TIRED FROM DOING NOTHING? HERE’S HOW TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY DURING LOCKDOWN

We’re all spending a lot more time at home – no longer needing to brave that rush hour commute to work before running between meetings, workouts and social plans - so in theory we should all be feeling a lot more rested and relaxed, right? Not so fast… is anyone else feeling absolutely exhausted, even after a day on the sofa?

With big life changes and a lot of mental stress, paired with the tiredness that often comes from being sedentary, it’s not surprising that many of us are lacking our usual ‘get up and go’! So, if you’re finding yourself yawning at your laptop, struggling to get through that 3pm meeting - let alone the sweaty home workout you had planned - here are some simple ways to give yourself a little energy boost whilst we all weather this storm!

Get Some Gentle Movement

One of the many amazing psychological benefits of exercise is its impact on our energy. Despite crushing a workout and exhausting our bodies, once those endorphins hit, the positive feelings will start flowing and your mind will feel totally revitalised! If you’re functioning with 10% battery levels, go easy on yourself and try something gentle; be that a light jog, walk or soothing yoga class.

If you can, head out for a dose of fresh air too. There’s something about being outside with a nice breeze and (hopefully!) some sunshine that gives you a real boost, especially if you’ve been stuck at your computer in a warm room for hours on end. If those dreaded emails just keep on coming and you can’t break away, open up all the windows to at least get some cool, fresh air flowing instead!

Up Your Nutrient Intake

It’s likely no surprise that your diet plays a huge part in how energised you feel, which is why we tend to feel sluggish and sleepy after a big weekend of booze and pizza! But forget about that crash diet girl – which will only leave you feeling worse - just make sure to get in that good old h20 and eat a healthy balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and micronutrients too. For an easy way to ensure you're getting enough nutrients, add in a daily Free Soul Shake or smoothie – specifically formulated to make sure you’re getting all the protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre your body needs to support your health and fill you full of energy! 

Take Some Screen Free Time

Your parents might have told you that “watching too much tv will give you square eyes”, and whilst this isn’t strictly true, staring at screens all day long DOES put a huge amount of stress on our eyes and our brains! With all the time we spend glued to our laptops, phones and tv’s 24 hours a day, we can end up drained of energy, likely with a pounding headache too. Make sure you’re taking regular breaks away during the day and try to keep plenty of time during your evenings and weekends screen-free to give your brain time to recharge – we promise you won’t miss anything exciting on your twitter feed!

Snack Smart

You might be eating good food at main mealtimes, but how smart are you snacking? This might make us unpopular, but we’re sorry to tell you that turning to sugar and caffeine is not going to help you here! When our energy levels are low, our bodies often respond by craving endless sweet treats and coffee pumping through our veins – but both will quickly spike your blood sugar levels before sending them plummeting straight back down, leaving you feeling like you haven’t slept for weeks! For a sweet pick me up with a more stable energy boost, try a shake, smoothie or protein ball instead. This will give you a hit of nutrients whilst taking much longer to digest – keeping your body and brain fuelled, so you’ll be able to stay awake no matter how boring your afternoon meeting is!

Implement Good Sleep Habits

You might be going to bed on time, but how is the quality of your sleep? If you’re tossing and turning all night or don’t find you wake up feeling refreshed, it’s time to rethink your sleep habits. Are you giving your body enough time to digest your food before sleeping? Are you using tech or consuming caffeine too close to bedtime? Or do you go to sleep and wake up at totally irregular times? All these things can have a huge impact on the quality of your shuteye, leaving you feeling even more exhausted and desperate for a caffeine hit!

If you’ve been feeling a little flat, give the above tips a try and see what works for you – if you really tune in and listen to your body, you’ll likely know what it is you need to change! But most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself. The world is in a (forgive the overused phrase) "unprecedented time" right now, so don’t feel like you have to be crushing home workouts, acting like a domestic goddess and functioning at peak productivity all of the time. If you’re in desperate need of a little extra down-time, get that Netflix series back on without an ounce of guilt!