How to have more energy throughout the day

If you find yourself experiencing energy dips on a regular basis then you are not alone. 

A survey for the National Sleep Foundation in the US found 44% of adults feel sleepy between two to four days every week.  

In the UK, a YouGov poll found one in eight UK adults felt tired “all the time”, with another quarter feeling fatigued “most of the time”. 

So what’s causing the fatigue, and what can we do about it? I’ve scanned the expert advice to bring you this guide to getting your energy back. 

Sleep quality

It’s important to start by saying that ongoing fatigue, lethargy, daytime sleepiness or weakness could be a sign of an underlying condition or deficiency so it’s always important to talk to a doctor first if you’re experiencing anything like that to get checked out. 

But there are some more obvious lifestyle culprits for feeling tired, and lack of sleep and poor sleep quality are major ones.

It’s recommended that adults get a minimum of seven hours sleep a night. And for those of us who have been told we snore – or sufferers of sleep apnea where some sleepers briefly stop breathing – both conditions are going to affect sleep quality and should be tackled. 

Alcohol is another significant drain on sleep quality and will rob you of your energy as we heard recently from Dr Brooke Scheller which I’ll link to below. 

Lack of sleep essentially means our bodies skip time in the repair shop and, as we age, we need all the repair time we can get to support our muscles, immunity and other critical functions. 

Vitamins

Now let’s talk about supplements. If you’re lacking in energy it’s a good idea to get your vitamin, mineral and Iron levels checked. But sometimes, what comes back as sufficient levels of a particular vitamin doesn’t mean you’re operating at the optimal levels needed to feel your best.  

B vitamins are important because they help us convert food into energy and, particularly as we age, we become more susceptible to nutritional deficiencies.  

And one of the important vitamins that we need to keep an eye on in later life is B12 because deficiencies are not uncommon over the age of 50. 

As you age, your digestive system doesn’t produce as much acid which reduces your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12. 

It’s thought more than 3 percent of adults over 50 have seriously low levels of vitamin B12 and up to 20 percent of older adults may have borderline levels of vitamin B12. 

All the Bs

Fatigue and muscle stiffness or weakness are a big sign of this deficiency and it’s one I’ve been close to because my 81-year-old mum just five or six years ago wasn’t doing so well. She was feeling very tired and weak and her doctor picked up a B12 deficiency.

She now gets an injection every 8 weeks and it has been nothing short of life changing for her so this vitamin has the potential to make a big difference and is well worth getting tested for.  

B3 or niacin and related derivates like NMN and NR have also become popular for boosting energy because it has been linked with helping increase levels of NAD in our cells. 

Personally, I alternate between taking 250mg NMN one day, which I have found helpful for my energy levels, and I take a multivitamin on the other day with an active or methylated B vitamin complex which can be absorbed more readily.  

Hydration 

Dehydration is another major contributor to fatigue.  

Around 60% of our body weight is water, and it carries nutrients to our cells and takes away waste so for optimal function we need optimal amounts of it.  

When we’re low on fluids you can literally feel drained. 

It’s commonly recommended that you drink eight 8-ounce or 237-mL glasses of water per day, amounting to nearly 2 litres. 

And I would recommend starting your day with a large glass of water as just a good habit to get into.

If I get an energy slump, or if I’m feeling unwell or headachy I will often throw back a couple of glasses of water and it’s amazing the difference water alone can make to how you feel. In my view it’s the best instant energizer there is. 

Breathing 

Stress is another big contributor to fatigue. A 2022 study of more than 16,000 workers in China found those who reported being stressed were twice as likely to feel fatigued. 

And something I find really helpful for both calming stress but also as an energy booster in the day is to sit down and try to clear my mind of thoughts – often I have to count backwards to do that – and breathe deeply from my stomach so I can feel my diaphragm rising and falling. 

Studies support this because deep breathing has been found to reduce heart rate and cortisol (or stress hormone levels). But not only does it calm you down, it helps revive you too.  

If I have an energy slump then I drink a glass or two of water, sit down and do as I’ve described for 10 minutes, clearing my thoughts, breathing deeply – it feels like I’ve had a nap. 

Eating for energy

What we eat also massively impacts our energy and is closely linked to our blood sugar levels. 

So if your blood sugar level (your glucose level) dips too low or spikes too high it can affect your body’s functioning. 

Foods that are high in carbohydrates – those are sugary but also starchy foods like bread made with refined flours, pastries, cookies, even white rice – have what’s called a higher glycemic load causing your blood sugar to rise and fall sharply after you eat them. 

In the short-term glucose spikes cause us to feel more hungry, experience energy dips and tiredness, and contribute to poor sleep, headaches and brain fog. 

But left unchecked, and particularly as we age, if we allow glucose to routinely flood our cells it can cause inflammation and a build-up of fat (most obviously around the belly) and can lead to more serious health issues including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. 

Your body digests complex carbs more slowly than simple carbs, making them a steadier energy source and helping you avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes that really affect energy as well as our overall health. 

So in general we want to opt for more natural whole foods with a low glycemic index — whose sugars are absorbed slowly — including whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil. In general, high-carbohydrate foods have the highest glycemic indexes.  

Exercise 

Lastly, it won’t come as a surprise but it’s hopefully a useful reminder that regular exercise will make a positive difference to your energy levels. 

That’s because it can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and improves your cardiovascular function.  

At a cellular level, physical exertion prompts your body to produce more mitochondria inside your muscle cells and mitochondria are the powerhouses of cells because they create energy out of the dietary glucose we eat and oxygen from the air. When we have more of them we have more energy. 

And when we have more oxygen circulating this also supports the mitochondria’s productivity levels so we’re firing on all cylinders.