10 Tips for Sustained Energy

We all want to feel energised, able to cope with life’s demands and still with  enough energy to enjoy our free time.

Endless energy is probably out of the question, but is it possible to achieve at least some degree of sustained energy?  It seems that science is on our side, revealing the secrets to help us to get the most out of every day, without constantly feeling tired.

1. COUNT YOUR CAFFEINE

Caffeine is worldwide the most popular stimulant used to boost and sustain energy levels, especially when the pressure is on, or when we feel tired. Caffeine is commonly used by endurance athletes to support their energy release during long-distance events. Research has shown how coffee’s stimulating properties support metabolism of fatty acids during prolonged exercise, but use in moderation!

Table 1. Caffeine content of popular beverages

Does chocolate contain caffeine?

Cocoa beans contain negligible amounts of caffeine but high levels of theobromine, a substance very similar to caffeine and responsible for the stimulating effects of dark chocolate, which has a high concentration of cocoa powder. Recent research seems to indicate that cocoa’s powder potent antioxidant and stimulating properties may stimulate the fat-burning process in our bodies – but beware, fellow chocoholics, the sugar and fat in chocolates are still fattening.

Did you know?

It’s true that coffee drinkers cannot start their day without their caffeine fix. It seems that the alertness levels of caffeine users are below normal when waking up, compared with people who rarely use caffeine. After their first caffeine fix, their concentration and alertness levels come back to normal.

Why would this happen? It seems that caffeine allows us to push our concentration abilities beyond our normal capacity, and many caffeine users get less sleep than their bodies actually need. However, working under pressure for prolonged periods with the help of caffeine is likely to result in ‘burnout’, which explains the below-normal levels of concentration and memory on waking up. 

2. NATURE’S ENERGY BOOSTERS

We have been very successful in sourcing stimulating herbs and plants from all over the globe. Popular examples include tea leaves, coffee beans, cocoa beans, ginseng, maca, guarana, and many other plant sources with stimulating properties. However, these herbal energy boosters should be used with caution by those who suffer from hypertension, as most of them are likely to increase blood pressure.

Green tea

Green tea can  also  be  considered  as  one of nature’s stimulants, as it contains not only small amounts of caffeine,  but  also potent antioxidants that modify our energy metabolism. When it first became known that green tea has the potential to increase our fat-burning capacity,  scientists  believed that this effect was due to the caffeine. However, studies done on decaffeinated green tea extracts identified potent antioxidants that are likely to be responsible for these energy- modulating benefits. How much  green  tea do you need to drink a day? Four to six cups seem to provide sufficient levels of these potent  antioxidants.

Fruit and veg

Many people  start their  day  with a  fruit or vegetable smoothie – this  makes  perfect sense when one considers the natural energy- providing fruit sugars and antioxidant nutrients that are abundant in fresh fruits.

3. VITAMINS FOR VITALITY

Many people  turn  to  multivitamins  or potent vitamin  B  complex cocktails   when the pressures of their demanding lifestyle deplete their  physical  and  mental  energies. B vitamins are vital in the conversion of the energy we get through our foods, in the form of carbohydrates, fats and protein, into the glucose that eventually provides our muscles, brain cells and body cells with the energy required to perform our bodily functions. It should come as no surprise that people who follow unbalanced diets dislike exercise. When they increase their activity levels, their bodies have sufficient energy stores in the form of fat or glycogen, but insufficient levels of the B vitamins and other essential nutrients that facilitate conversion of the stored energy into actual muscle power on a biochemical level.

Diet alone not good enough?

It seems that even the recommended five portions  of  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables  a  day o not provide enough of  the  essential nutrients we need to maintain our energy levels – especially if we expect  our  minds and bodies to perform at their peak under regular and  sometimes  constant  pressure. Supplementation is therefore vital for optimal nutrition, provided we aim for good nutrition first through a healthy balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Remember that nutritional supplements can never substitute for a healthy diet.

4. PLAN YOUR MEALS & SNACKS

Eat regularly for sustained energy: dietary guidelines indicate that having 5 – 6 small meals a day is ideal. However, if you currently eat 2 – 3 full meals a day, this doesn’t mean you can now add extra snacks into your diet. The secret is to have 3 small meals a day and enjoy fresh fruit or other healthy snacks in between, to add up to 5 – 6 meals per day.

Green light for that late-night snack

Many people frown upon the idea of a late-night snack. However, if you have your last meal of the day fairly early, for example at 18h00, you may find that a late-night snack can help sustain your energy levels during the night, to prevent hunger waking you up in the small hours.

A rice cake with plain low-fat cottage cheese and honey is the ideal late-night snack meal. The rice cake is easy to digest, plus the combination of cottage cheese and honey supports the serotonin levels in our brains that help us to feel peaceful and support restful sleep.

Table 2. GI classification of selected food items

5. KNOW YOUR GLs

The most widely available dietary source of energy is carbohydrates, found in the starchy and sweet foods we eat, as well as in fruits and vegetables. However, carbohydrates come in different forms: simple and complex. And to complicate things more, they have varying glycaemic index (GI) levels.

The GI level of a food item tells us how quickly it will be digested and converted to glucose, our body’s main energy source. High-GI foods are converted to glucose very quickly, which helps to boost our energy in the short term but is followed by energy dips shortly thereafter. Low-GI foods support energy better, as they result in gradual and sustained energy release – increasing energy levels gradually, but helping to sustain them for longer.

6. AVOID ALCOHOL

Alcohol is one of the most significant energy robbers in our diets.

• A high alcohol intake in the evening is known to reduce blood glucose levels – this can last until the next morning, contributing to the sensation of fatigue after overindulgence.
• Alcohol is a toxin, and on ingestion is taken to the liver for degradation to harmless substances. Thebiochemical   breakdown of alcohol in the liver uses up the valuable B vitamins that are so important for our energy metabolism.
• One of the most common effects of alcohol intake is dehydration, which further exaggerates the sensation of fatigue.

7. SIX GLASSES OF WATER A DAY

Research in exercise science and sports nutrition has shown that dehydration creates the sensation of fatigue. Your body may have sufficient energy levels and sufficient vitamin levels to maintain good energy, but if you are dehydrated, the sensation of fatigue sets in prematurely.

However, too much of a good thing can be bad – avoid drinking too much water. Unless you are physically very active, which results in excessive sweating, you should not drink more than 8 small glasses of water a day. Include fresh fruits and raw vegetables in your daily diet – they also contribute to your water intake.

8. GET YOUR ZZZZZ’s

Don’t go short on sleep! Even though this seems like a no-brainer, so many people try to survive on less than 6 hours of sleep a night and cannot understand their chronic feelings of fatigue.

Do get 6 – 8 hours of sleep a night. If that’s not always possible, try to sneak in a few naps when your schedule allows.

9. EXERCISE BOOSTS ENERGY

Yes it does! Many people who feel chronically tired are actually unfit, which makes it much more of a challenge to get through a normal day’s activities. A strong, fit body does a great deal  to  help  one  cope  with  the  physical, mental   and   psychological   demands   of   a pressured lifestyle.

Dawn is better than dusk. Early-morning exercise is well known to help boost energy levels during the day. Intense exercise in the evening may result in insomnia, because of these stimulating effects.

Don’t overdo it – 30 – 60 minutes 5 times a week is regarded as a healthy exercise routine to support good health.

10. KNOW WHEN TO STOP

If you want to maintain good energy levels, especially if you have a pressured lifestyle, it is essential to know when you need to take a break. Nature tends to restore balance, even when we want to resist, which may  explain why people who overdo attempts to tick off all their to-do’s in record time sometimes end up getting sick. The human body knows how to claim its well-deserved rest when it needs to recover!

Editor's note: The liver is the body’s primary storehouse for glucose, a key source of energy. It maintains stable energy levels through glycogen storage and release and gluconeogenesis. When glucose levels are low, the liver produces glucose from non-carbohydrate sources like proteins and fats to keep your energy steady. If your liver's ability to regulate glucose is impaired (as in conditions like fatty liver disease or diabetes), blood sugar can spike or crash, leading to fatigue. See the article You and your Liver for more information. For another article on energy levels, see Let your Energy Levels Determine your Age