The Total Energy Makeover That'll Change Your Life ...

1. Get Some Natural Light as Soon as You Get up

Natural light helps regulate your circadian rhythm and can do wonders for helping you wake up in the morning. Open the shades or curtains and bask in the sunshine for a minute or two and you’ll get a jolt akin to a shot of espresso. If it’s still dark when you wake up, invest in a natural light machine that you can turn on when the alarm bleeps.

2. Exercise in the Morning Instead of Saving It for after Work

Many of us, myself included, save the workout for the end of the day. Exercising first thing is great for giving you lots of energy for the day because it boosts your blood flow and encourages oxygen flow throughout your body. This wakes up your brain, muscles and entire body so that you are up and ready to go all day long.

3. Save the Coffee for a Few Hours

Instead of stumbling to the coffee pot as soon as you roll out of bed, experts suggest holding off for a couple of hours. When you first rise and shine, your body produces cortisol, a hormone that works as a stimulant. It peaks around 9am so if you wait until them to have your caffeine, you can keep your alertness and energy going all day long. I’m a tea drinker, but I tried this and it really works!

4. Chew Some Gum when Your Energy Wanes

Chewing gum might sound simple, but it also improves your alertness and gives you energy to power through the sluggish parts of your day. You can pretty much do anything while chewing gum so it doesn’t have to interfere with your to-do list. Peppermint gum is an especially great choice because the scent further increases your alertness.

5. Don’t Skip Your Lunch Break

Many women have so much on their plate that they eat a hasty lunch at their desk to get things done. I’m certainly guilty of this myself. Research shows that taking a break and eating a good lunch can prevent late day weariness and give you the energy that will make everyone else jealous. Make sure your lunch contains a good amount of protein and fiber to further enhance the benefits.

6. Drink Ice Water to Wake You up

When you drink really cold water, your body has to work harder to warm it up. This extra effort put forth by your body can rev your energy and keep you going. At the same time, the extreme temperature of the water serves as a way to perk you up and give you loads of energy. Do this anytime during the day that you feel your energy flagging.

7. Put Your Devices Away after Dinner

This is going to take a lot of motivation and willpower, but it can be done. The blue light emitted by your smartphone, iPad or laptop can really interfere with brain waves, disrupting your sleep cycle, keeping you wide awake when you should be feeling sleepy. Power down at least one hour before you plan to go to bed and do something relaxing, like reading or solving a crossword puzzle.

Are you ready to have more energy? Which step do you plan to take first?