8 Natural Ways to Fight Fatigue and Elevate Your Energy

You’re sitting at your desk one minute, working away, and suddenly it hits you. You slouch lower in your chair, your eyelids feel like they weigh 100 pounds, the words on the screen start to blur, and *yawning*, you glance at your watch to calculate how many more hours until you get to call it a day.

Sound familiar? We’ve all been there - the mid-afternoon slump is real. But if fatigue happens every day like clockwork, you might want to think about making some changes (heck, that might be why you’re reading this post). 

The good news is that how and what you eat can make a HUGE difference to your energy! One of my favourite moments as a dietitian is hearing how much people’s energy levels improve after we make a few simple changes to their nutrition habits. 

Ready to get more out of your day? Try these 8 tips to fight fatigue and watch your energy levels take off:

1. Timing is everything.

Humans aren’t that different from cars. When you fill your tank, you can only drive so far before you need to refuel – or you’re going to sputter and stall. 

Just like a car, your body and your brain need a consistent supply of energy to function at full capacity. If you try to push through, your body will start to break down tissue (including muscle!) to keep going. Your blood sugars will drop, and this can put you on the blood sugar roller coaster (more on that next).  

Most people perform best when they eat every 3 to 4 hours, and it’s ideal if these times are pretty consistent day-to-day. When your meals are more than 4 hours apart, it’s a good idea to use a small, balanced snack as a bridge. (1)

Bottom line: Your body and brain perform best when you eat every 3-4 hours.

2. Eat small(er) meals.

You know that feeling you get an hour after Thanksgiving dinner, where you want to melt into your couch and wake up 3 days later? It’s not just the turkey-tryptophan at work – that’s what happens every time we eat a big meal. Your blood sugars increase quickly, and just as fast as they rise, they crash. This crash leaves you feeling sleepy (and maybe even a wee bit grumpy).  

Instead of eating until you feel full, try eating until you no longer feel hungry. You may be surprised at how a smaller meal keeps you going, while keeping your energy and productivity higher. Besides, it’s only going to be 3-4 hours until your next meal or snack – right?

Bottom line: To get off the blood sugar roller coaster, keep your meals small.

3. Balance it.

Ever notice how you feel hungry an hour or two after eating a plate of rice or a big bowl of cereal? That’s because your body burns through certain types of food faster than others. If you want to feel satiated (a fancy word for “not hungry”) for the next 3-4 hours, you’re going to want to make it balanced.

Energy in food comes from 3 nutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats. The types and combinations you include in your meal make a big difference to how much energy you’ll have after eating it. Here’s how to balance your meals to keep your energy up:

Carbohydrates: Your body loves carbs. They are its favourite type of fuel! That’s because they can be easily converted to glucose. Simple carbohydrates provide fast, short-acting fuel (sometimes this is a good thing, like before a workout). Examples are white bread/grains, cereal, juice, soda, candy and pastries. When you want sustainable energy, choose complex carbohydrates. These are broken down more gradually, and because they are usually high in fibre, they keep you satisfied a lot longer. Examples include whole grains, legumes, starchy vegetables and fruit.

Protein: Protein can be used as fuel, but when combined with carbohydrates in a meal, it helps to slow down digestion (this is a good thing). This helps to keep blood sugars more stable, and keep you full longer.

Fat: Similar to protein, fats slow digestion and keep you full longer, but be careful with how much you have at one time. Higher fat meals can make you feel extra sleepy. 

Bottom line: Balance complex carbohydrates, protein and fat to keep your blood sugars stable between meals.

Note: everyone’s nutrition needs are a little different. To learn more about the portions that are right for you, contact me! I’d be happy to set you up with a personalized plan with the best balance for your goals – no macro counting required.

4. Load on the colour.

Vitamins and minerals don’t give you energy, but they definitely impact how your body metabolizes it (in other words, how you get energy out of your food) and transports it to where it’s needed. 

B-vitamins, vitamin C, iron and magnesium are some of the most important micronutrients when it comes to fighting fatigue and boosting cognitive function and energy.(2) Good sources of B vitamins, vitamin C and magnesium include vegetables and fruit, so the more colour on your plate – the better! Sometimes supplements can help, but not always (too much of a good thing?). A dietitian can help you determine whether adding targeted supplements is a good idea for you.

The fibre in vegetables and fruit also slows down digestion (by now, you know this is a good thing for your energy). Beans and lentils (legumes), whole grains and meat are great sources of B vitamins and iron. 

We can’t (accurately) test most vitamin and mineral levels with bloodwork, but if you’ve noticed a drop in your energy levels, ask your doctor to check your iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels to rule out deficiency.

Bottom line: Include colourful foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals to better use the energy in your food. 

5. Hydrate!

Even mild dehydration can make you feel tired, sluggish and moody. When you’re behind on your water intake, it’s harder for your brain to transmit signals and it can actually shrink (think raisin syndrome) leading to headaches. Dehydration makes it harder to deliver nutrients to your muscles and clear out waste products, and it can even affect your body temperature regulation.

Water is important not only for your energy level, but for your physical and mental performance. Mild dehydration slows your mental processing, decreases attention and drops your exercise performance by up to 30%! (3) Yikes.

Everyone’s fluid needs are a bit different, but most people need around 2000-2500 mL per day. If you struggle to get in enough water, try keeping a cup or bottle of water with a straw beside your desk, change it up with sparkling water, or try hot or cold tea. When I struggle to drink enough water, I drop one of these cold tea bags into my water bottle, and it’s empty in no time.

Bottom line: Staying hydrated improves energy, mental and physical performance. 

6. Use caffeine strategically.

Caffeine sources like coffee, tea, green tea and matcha all have pretty impressive health benefits (yes, even coffee!), and used properly, can give you an energy boost. 

 Caffeine is a stimulant, and works by blocking uptake of adenosine (a brain neurotransmitter that makes you feel tired) and causing release of adrenaline (your fight or flight hormone). When you time it properly and use the right amount, caffeine can boost your mental energy and focus and your physical energy (4)(5). 

But… caffeine isn’t for everyone. For some people, caffeine triggers anxiety and insomnia (and that certainly won’t help your energy level). If you consume too much caffeine, it can cause health problems and end up making you more irritable and fatigued (the caffeine roller coaster isn’t so different than a blood sugar ride). Health Canada recommends limiting caffeine to 400 mg per day,(6) and sensitive people should avoid drinking caffeine after noon.

Bottom line: Used strategically, caffeine can increase energy, mental focus and physical performance - but isn’t for everyone.

7. Keep it movin’.

Okay, so this may not have anything to do with food. BUT. Exercise increases energy and reduces fatigue, even if you’re a couch potato or desk jockey the rest of the time.

When you exercise regularly, you get stronger and increase your endurance (in other words, you’ll be able to do more). Your heart and lungs also get stronger and your body is better at delivering oxygen and nutrients to your brain and muscles. This keeps you more alert, even later in the day.

Plus, exercise promotes better sleep.

The biggest benefit happens with 150-500 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week (2 to 2.5 hours). Break that down into 5 30-minute sessions and say see ya later to mid-day sleep attacks.

Bottom line: Along with good nutrition, exercise increases energy.

8. Get enough sleep. 

I can’t write about energy without mentioning sleep. Since most adults aren’t getting enough sleep, there’s a good chance you need to hear this. 

Sleep restores both your body and your mind. Your brain processes information when you’re asleep, and this helps with problem solving, information retention, and creativity. When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain has to work harder during the day, and you will feel fatigued even faster. Sleep deprivation also causes depression and decreases motivation. So yeah, sleep matters for energy.

Adults (18-64 years) need 7 to 9 hours per night, but individual needs vary. If you have trouble sleeping, sleep hygiene and even nutrition and supplementation can help. 

Bottom line: Sleep at least 7-9 hours per night to optimize your energy, brain function, and mental well-being. 

Make it happen.

Start by eating small, balanced meals, 3-4 hours apart and see how much better you feel. You’ll notice more energy, focus and better mental and physical performance. 

Ready to conquer your day? Contact me for a personalized nutrition plan, and see what you can accomplish with your extra dose of energy.