30 Scientifically Proven Ways To Boost Energy And Combat Fatigue

Tired of having low energy? Want to boost your energy right now?

This article has what you need!

You won’t have to funnel caffeine into your body to avoid the late afternoon crash – just use one of these 30 tricks and get your energy back fast!

more: The 9 Biggest Reasons You’re Tired All The Time

How To Boost Energy Immediately

If you want to boost energy instantly, you need to work with your body, not against it. Caffeine and other stimulants are only going to combat the symptoms of fatigue without addressing its cause, and leave you feeling strung out – or worse, even more tired than before. The best ways to feel more alert and awake are right in front of you – by taking care of your body’s needs and remaining active through the day.

1. Stay Hydrated

If you’re not drinking enough water, it’s easy to get dehydrated and see your energy levels droop accordingly.

So stave off the sleepiness and keep fatigue at bay by making sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and drinking a glass of water when you feel it coming on. (1)

2. Get Some Sunlight

Your body takes its cues from sunlight and the environment around you. It learns when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to be asleep from your environment.

So if you’re feeling sleepy, it might be that your body is confused about when you should really be going to sleep!

Recalibrate your internal clock by getting direct sunlight – it could help you feel far less sleepy. (2)

more: What Causes Diabetes Fatigue And Can Diabetes Make You Tired?

3. Fresh Air Helps

Along the same lines as #2, getting fresh air and going outside can do wonders for how your body feels.

Try it next time you’re nodding off at your desk and see how refreshed and awake you feel upon returning. (3)

4. Watch Your Breathing

Especially if you’re stressed out, it’s easy to fall into breathing patterns that throw your body out of whack and leave you feeling fatigued.

Try to do some breathing exercises at least once an hour – slow, controlled breaths to help oxygenate your blood and get your circulation moving faster to keep you more alert. (4)

5. Strike Up A Conversation

Too much time alone without talking to anyone else can lead to feelings of sleepiness and fatigue (not to mention boredom!)

Try making a habit of having a conversation with someone when you feel exhausted – it’s a great way to revitalize yourself.

6. Shock To The System

It’s not feasible if you’re stuck in an office, but taking a cold shower is a great way to wake up your body and get your blood flowing again.

If you’re at home and absolutely can’t stay awake, try jumping in for an extremely brief cold shower to jump start your system.

more: What Causes Fatigue During Exercise?

7. Don’t Forget Exercise

Exercise is an amazing way to re-energize yourself and feel better.

Not only are you making yourself healthier and in better shape, you’re actually improving how you feel and your energy levels.

Even if you feel too tired to work out right now, remember that working out will actually add energy to your day, not subtract it. (5)

8. Watch Your Blood Sugar

If it’s been more than a few hours since your last meal, you could be feeling the effects of a blood sugar crash.

Getting hungry and trying to power through it is a great way to feel sluggish and fatigued. Don’t skip meals – keep giving your body what it needs to stay alert and awake. (6)

9. Take A Comedy Break

One of the best ways to wake yourself up and feel more energized is as simple as it could possibly be: laughter. (7)

Pull up your favorite comedian on youtube and have a mid-day laugh to keep yourself fresh.

more: The Top 15 Reasons You’re Always Tired

10. Get Out Of The Dark

If you’re finding yourself exhausted in a dimly lit room – change your environment!

Remember to turn on the light switch if things start to get dark – especially in the winter months when the sun sets early. Your body responds to your environment, so plan your environment accordingly!

11. Watch Your Posture

Your body’s positioning and posture play huge roles in how you feel. The worse your body feels, the worse your mood will be, and the more sluggish and exhausted you’ll feel in return.

Treat your body right by paying special attention to your posture throughout the day. Maintaining good posture can help you maintain your energy levels! (8)

12. Keep Your Mouth Occupied

Talking helps keep you awake – but so does simply chewing on something.

If you’re finding it difficult to keep your eyes open, try a piece of chewing gum. It sounds too simple to work but give it a shot – it can really make a difference in how you feel. (9)

13. Load Up On Whole Grains

Whole grains (and other complex carbs) have been shown to help your brain function better and help you feel more alert.

Just like #8 – keeping your body fueled and ready to go is key for feeling at your best all day long. (10)

14. Be Naughty – Have A Little Chocolate

Chocolate has been shown by studies to be a brain food over and over – it’s just an added bonus that it tastes amazing.

Try a small piece of chocolate when you’re feeling depleted. It could improve your mood and your energy levels almost instantly. (11)

more: 9 Strange Reasons You’re Tired All The Time

15. Pump Up The Jams

Music is a great way to get yourself feeling more energized and alert.

It gets your body moving, helps you feel more awake, and gets your blood pumping – and it’s as easy as slipping in the earbuds and putting on your favorite track. (12)

16. Keep Your Body Temperature Comfortable

Too hot, and you’ll feel drowsy and ready to fall asleep. Too cold, and it will depress your circulation and blood flow and signal that it’s time for bed.

Keep yourself in the “goldilocks zone” – just the right temperature – to keep feeling good and stave off feeling tired.

17. Try Something Sour

Lemons have been shown through studies to affect people’s moods and make them feel better.

So try adding some lemon into your tea, or even using lemon oil for the scent to wake yourself up and jump start your mood. (13)

18. Get Moving

Being sedentary is one of the most common reasons that people can feel exhausted and drained in the middle of the day.

Make time to get up and move around – whether it’s walking around the office or taking a walk outside – to keep your energy levels where you want them to be.

19. Keep Your Air Quality High

Environment, environment, environment! Your environment is maybe the single greatest variable in how you feel during the day.

You can use plants and other air filters around you to keep your air fresh and keep you feeling great, without the threat of a mid-afternoon crash. (14)

20. If Possible, A Short Nap Can Do Wonders

I know – in an article about how to get an energy boost, it seems kind of ridiculous to say “just go to sleep.”

But if you can do it, as long as you limit the nap to 20 minutes or less you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your day. (15)

21. Stay Limber

Stretching will help your blood flow and circulation – as well as get you up and moving around.

Both those things will help your mood and your general well-being, and have you feeling much better in no time.

more: How To Tell If You’re Too Tired: Signs Of Chronic Fatigue

22. Combat Boredom

Let’s face it – one of the biggest causes of feeling tired and sleepy is boredom. If you’re bored with what you’re doing, you’re way more likely to feel exhausted.

So if you notice that you start to feel really tired around the same time every day, try to schedule your day so that you’re doing what you enjoy doing the most around that time. It could counteract your sleepiness and energize you instead.

23. Coffee Is ok In moderation

Too much coffee will leave you feeling jittery and awful – and after the crash will leave you more exhausted than before.

Plus, it can mess with your sleep schedule and leave you tired the next day, which makes you drink even more coffee, which hurts your sleep again… you get the picture.

But as long as you drink coffee in moderation and keep your coffee intake to just one cup, it can be a great tool to helping you feel at your best. (16)

24. Get Close To A Window

Not only does this help you get more direct sunlight (which we already talked about), and give you a heaping dose of fresh air (which we also already talked about)…

…it also gives you a view that can help center and calm you, and leave you feeling more ready to face the rest of your day.

25. Eat More Almonds

Almonds are a perfect “on the go” snack that will help you feel better almost immediately.

They have vitamin E, iron, and magnesium – all of which can help you feel more energetic and awake. (17)

26. Add More Bananas To Your Diet

Yes, bananas!

They taste great, they’re low in calories, they’re great for you, they have vitamins and nutrients your body craves, and they help you stay awake when you’re feeling tired. (18)

What’s not to love?

27. Try Adding Herbal Tea To Your Routine

If you need to cut down on coffee, try replacing it with an herbal tea instead.

Green tea is an excellent option – it’s chock full of antioxidants to keep your body feeling great, and still has a little bit of caffeine to keep you alert.

more: The Biggest Reasons You Feel Tired During Your Workouts

28. Try Yoga

We’ve already gone over how stretching and exercise can make a huge difference in how you feel – so you should definitely consider doing yoga!

Yoga has all the benefits of exercise and stretching – and also helps you clear out the fogginess and cobwebs in your head and get you thinking clearly and effectively. (19)

29. Don’t Be Afraid Of The Spice

If you’re feeling exhausted, and you don’t mind spicy food, kicking up the spiciness of your meals is a great way to feel better.

It’ll jump start your metabolism and get your blood flowing, which can help you feel more alert and refreshed – try it out!

30. Chow On Some Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have tons of fiber, protein, and B vitamins – 3 ingredients your body needs to be running at its best. (20)

Try them in yogurt for a delicious snack that will have you feeling great in no time.