When you’re tired and need more energy, you may reach for a cup of coffee or another source of caffeine. However, when overused, caffeine can have some side effects and make you feel worse. Natural energy boosters are a better, safer choice.
Keep reading to learn some surprising causes of low energy levels and how to get energy without caffeine.
What Are Common Causes of Low Energy?
Everyone goes through periods of low energy or fatigue from time to time. You may feel like you can’t wake up without coffee or need an energy drink to get through the afternoon.
Common causes of occasional low energy include:
- Alcohol use.
- Certain medications, including those for pain, anxiety, or antihistamines.
- Dehydration.
- Inactivity.
- A poor diet or vitamin deficiency.
- Stress or worry.
Low energy levels can also happen because of certain health conditions, such as:
- Anemia.
- Chronic health conditions, like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or kidney disease.
- Depression.
- Hormone imbalance, like an underactive thyroid.
- Sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.
- A virus or infection.
If your diet or lifestyle causes low energy levels, positive changes should help boost your energy. But talk to your health care provider if your fatigue or low energy is long-lasting. They can examine you to identify and treat the underlying cause.
What Are the Downsides of Caffeine?
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It provides a quick energy boost and increases alertness and energy levels, usually within 15 minutes to two hours. Besides coffee, energy drinks, tea, dark chocolate, and some soft drinks contain caffeine.
Caffeine can stay in your body for up to 10 hours. So, having caffeine in the late afternoon or evening can perk you up but may also keep you awake at night. That makes you feel worse the next day.
Small amounts of caffeine, like a cup or two of coffee, are safe for most people. If you have trouble falling asleep, limit your caffeine to the morning.
Besides affecting your sleep, relying on caffeine for energy throughout the day can have other downsides:
- Increased feelings of anxiety.
- Interaction with certain medications.
- Temporarily raised blood pressure and heart rate
- Blood sugar raised temporarily by stimulating stress hormones.
- Stopping caffeine suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms, like headaches, tiredness, and irritability.
- You’ll develop a tolerance to it eventually and will need more to get the same boost.
It’s also important to know that caffeinated energy drinks often contain significant amounts of caffeine plus added sugar. These are unsafe for children and teens and not the healthiest choice for adults.
How Do You Get Energy Without Caffeine?
If you frequently reach for caffeine for an energy boost, examine your diet and lifestyle. Fixing the cause of your low energy is far more helpful than using caffeine to perk up.
These healthy lifestyle strategies can act as natural energy boosters:
- Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Turn off your television, computer, and phone at least one hour before bedtime to help you wind down. Try to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day.
- Don’t skip meals or snacks. Eat something healthy every few hours to keep your body fueled and energized.
- Drink more water. Dehydration is a surprisingly common reason for low energy levels. Aim to drink at least eight cups of water or unsweetened herbal tea daily.
- Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, ideally outside. Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise energize and help you sleep more soundly at night.
- Learn ways to control stress. Worrying uses up lots of energy and also keeps you up at night. Try meditation, yoga, talk therapy, or join a support group to help reduce chronic stress.
- Limit your use of alcohol and try to avoid drinking too much late at night. While alcohol can make you drowsy, it causes disrupted sleep.
- Read your over-the-counter and prescription medication labels to see if drowsiness or fatigue is a side effect. Ask your doctor if there is a substitute or if you can take the medication at bedtime.
What Are Foods That Give You Energy?
Your body converts all the foods you eat into energy. It uses that energy to fuel your brain, muscles, and organs. Eating healthy, balanced meals and snacks helps maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day.
When you’re tired and need a boost, it’s natural to reach for sugary or refined carbohydrate foods like cookies, chips, or crackers. When digested, the carbohydrate in these foods breaks down into glucose, which fuels your brain and body.
However, your body uses up glucose from refined carbohydrates very fast. As a result, your blood sugar spikes and then crashes. You’ll get a quick burst of energy immediately after eating them, but you may feel tired an hour or so later.
Foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates are a better choice. They take longer for your body to digest, so you’ll slowly absorb and use the glucose they provide.
These carbohydrate foods are great choices for a long-lasting energy boost:
- Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.
- Legumes or beans like lentils, chickpeas, kidney, black, or pinto beans.
- Whole grains like oats, brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat bread.
Pair carbohydrates with foods high in protein and healthy fat for even more fuel for your body. Try these choices for meals and snacks:
- Fresh fruit with almonds and cheese
- Hard-boiled eggs with avocado toast.
- Oatmeal with fresh berries, nuts, and a scoop of Greek yogurt.
- A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole grain bread.
- Turkey with hummus, lettuce, and tomato on a whole-grain wrap.
- Vegetable soup with kidney beans and barley.
The best way to keep your energy levels up all day long is with a healthy diet and lifestyle habits. Talk to your health care team if you need help making changes or if the changes don’t help you feel better.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .
Sources
American Medical Association Education Hub. Caffeine and the Human Body. LINK