach stay in there for longer periods of time and this might cost you a peaceful sleep with sweet dreams. Worse still, it might cause you ulcers.

3) Talk about something interesting

Have you ever seen a tired person start to talk about something they're passionate about, and suddenly "wake up"? It's a powerful technique you can use for yourself. Have a few "favorite" subjects that get you going and talk them over to someone who’s willing to listen.

4) Coffee

For some of us, caffeine makes us more tired when it's abused, but in the short term, it can work wonders.

5) Deep breathing

Several slow deep breaths help oxygenate the blood supply better and especially seem to wake up the brain. For the best results, use the deep  breathing technique which works as follows:

Get comfortable. You can lie on your back in bed or on the floor with a pillow under your head and knees. Or you can sit in a chair with your shoulders, head, and neck supported against the back of the chair.

• Breathe in through your nose. Let your belly fill with air.
• Breathe out through your nose.
• Place one hand on your belly. Place the other hand on your chest.
• As you breathe in, feel your belly rise. As you breathe out, feel your belly lower. The hand on your belly should move more than the one that's on your chest.
• Take three more full, deep breaths. Breathe fully into your belly as it rises and falls with your breath.

6) Have an energy drink

Energy drinks will give you a boost physically and mentally. However, due to health concerns, I do not recommend that you use any energy drinks, unless absolutely necessary.

7) Move your body

Sometimes just getting up and washing the dishes, or walking around the house helps boost energy levels.

8) Exercise

It's not a quick solution, but many people, myself included, notice an increase in their energy level when they get regular aerobic exercise. This is perhaps my most go-to technique when I am feeling low on energy.

9) Hot and cold showers

Try a minute of hot water, then a minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn't for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up. Incidentally, research shows that this also revs up the immune system.

10) Get outside

Often, a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing.

11)Take a Power Nap

Research has shown that a "power nap" can not only reverse the mind-numbing effects of information overload and help us to better retain what we have learned, but also bring us back the energy we might have lost. Keep in mind, though, that if it takes more than 30 minutes, it is not a power nap; that’s sleep!!

Additional tips include: drink more water and have a nutritious breakfast (more whole grains and less sugar),

Sometimes our lack of energy comes from stress or anxiety. We will deal with these in the next article.