20 tips for more energy in everyday life

You want to get more energy? Maybe you know the problem: A few hours in the office and already tired again. Especially after lunch. But you should have enough energy for the day, right? Luckily, you can work on your own energy level to get more energy again. Your energy level is mainly influenced by your diet and your sleep or sleeping habits.

That's why today I'm going to show you my best tips for more energy in everyday life through healthy eating, optimized sleep and a proper start into the day.
Here still the Table of contents about the article:

1. Reasons for listlessness
2. More energy through nutrition
3. Healthy sleep for more energy
4. Right start to the day
5. Inspiration and Mindset
6. Summary

Reasons for listlessness

Reasons for listlessness can be very diverse. Physical disorders can lead to a lack of energy, whereas psychological factors usually initially lead to listlessness and a lack of motivation. However, physical disorders also affect the psyche over time, just as psychological disorders also become noticeable physically in the longer term.

Physical reasons for listlessness are certainly inadequate nutrition, lack of sleep (although this can also be of a psychological nature), insufficient regeneration from extraordinary efforts, although inadequate nutrition can of course also have psychological causes such as eating disorders.

In terms of the psyche, the main reason for listlessness is stress. Stress can be of a professional or private nature. Seemingly unattainable goals, deadlines, an overwhelming workload can spoil the professional everyday life and thus also affect the private life. Often, only a change in the situation can help. Due to their complexity, psychological reasons are usually more difficult to treat than physical ones.

For all physical reasons for listlessness, there is usually a direct antidote. Poor nutrition can be compensated for with a targeted and healthy diet. Lack of sleep can be compensated with more or better sleep. How you can get more energy through nutrition and better sleep, you will learn in the following tips.

More energy through nutrition

Getting more energy through nutrition can be quite simple if you know how. Especially important is the right choice of food. Healthy carbohydrates provide you with a lot of energy, but it is the choice of carbohydrates that you should pay attention to.

You should also get into the habit of eating at fixed times. This improves your biorhythm and your body can better adapt to the phases and becomes more efficient. The tips from me are not an exhaustive list and there are certainly many other good foods that provide more energy for the body.

If you would like to learn more about healthy eating, then just have a look at my articles on healthy vegan alternatives, Legumes, Dietary supplement for vegans and Tips for vegan living over.

More energy through healthy carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are of course especially important when you need more energy, because they are a real energy supplier. Many people avoid carbohydrates because they supposedly make you fat. I think this is a mistake. The human body gets energy from carbohydrates and therefore you should eat enough carbohydrates every day.
Among the particularly good carbohydrates in my opinion are

• Fruits, especially bananas, dates and mangoes
• Cereal sprouts, e.g. spelt sprouts or kamut sprouts
• Pseudocereals (sprouts), e.g. quinoa (sprouts), amaranth (sprouts) and buckwheat sprouts
• Natural and wild rice

The important thing here is that you eat the right carbohydrates. You should avoid industrial sugar, white flour products such as wheat flour or pasta. These products contain many calories but little nutritional value and are therefore out of place in a healthy diet.
This is not to say that you should never eat pasta again. When I do eat pasta, it's usually spelt or whole wheat. Every now and then I cheat and eat normal pasta.

Healthy fats for more energy

Fats should always be used sparingly. You should also refrain from heating oils. Otherwise trans fatty acids can form, which the body can not process. Also avoid cheap oils, because they are often already heated in production.
Oils such as pumpkin seed oil, linseed oil or hemp oil contain particularly healthy fats. You can mix these three oils

• 80 % Hemp oil - You can get hemp oil here*
• 10 % Pumpkin seed oil -. Pumpkin seed oil you get here*
• 10 % Linseed oil - You can get linseed oil here*

and you get a very good combination of fatty acids. You can then simply store the mixture in the refrigerator. By the way, the "recipe" comes from the Book Vegan in Top Form by Brendan Brazier.* If you want to know more about healthy vegan eating, I absolutely recommend this book.

What you should also try is tea with coconut oil (you get here*). Make yourself a cup of tea in the morning and add a small tablespoon of coconut oil. The coconut oil has medium chain fatty acids (MCT), which are easy to absorb and provide long-term energy.

Leave out nutrient-poor foods

As mentioned above, you should avoid foods that are low in nutritional value but high in calories. In the worst case, a low nutrient density means that the digestion of the food makes more work for your body than the food is worth for the body.

You should also leave out meat because it is too difficult to digest and requires a lot of energy to do so. I used to be tired a lot after meals because my body needed so much energy for digestion. Today, this rarely happens after large, cooked meals.

Instead, simply increase the amount of vegetables, legumes and nuts. You will absorb even more nutrients and also feel more vital.

Proper combination of food

You should avoid combining easily digestible foods with foods that are difficult to digest. Fruits, for example, are very easy to digest and should be eaten before other foods.

When you eat fruit for breakfast, your body has already digested the fruit by the time you eat your next big meal. Thus, you relieve your digestion and optimize the absorption of nutrients. By taking the load off your digestion, you automatically get more energy from nutrition or the proper intake of your meals.

Ginger for more energy

Ginger stimulates the blood circulation and has a stimulating effect, which makes it a real wake-up call. Ginger water or a ginger tea in the morning or in the morning are good means for more energy through nutrition.

Eat sprouts for full power

Sprouts have excellent nutritional content and are truly living foods. You eat the seed when it is just about to become a plant and already contains much of the nutritional value of the plant. But because the sprouts have a small volume, you can eat more of them and get many times more nutrients.
The germination process makes the seeds easier to digest as enzymes are formed and proteins are converted into easily digestible amino acids.

By the way, the germination itself is quite simple, you only need a germination jar (available here plastic free*). Soak the seeds in the germination jar with plenty of water overnight, pour off the water the next day and then you should rinse with fresh water in the morning and evening. Some seeds should be soaked for a shorter time.

My favorite shoots are probably Buckwheat seedlings, sunflower seed sprouts, kamut sprouts and spelt sprouts. But you can germinate all kinds of seeds, such as alfalfa, broccoli, kale or mung bean sprouts.

When I started incorporating sprouts into my diet, it gave me a real energy boost. If you can or want to follow just one of my tips for more energy through nutrition, try eating sprouts regularly.

Tip: In the contributions "Vegetarianism Statistics." and "Veganism Statistics" you will find facts and figures about vegan-vegetarian nutrition and its impact.

 More raw food for more energy

If you need more energy in your daily life, you should try eating more raw foods. Raw foods often have a high nutrient content. Plus, they don't lose any of their nutritional value when prepared.

I am never tired after raw food, with big cooked meals it happens, as I said, from time to time that I am tired afterwards first and my body needs a lot of energy for digestion. So if you want more energy through nutrition, it makes sense to eat more often light and raw meals with lots of Fruit and vegetables to take to you. A combination of about 50 % cooked foods and 50 % raw foods can be recommended across the board, although of course everyone is individual and tolerates foods differently!

Especially before going to bed, it is advisable not to eat meals that are too large and fatty, as they require a lot of energy for digestion and keep the body awake.

Avoid stimulant drinks

It's best to drink stimulant drinks only in certain situations, such as during training or when you're in a particularly busy workflow and need some extra energy. Otherwise, less is more.

Of course, you should avoid any stimulating drinks a few hours before going to bed. You should skip energy drinks or cola anyway if you eat healthy.

Coffee, green or black tea are good short-term energy boosters or to start the day. I also wake up without stimulating drinks, but especially in the morning there is nothing for me against a cup of tea or coffee.

Eat at the right time

Here, I mainly mean that you shouldn't eat anything before going to bed so that your stomach doesn't keep you awake. According to experts, you should wait at least four hours after a big meal before going to sleep.

I eat my last meal at least 4 (usually closer to 5-6) hours before bedtime. So the body has enough time to start digesting the meal and comes to rest when I go to bed.

Another concept that can affect your sleep is intermittent fasting. You can find more information about this in my Contribution to intermittent fasting.
A fixed eating rhythm contributes to your overall biorhythm and therefore also affects your sleep rhythm. So the timing of your meals is just as important as your food choices if you want more energy in your day.

Good sleep for more energy and drive

The best tips for good sleep. Restful sleep is, of course, the basis for being fit and full of energy during the day.
In the article Sleep better you will find our best tips for a good night's sleep in detail. I'll try to be shorter here and give you my best tips for a good night's sleep.

Put away your cell phone

The so-called blue light from cell phones, laptops, TVs and tablets disturbs our sleep. The blue light makes our brain awake, which is of course a completely wrong impulse before bedtime.
I now put my phone away about an hour before bed (sometimes earlier) and leave the TV and laptop off.
I leave my phone in the kitchen to sleep so I'm not even tempted to use my phone right before bed.

Sleep rhythm

Get up immediately, don't press the snooze button and don't turn around again. What sounds hard for many is actually the best thing for you. Your body comes directly to operating temperature. How can your body be full of energy if you signal to it that it can still sleep?
If you have a task for the day, then you have a reason to get up. For example, every evening you can think about what you want to achieve or do the next day. Then in the morning you have a reason to jump out of bed immediately motivated.
In the evening, it is best to dim the light an hour before you go to bed, because your body can then adjust to sleep, produces sleep hormones and you fall asleep faster.

Sports

Studies show that endurance sports increase the quality of sleep. It is important that you do not complete your workout too late. Otherwise, your circulation will still be at full speed when you want to go to bed. There should be about four hours between the end of your workout and bedtime.

Regulate the temperature

It's best to sleep when it's a little cooler. If you are alone, then you can keep your bedroom a little cooler than the rest of the apartment. Between 17 and 19 degrees is recommended.

However, if you have a partner who would like it a little warmer, then it becomes more difficult to find a good compromise. An expensive alternative is the Chili Pad, which allows you to temper half of your bed with a blanket filled with water. However, I have not tested this myself yet.

An inexpensive alternative is a cooling mat, which, however, does not stay cool all night. But especially when falling asleep, the slightly cooler temperature can be helpful. You can get the cooling mat here.*

Darkness

In any case, you should completely darken your bedroom. I often use an additional sleeping mask in case there is a small light somewhere or if you don't have any shutters.

When buying a sleeping mask, I recommend that you don't go for the cheapest models, as the straps wear out quickly and the mask itself is not as comfortable and large. As a side sleeper, you should make sure that the strap does not contain any metal parts that could pinch.

I recommend a large sleep mask with an adequate slit for the nose, such as. this one.*

If you want to know even more about sleeping better, then take a look at this article by Christoph about sleep and sleep disorders at.

Start the day right

For many people, a set morning routine helps them get the day off to the right start. But what does a morning routine actually depend on?

If you plan everything down to the minute in the morning - brush your teeth for 3 minutes, get dressed for 3 minutes, do your hair for 5 minutes - and rush through it all, it's a routine, but not a very good one. You start the day with stress and negativity, and that's how it goes through your day.

A good morning routine will definitely give you enough time to start the day relaxed. There's really no reason why you should stress yourself out in the morning. If you start the day by doing something good for yourself, you will start the day with a positive feeling and more energy. But now for my specific tips for a good morning routine.

Still cell phone gone!

Now you're probably saying, "But I use my cell phone as an alarm clock." Yes, I did that for years too. 15 euros for a mechanical alarm clock is one of the best investments you'll make in your life, believe me. How often do you turn off your alarm clock and then go straight to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter?
If you start your day slowly and without your cell phone, it will affect your whole day. You'll be more relaxed, and you'll also save the time you would spend with your phone in the morning. As mentioned above, you can leave your phone in the kitchen to sleep, so you won't be tempted to use your phone right away, either at night or in the morning.
I have for a few weeks this alarm clock* and think it's great because it's small, the alarm sound slowly gets louder and it has a handy night light function (at the touch of a button).
If you want to spend less time on your phone in general, I recommend the app Moment. In the premium version, you can set daily limits, go through a "weaning boot camp" and get reminders about how long you've been on your phone.

Light

In order to adjust your body to your sleep rhythm, it is optimal to expose yourself to daylight first thing in the morning. This way, you signal your body that bedtime is over and get out of sleep mode better.

Fresh air

You can go for a short walk first thing in the morning or take your dog for a walk. It's best to leave your cell phone behind and concentrate fully on your surroundings.

If you exercise regularly, you can jog or do a workout in nature first thing in the morning. That way, your circulation really gets going and you've already completed your workout when others are still turning over in bed.
The combination of exercise and fresh air really wakes up your body. However, if you don't feel like exercising in the morning, maybe the next item is for you.

Meditate

Start your day with an outdoor meditation. This way you combine three points with each other. When you meditate topless, even more of the daylight reaches you.
Through meditation you start the day calm and stress-free. When meditating, always make sure that you enjoy doing it and that it doesn't become a burden. If meditation becomes a burden, then meditate a little shorter or combine meditation with a round of yoga or something else you feel like doing.

As soon as meditation becomes a burden, you mentally write off meditating and will sooner or later stop doing it. So have fun with it!

A short round of meditation in the evening can also work wonders. You fall asleep faster and deeper and wake up much more refreshed. With just ten minutes of meditation before bed, you can really improve your sleep.

(Cold) showers

For many, the idea of taking a cold shower is absolutely unthinkable. However, a cold shower is incredibly invigorating. It really wakes up your body in the morning and trains it to deal with the cold.

Besides, you don't have to start with ice-cold showers right away, but you can take hot showers at first, as long as you want, and then turn the water colder bit by bit in the last 60 seconds until you're taking completely cold showers.

If even that is too much of a good thing for you, you can start by washing your face cold in the morning and slowly increase.
You can find all the benefits of cold weather training and a plan for it in our post Cold showers.

Inspiration and Mindset

Find your personal inspiration or a personal goal that you are pursuing. If it's the right goal, it will give you energy instead of depleting it. You want to work towards your goal every day if possible.

That way, every morning you have a reason to get right up and not stay in bed. A good reason to get up can work wonders. And if you don't have a big personal goal yet, often even small goals are enough, such as resolving to do yoga every morning or to complete a new lesson from a foreign language course.

Conclusion - More energy in everyday life

The two most important points for more energy in everyday life are probably an optimization of diet and sleep. A good complement to this can be cold showers, meditation, exercise and giving up your cell phone.

More energy through nutrition comes primarily with the right choice of foods and sensible timing of meals. Lots of high-quality carbohydrates, few healthy fats and avoiding nutrient-poor foods are a good start to a healthy diet for more energy in everyday life.

In addition, it makes sense to "adjust" one's own biorhythm by maintaining and coordinating sleeping and eating times. This optimizes hormone production and digestion, which ultimately results in more energy. If you also have a good tip for more energy in everyday life, then post it here below in the comments.

All the best,

P.S.: In the Natural Health Blog you get the best tips for a healthy body every week.