Natural Energy Boosters that aren’t Coffee

Before we jump into energy boosters that aren’t coffee- let’s get one thing straight. This is not a post about the evils of coffee, caffeine, or other stimulants. I drink a large cup of vanilla hazelnut coffee every single, and would not DARE to declare myself caffeine-free.

However, if you find yourself desperately downing 5 cups of coffee every day, or in the Starbucks line multiple times a day in the hope that it will JOLT your zombie-like energy, this article is for you.

When it comes to energy, it is NOT something that comes out of a cup, bottle, or flask. From a definition standpoint, energy is defined as “the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity”. Most of us don’t need to outrun lions in order to live every day, and unless you work in a highly physical job such as construction, child-rearing, or emergency services, your energy needs might veer towards sustained mental activity.

Note: if you suffer from chronic fatigue, have trouble sleeping, and are unable to tolerate exercise, you might be suffering from anemia. Low anemia requires blood testing and supplementation to improve your overall energy levels. Read more on anemia here:

According to this article from Supplements 101, 47% of consumers claim that they consume energy drinks multiple times in one week. Energy drinks also make up 30% of packaged beverage sales in the US back in 2017.

This makes me wonder whether folks are diversifying their caffeine sources- start the day with coffee or tea, have a caffeine-laden soda in the afternoon, grab a Monster after work, and more soda with dinner.

What are the effects of over-consumption of caffeine? According to the National Health Services, the symptoms of a caffeine overdose can include nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations, body convulsions, increased blood pressure, and even, in extreme circumstances, death. Sadly, the number of emergency room visits due to energy drink consumption doubled between 2007 and 2011. Also, drinking more than 4 cups of coffee daily for long periods of time may be unsafe, with symptoms including stomach irritation, nausea, increased heart rate, headaches and chest pain.

Now that we know why drinking too much coffee or caffeine-laden products is not the BEST way to improve sustained physical or mental activity, let’s look at natural energy boosters. They fall into 3 categories- Food, Chill Out, and Exercise.

Foods that Boost Energy

Apples

There are many reasons to eat seasonal produce, especially during the fall harvest, when nights get longer and colder. One of the tastiest parts of fall is the abundance of fresh apples.

Apples can be more effective than a cup of coffee when it comes to waking you up in the morning. Initially, I thought this was due to some magical properties in the skin of apples. However, it is really due to the glucose found in apples, which is tempered by the natural fiber within the fruit.

An apple a day doesn’t just keep the doctor away- it also keeps the barista away!

Eggs

In addition to being packed with protein, eggs are abundant in an amino acid called leucine, which has been shown to stimulate energy production. According to Healthline, leucine can help cells take in more blood sugar, stimulate the production of energy in the cells, and increase the breakdown of fat to produce energy.

Try eating a hard-boiled egg as your afternoon snack instead of reaching for a candy bar, or start your morning with an omelette.

Leafy greens

Not only are leafy greens such as spinach, kale, chard, collard greens and bok choy great sources of iron, but they are also high in vitamin C, which helps the absorption of iron. Finally, getting your greens every day may enhance the formation of nitric oxide, which helps your blood vessels widen for better blood flow throughout your body.

It should be noted that one “food” item that also helps with energy is not a food at all- it’s WATER. Speaking of water, I don’t mean those weird Frankenfoods of “caffeinated water“. Marketed as coffee alternatives that are free of sugar, they are tasteless and expensive. When it comes to energy boosters, nothing beats plain old straight-up H20.

Chill Out

Get Outside

It’s 3 pm, you are on yet another virtual conference, and you find yourself gazing longingly outside.

Instead of gazing outside, why not step outside for a few minutes? Some studies suggest that getting outside for 20 minutes gives your brain an energy boost comparable to a cup of coffee.

It might feel a bit hard to get outside when it’s cold or dark. However, if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, it can be even more important to get some fresh air. Even if the weather is cold or overcast, doctors say that getting outside can lessen SAD’s severity. Plus, you receive extra love from the sun in the form of vitamin D, which many folks are low in. We get more than 90% of our vitamin D from casual exposure to sunlight.

Take a Cold Shower

When I was in India visiting relatives, I was surprised that a warm shower is quite the luxury. Water in India is not typically heated or warm, so the cold shower prevails.

It turns out that there might be health benefits to a cold shower, which include increased heart rate and alertness. In addition, the cold spray of water can improve circulation, as the blood in your deeper tissues work to maintain ideal body temperature. As if that is not reason enough to try a cold shower, it may aid in weight loss. This is because brown fat cells exposed to cold start generating heat by burning fat.

For anyone who’s done the Polar Plunge, a fundraiser to raise money for Special Olympics, you know that the shock of hitting cold water can wake you up like nothing else.

If you’re not a fan of cold showers, maybe try ending your warm shower with a burst of cooler water. It will open up your pores and feel refreshing (without the cold shock of the arctic).

Peppermint Blast

While I was at a health fair one day sharing my programs, I was sweating and overheated due to just coming from a field day at my daughter’s school. We had been playing kickball with the kids, and I was THAT PARENT who was running and hustling all over the field.

I started chatting with an essential oil advocate, who blew my mind with this peppermint oil tip. This woman shared something with me that cooled me down and pepped me up at the same time.

She gave me a few drops of peppermint essential oil in my hand, asked me to rub my palms together, cup my hands around my mouth and breathe in. Then, she asked me to rub some on the back of my neck. She even told me to put a drop on my thumb and put it on the roof my mouth (good for bad breath, too).

Let me tell you- this was instant, post-exercise relief! Plus, the smell of the mint invigorated my senses. The oil cooled my skin, calmed me down, and woke up my senses.

If you are using peppermint oil topically or in your mouth, please make sure you find therapeutic grade oils. Otherwise, you may also diffuse it or use an inhaler for an energizing boost.

Exercise

Cardio

Let’s be real- any exercise that gets your heart pumping and your blood flowing will boost your energy. However, few exercises are as effective at both of these as cardio. The more cardio you do, the more efficient your body becomes at pumping blood and oxygen. The more efficient your body becomes, the less daily energy you use.

Here is where I could tell you all about the benefits of burning calories. While it is true that you burn calories through exercise, I don’t personally advocate exercising in order to burn calories. While this is one of the “eat less, exercise more” tenets of traditional weight loss models, I prefer for my wellness coaching clients to exercise for reasons that have NOTHING to do with calories burned.

Those reasons include the many mood-boosting benefits of exercise, such as increased levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These chemicals may also produce the infamous “runner’s high”, which basically means your body is providing you with an extra dose of energy to power through a run.

Don’t worry- you don’t have to become a runner in order to receive these energy boosting chemicals. Instead, try the Johnson and Johnson 7 minute app for a quick boost of energy throughout your day.

Stretching

Have you ever noticed that dogs and cats spend a lot of their day simply stretching? According to SELF, stretching creates mobility in the joints and forces more blood flow throughout the body.

Even more important, when you feel tired, it causes your muscles to tighten. The opposite effect is also there- tight muscles can make you feel more tired. This is especially true if you sit down all day with infrequent opportunities to move. Loosen up those tired muscles with some gentle stretching, and benefit from the energy boost effect!

Stretching is especially benefit if you have an injury or exercise using frequent repetitive movements. When I was training for my half marathon, I often found I had miscellaneous aches and pains that required physical therapy. If you’ve never done physical therapy- it is basically targeted stretching and strength training to support weak or injured muscles. Given that my go-to exercises are running or HIIT, stretching is especially important for my overall ability to avoid injury.

Try out this quick 5-minute stretching and self-massage routine from PsycheTruth.

Play

You may be wondering what play has to do with energy. Well, have you ever noticed how tired your kids get when they sit down all day in front of a screen or device, with no opportunity to play? Adults can suffer from this, too!

When it comes to the benefits of play, most of them have to do with social and emotional development as well as cognitive boosts. However, play also impacts stress.

If you are stressed, you are more likely to be tired, or at the very least, unmotivated.

Chris Kesser shares in this article that playful students demonstrated better coping strategies in stressful situations, and were less likely to engage in negative behaviors triggered by stress (such as overeating, smoking, drinking, etc).

Playing doesn’t necessarily mean you play Candy Crush all day long on your phone. Make sure your “playtime” includes elements of choice, wonder and delight. Some adult playtime ideas could be puzzles, coloring books, cooking, scavenger hunts, geocaching, role play (at work or with a partner), or even combining play with activities such as exercise, such as roller skating, trampoline parks, snow tubing or running away from zombies.

No matter which type of play you choose, you will appreciate how this energy booster can positively improve your mental and emotional well-being.

What are some of your favorite energy boosters? Share with me in the comments!