Almost everyone these days feels tired. It’s the most common thing that we at OaHN hear from our customers. A close look at this reveals that we have thousands of chores running on our minds at most times. Not all of us are energetic enough to finish these chores. We may not exercise feeling that exercise may tire us more. Especially the afternoons and late evenings make us miss our bed more than any other thing in the world. Those who are tired or fatigued find it very difficult to concentrate at any task. As a result they suffer at work, and give up on enjoying those little happy moments with their spouse, kids, their friends and family.

While we all want to be energetic enough for a happy living, our energy levels depend on various factors like sleep, emotional behaviour, anxiety, genetics, and the food that we eat. Like every battery, even the human body needs to be charged for energy. We cannot and should not always depend on a cup of coffee or tea to energise ourselves.

            In Chinese medicine, energy is referred as “qi”, (pronounced as “chi”). Here are some quick fixes that will boost “qi”:-  

1. Start your day with sunshine –    Every morning, soak yourself in the sun for at least 10 minutes. It is from the early morning sunshine that the body avails its Vitamin D. Doing Suryanamaskar in these 10 minutes will further give you an energy boost throughout the day.

2. Have a nourishing breakfast – Several researches have concluded that a nourishing breakfast not only helps in avoiding the sugar peaks and stabilizing the blood sugar but it also ensures a stable flow of energy throughout the day. Fruits are the healthiest along with simple Indian breakfast options like poha, upma, sama, idli, etc.

3. Have healthy snacking options available – One common reason to feel low on energy is going without food for more than 3-4 hours. If you wish to be energetic all day long, try to eat healthy even when you are snacking as that’s when we tend to slip and eat wrong. This will keep your energy raised and you would feel positive and strong from within. Snacking is a very important element of healthy eating, as it is during moments of hunger that we eat junk food. Some energizing and healthy low calorie options for snacking can be fruits, dry fruits, nuts, brown bread vegetable sandwich, roasted channa, oats or multigrain biscuits, green tea, whole wheat khakra, a glass of milk, fruits, roasted veggies, yogurt, Miso soup, seaweed salad, sprouts etc.

4. Manage your water intake – Dehydration is another reason for you to feel tired easily. Keep a check on your fluid/ water intake. Consuming around 3 litres of fluid throughout the day is important. You may not restrict yourself to water; include other healthy fluids like coconut water, buttermilk, green tea, soups and broths or even fruit juices without sugar.

5. Food as supplements – If Nothing else seems to work, you can try some nutritional or herbal supplements. The herb 'Ashwagandha' is associated with better levels of coordination, high energy levels and lower degree of mental fatigue. Taking wholefood multivitamin supplements and magnesium supplements can also help in increasing energy levels.

6. Sleep tight – We all love to sleep. But these ever busy lifestyles leave us with a very little time to get the required amount of sleep. We wish for more and more time to be able to finish our tasks, and hence sleep is compromised. Sleeping for 7-8 hours is crucial if you have a busy day. It is in your sleep that the body undergoes the wear and tear and rejuvenate. Its the most underrated thing for a healthy body. So sleep well and your body will thank you for it.

7. Exercise –Whether a hard core gym workout or walking for 15 min, Exercise increases heartbeat which further increases the oxygen and nutrient carrying capacity of the blood to muscle tissues and brain which leaves us energetic and mentally alert. Exercise increases immunity and fights energy crashes and lethargy.

8. The mind Game – Mental tiredness exhausts a person more than any physical tiredness.

• Think Positive – Positive thoughts have an energy replenishing effect on our brain, whereas Negative thoughts deplete your energy.

• Reconnect – A busy lifestyle can be directly linked to stress. We often forget to connect ourselves to friends and family members. All these things would make you feel low and dull at some point of time. Re-establishing your relationships will not only help you in enjoying those little moments of happiness but they will make you a happy and a healthy individual inside. A healthy conversation with a loved one is all that you need at a time of distress to boost your energy.

• Recharge with music – Music is the healer of soul. A study conducted under Music therapy revealed that employees who heard music on headphones were 10 % more productive than the remaining crowd. So next time you want to lift your mood and energy, try listening to your favourite songs.

Being energetic will not only help you cope up with stressful and demanding situations in life but will also help you in fulfilling your dreams and goals in life. So make sure you make your choices accordingly.