Level up
The bad news: experts say we’re suffering from a ‘fatigue epidemic’. The good news: it’s fixable. Plug into the information on the following pages for an energetic overhaul
It’s a balmy April morning and you’re lacing up for a run. As the sun makes a grand entrance at 6.30am, you notice green sprouts – the start of a vegetable garden that wasn’t there last week. Spring, after all, is the season of vitality – of energy. Now imagine experiencing this kind of fully charged morning all the time.
It’s the elusive wellness wish, with everyone from individuals to researchers interested in energy – where it comes from, how we expend it and how to gain it, says Martin Picard, a mitochondrial psychobiologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. (We’re not the only ones seeing energy hacks flood our social feeds.) This might have to do with the typical lifestyle becoming a ‘recipe for fatigue’, adds Amy Shah, author of I’m So Effing Tired and I’m So Effing Hungry – a trend only exacerbated by the onset of Covid.
Part of the problem is that energy is nebulous; not entirely understood even within the scientific community that studies it. Your own perception of your energy levels is purely subjective and influenced by everything from how well you slept last night to how you exercise and the tools you use to manage stress. But while the straightforward meaning is up in the air, this much we know: energy and health are inextricably linked. ‘A big part of what being healthy means is being able to regulate energy flow,’ says Dr Picard. It’s worth noting that the energy we’re referring to is a lack of pep in your step, as opposed to debilitating exhaustion, which should always be checked out by a GP. But whether you need a quick boost, a revival at a particular time of day or a full system reboot, the simple hacks ahead can help. So grab a power snack or brew yourself a chai tea (learn why soon) and settle in for your energy reset.
1 STRAIGHT OUT OF THE GATE
If you suffer from that can’t-get-out-ofbed feeling, try these jump-starts. And make sure sluggishness first thing isn’t due to the most common culprit: poor (or not enough) sleep
RISE AND SHINE
Expose your eyes to two to five minutes of natural sunlight within an hour of waking. This is arguably the most important component of feeling energised. ‘Your retinas have special neuroreceptors that tell the circadian centre of your brain to wake,’ says Dr Shah. Doing this once sets off a chain reaction: the next morning, you’ll wake up feeling more alert, making it easier to go out and view light the next day. Try a SAD lamp if you get up before sunrise or can’t go outside, adds Jennifer Martin, president of the American Academy of Sleep M
