Writing demands energy – and lots of it! Here are a few simple ways to reduce fogginess and recharge your little gray cells:

Switch off stress:  Exposure to bright lights – including the blue light of computer screens and cell phones – near bedtime can drain your energy the next morning. How? By sending a signal to your eyes that releases sleep-disrupting stress hormones that lead to grogginess in the A.M, hours. Simple remedy: Turn off unneeded lamps three hours before bedtime and dim the screens on electronics.

Access fresh air:  Opening your window for a few minutes during the winter is a lightning-fast energy booster, notes a study in the journal Elevated Health Perspectives. Stuffy indoor heating boosts in-house levels of carbon dioxide; when the gas accumulates, it can lead to mental fogginess and listlessness. A burst of oxygen from an open window reverses this effect, making you feel instantly more alert.

Walk to wake up:  Most of us think that sitting down or resting are the best ways to restore our energy when it sags. But these actually make you feel more tired by slowing down your circulation and heart rate. A quick solution? Take a brisk walk instead, say Northern Arizona University experts, and your brain will begin releasing energizing endorphins that will boost both your mood and your pep. A 10-minute walk is all you need for a pick-up.

Boost your brain:  Find your mental sharpness fading in the afternoon? Forget the coffee and go for a banana instead — and you’ll feel more alert for hours. Why? By midday, the many decisions your brain has made can sap its major fuel: glucose. “The banana’s natural sugars give you a surge of energy by restoring the glucose your brain needs,” notes Dr. Susan Shapiro. A bonus: The potassium in bananas stimulates muscle, nerve, and brain cells to work at top speed, say Tufts University researchers.

OK, start your engines — alert and awake, let’s all write on!

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