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Five Tips for Increasing Your Energy This Fall
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It’s the season when daylight dwindles, and the chilly atmosphere lures you indoors, tempting you to embrace coziness.
Do you notice a decline in your energy levels in the fall?
We’ve all experienced complete energy depletion – those moments when you can’t muster the enthusiasm to participate despite the allure of a new movie, an irresistible shoe sale, or an exciting neighbourhood gathering. What might be trickier to identify is chronic energy depletion.
In this scenario, you might not feel the typical signs of exhaustion, such as sore muscles or an all-encompassing weariness. Instead, you find yourself lacking the usual zest for many activities that once brought you joy.
If this resonates with you, don’t despair. Consider these suggestions and techniques to boost your energy without relying on that extra cup of coffee.
Keep moving
Increasing physical activity actually increases energy. The key is to focus on daily physical activity and not just “exercise.” Scrub, dig, shovel, walk, play, ride or wheel through your day. Small steps like turning off the TV after dinner to go for a walk with your partner, children or dog can make a big difference.
Make sleep a priority
Making time for sleep is essential to feeling alert and ready to take on the day. Most people require at least eight to nine hours of sleep every night. To help create a restful atmosphere, fully darken your bedroom (turn your alarm clock away if the display gives off too much light, turn off), regulate room temperature (too hot or too cold, and you’ll wake up), and use “white noise” (a fan or quiet music) to help induce sleepiness.
Don’t skip meals
Meal timing is another important factor in maintaining energy levels. People often skip meals and wonder why they are tired in the afternoon. Skipping meals can cause blood sugar swings, often resulting in fatigue. Try to eat at least three nutritious meals each day, with the last meal well before bedtime.
De-stress when and where you can
You’ve probably heard this before, but one of the biggest energy-zappers is stress. Stressors like worry or fear can leave you mentally and physically exhausted. If possible, counter these energy killers by programming more relaxation activities into your day. For many, increasing exercise burns off the chemical effects of stress and anger, while others find relief in quiet pursuits such as listening to music, reading a great book, or even just talking on the phone.
Get outside and soak up some sunshine
The body makes vitamin D after exposure to the sun, which can help with higher physical performance and improved mood. While not always easy to do during the fall and winter months, try to get 10 minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun at least three times a week.
Pain-free movement is also an important energy booster. If headache, back, neck or shoulder pain is slowing you down, consider a visit to your chiropractor or massage therapist for treatment recommendations to reduce your aches and pains, and energize your day.
To learn more about how regular chiropractic and massage therapy care can help, contact the Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Clinic at 905-427-3202.
With content from the Canadian Chiropractic Association and the Ontario Chiropractic Association.
Don’t “Fall Back” Into Bad Habits This Winter
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It’s the weekend we all dread! Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday morning at 2 a.m. ET.
As we fall back an hour and approach the winter solstice, with shorter days and colder temperatures, it’s tempting to stay indoors and do things that bring us comfort, like read books and watch movies. Unfortunately, these activities often leave us sedentary.
The importance of staying active
When we are not as active as we are in the summer, it affects the balance of chemicals produced in the body that impacts how we feel pain and pleasure: our endorphins.
Endorphins are produced by the body to respond to things like stress, fear, or discomfort. They interact with the parts of your brain responsible for your emotional responses and sensitivity to pain. Endorphins are responsible for your feelings of pleasure and are involved in your built-in reward system linked to eating, drinking, sexual activity, and maternal behaviour.
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help boost the level of endorphins in your body. One of those things is exercise.
Exercise encourages the body to produce more endorphins.
For example, sometimes runners experience a “runner’s high” level of vitality after a workout. The same experience can be had for anyone after an extended period of physical exercise. There are other benefits to working your body physically: exercise can give you more energy throughout the day, allowing you to sleep better at night and feel more relaxed. It also helps the brain repair and recover, reduces inflammation in the body, and helps you feel calm and have an overall sense of well-being.
The good news is that you can replicate these positive sensations by taking steps to add a bit more exercise into your day. Any activity leaving you out of breath for bouts of 10 minutes or more throughout the week can help you fend off the winter blues.
Other ways to boost endorphins
It’s not just exercise that helps your body boost endorphins: regular meditation, yoga, and tai chi help to decrease stress hormones and increase endorphins. Not only that, simple pleasures such as love, laughter, sunshine, and chocolate all increase endorphins as well.
Take care of yourself during the cold-weather months.
There are lots of ways to make the short winter days a little brighter. The wellness team at Pickering Village Chiropractic and Massage encourages you to make your physical and mental health a priority.
We provide our patients with more than just chiropractic and massage therapy services, but also the know-how to build better personal wellness habits so you can be at your best for work or play, every day.
To book an appointment or learn more about the chiropractic and therapeutic massage therapy services available at our clinic, call 905-427-3202.
With content from the Canadian Chiropractic Association.