Fading fast? Sometimes, no matter how much sleep you’ve gotten (or how much coffee you’re guzzling), your body just refuses to perk up. Aptly nicknamed the “afternoon slump,” this period of sleepiness tends to hit a few hours after lunch. So what can you do when you’re struggling to keep your eyes open in that 3:00 meeting? Read below to for 5 simple energizing tips.
1. Drink it In
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! If you’re looking to get energy fast, chugging H20 is the hack you’ve been waiting for. 3 in 4 Americans don’t drink enough water, so odds are, you’re walking around with a lot less hydration than your body needs. One of the top reasons why people don’t drink enough water is because they forget: in the middle of a busy workday, it can be hard to remember to keep refilling your water bottle. If you’ve set hydration goal after hydration goal and still can’t seem to get enough, try Liquid I.V.’s Hydration Multiplier. As the name suggests, a stick of LIV in water can provide 2-3x more hydration than water alone, so you can stop yawning in the middle of your one-on-one with the CEO.
2. Shake it Out
Movement gets the blood pumping, oxygen circulating, and some life back into those limbs! When we get active, we send a message to our bodies that it’s not rest time—it’s GO time. Our brains follow suit. You don’t have to take a yoga class every afternoon—just 10-15 minutes of light exercise will do. Take a walk around the neighborhood, or go to an unused office and stretch. When you sit back down to work, you’ll be refreshed and ready to crank out those office projects.
3. Breathe Deep
Nothing wakes up your body like a deep breath. Breathing with intention can heighten alertness, enhance focus and give you an unexpected burst of energy. Hundreds of breathing exercises can be found on the internet, but perhaps the simplest is below:
- Breathe in through your nose for 2 seconds, then out your nose for 2.
- Breathe in for 2, then out for 3
- Follow this pattern until you’re breathing out for 5.
Repeat it as many times as you need–you can’t overdo oxygen intake.
4. Just Chill
After we eat, our body temperatures rise, often giving way to that infamous post-meal grogginess. To snap out of it, try getting some fresh air in colder months, or positioning yourself near an air conditioner in warmer months. The cold will shake up your nervous system and you’ll watch your energy instantly increase. Just don’t overdo it—catching a cold won’t do your energy level any favors.
5. Choose Clean Caffeine
Coffee is great for a quick energy spike, but it comes at a major cost to your energy supply. Drinking it in the morning leads to afternoon crashes, and drinking too late leaves you twiddling your thumbs at bedtime, leaving you more susceptible to daytime fatigue. The solution? Try a high-caffeine tea like matcha or chai. Both are great with milk if you’re craving a latte, and they release into your bloodstream gradually for sustainable energy.
Boosting your energy is all about treating your body with care. Follow these steps to get energy fast, and you’ll be breezing through that 2PM slump like it’s nothing.
Try some Liquid I.V.and let us know how you like it, or let us know how the rest of these tips work for you in the comments below!
Written by: Samantha Colicchio, Liquid I.V. Brand Storyteller