As we hit the end of the week, our energy can begin to flag. Here are a few tips to keep us all perking along and on track:
Stretch to de-stress: Need an instant boost of confidence and can-do energy? Put down your phone or get up from your computer and take a break from anything that makes you hunch over, Then stand up and stretch. A Harvard study found that an open body position boosts your self-esteem and makes you feel more alert.
Munch mid-morning snacks: Treating yourself to a mid-morning snack instead of holding off until lunch time can help you stay calm and focused, note Harvard researchers. Midday blood-sugar dips can be anxiety triggers, but you can avoid them by snacking to keep your energy humming. Nuts rich in healthy fats and dried fruits like raisins and dates can
give you’re a lift.
Bank on bananas: These handy helpers are packed with nerve-soothing potassium, but that’s just one of their soothing, happiness-boosting benefits. They’re also loaded with B vitamins, which up energy, along with magnesium and other tension-taming, brain-boosting ingredients.
Calming your caffeine: If you’ve been downing more coffee or other high-caffeine drinks than usual, There’s a simple way to offset the jitters and insomnia you may be feeling: Drinking a cup of decaffeinated green tea. Why does this all-natural antidote work well?
Two compounds in decaf green tea work together to soothe caffeine’s stimulating effects, relaxing you and helping you get a good night of restorative sleep.
Check out chocolate: On nights when you’ve stayed up late and Past your usual bedtime (this is me today!), eating an ounce of dark chocolate with your breakfast the next morning can be a sweet solution to brain fog. It will boost your thinking and your ability to manage
information. Why? Studies show that skimping on sleep slows brain speed, but antioxidants in cocoa increase blood flow to the brain, according to the Journal of Hypertension. The darker the chocolate the bigger the brain boost. On days you’re low on sleep, taking 500 MG of Vitamin C in the Am and PM also helps keep your brain humming
according to The Brain Research Bulletin.
OK, calm and focused, let’s all write on!
