Last Updated Jul 2011
You start each workday raring to go and ready for any challenge! Halfway through your day, however, you start to wane and feel your attention to detail wavering and your focus becoming a little less sharp. Healthcare professionals, follow these energy boosting tips to help you stay focused and productive.
Start it Off Right
Eating breakfast is the single most important thing you can do to help keep you energized all day. I do mean a real breakfast that contains carbs and protein. These nutrients not only give you long-lasting energy, but they also boost concentration levels. A doughnut and coffee does not count! This type of “meal” sets you up with a temporary energy rush and leaves you feeling sluggish. If you start your day at night, the rules are the same; you need a good meal to keep you going through the wee hours.
Get with the Program
Performing at least 30 minutes of exercise three to four times per week will not only help you relieve stress that can keep you awake at night, but also give you a calming feeling that helps you sleep better. Exercise makes you feel better all over, become stronger, and have more confidence. It also helps your body circulate much needed oxygen to vital organs. You’ll end up getting more done in the same amount of time and feel better while you’re doing it.
Drink Up
Reach for water, not coffee, when you need a pick me up. Don’t get me wrong, I love coffee and the caffeine really gives me a boost, but caffeine is a stimulant. Taken in moderate doses, it will improve alertness and concentration. Too much caffeine, however, actually causes fatigue in some people. Reach for the water. A big glass of 8oz or more will really refresh you. Water is a natural diuretic and helps your body expel waste and excess fat while hydrating your entire system.
Goodnight Sleepyhead
One of the most common causes of fatigue is sleep deprivation. The reason we sleep, is to allow our bodies time to regenerate from all they have been through during the preceding day. Your muscles, ligaments, skin, cartilage and other working parts, including organs, are worn down during the process of keeping you alive. Your body needs time to rest and rebuild those damaged parts. This rebuilding occurs during sleep. Getting a good 7-8 hours of sleep each night, or day, causes you to feel refreshed and alert during your waking hours.
Get Outta There
Get out of that office or off the floor and head outside at least once per day. If you work nights, try to find a room where you have access to turn on some bright lights. A study published in 2006 found that exposure to bright light, about 20 minutes worth, was enough to increase alertness and boost brain responses. Sunlight provides a boost by reducing stress and hormones, and lowering blood pressure. Combine the exposure to light with a brisk walk and you have a great recipe for a serious energy boost.
Need tools to help you implement your new “Get in Shape” program? Visit www.optimumbodysculpting.com to get free tools to help your patients get in shape and stay that way!
By Carol Dunlop