“I have no energy to do any of the things I should be doing. No energy to cook, clean, work-out, or even be productive at work. Coffee doesn’t even help. This sucks!”

Does this sound like you?

Having low or unstable energy levels is one of the most frequent complaints I receive from my clients. It is understandably a very valid complaint, as your energy levels can really set the tone for your entire day! Low energy also means low productivity, low mood, no motivation to get a work-out in or prepare meals…

Here are 6 things you didn’t know could be contributing to your energy levels:

1. Not enough quality sleep

The keyword here being quality. We can spend the day sleeping, but still feel groggy and tired by the end of it all. Why is that? 

Part of the reason could be that our sleep is interrupted. Studies show that in order to get restorative sleep, we’d need to allow your bodies to go through all five stages of the sleep cycle. We won’t be able to do so if we keep waking up due to thirst, hunger, or bathroom breaks.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society states that on average, adults require 7 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. This is just an average! Many (myself included) feel that 7 hours is simply not enough to feel rested, and that is perfectly acceptable. It all comes down to getting to know yourself, and what works best for you. 

2. Living with chronic stress

It may come to no surprise that chronic or acute stress, or living with poor mental health can take a toll on our energy levels, not to mention our quality of life. 

If you feel that you’re constantly stressed, the best thing you can do, for starters, is to find ways to de-stress that work for you. Identify when you’re feeling stressed, and use one of the tools to soothe yourself. Unfortunately, we have to face the stress head-on if we ever want it to minimize or disappear. Avoiding dealing with stress will do no good for our energy levels. 

However, if you feel that your stress is taking over your life and is greatly affecting your health and quality of life, you may find a benefit in reaching out to someone you trust, or a healthcare practitioner, such as a doctor or a psychologist.

3. A diet too high in simple carbohydrates

But carbohydrates are our body’s favorite energy source, right? Why is this?

Simple carbohydrates, such as loose sugars, are very easy for our body to absorb and metabolize. This causes a spike in our sugar levels, followed by an inevitable crash. This is commonly known as a ‘’sugar rush’’.

To reduce the incidence of the ‘’sugar rush’’, or at least reduce the intensity of the effect on our energy, we can try opting for foods and snacks that are higher in fibre (as it slows down the absorption of sugar), and/or protein (which will also keep us fuller for longer). 

Some high-fibre foods are whole-grain cereal products, nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes. 

4. A high caffeine intake

Similarly to the point above, source of caffeine such as coffee and energy drinks may give us the short-term impression of energy due to it’s caffeine and/or sugar content. However, the energy provided isn’t exactly sustainable, and wears off, hence the instability of our energy levels when consuming these sorts of beverages multiple times a day. 

Ingesting caffeine too late in the day may also affect our sleep quality, which creates a cycle poor energy on the long term. 

5. Not enough exercise

Sounds a little counter-intuitive, right? I mean, physical exercise makes us tired, but how does exercise give us energy?

Actually, studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise among adults have promising effects on energy levels on the long-term. This can be even more motivating to maintain if you find exercise that you enjoy doing everyday. Not to mention the effect that living an active lifestyle can increase our sleep quality!

6. Not enough calories

Simple enough, right? If we don’t have enough energy, we might simply not be getting enough calories (which is the unit of measurement of energy)!

Final thoughts

Turns out there is not just one thing that affects our energy levels throughout the day. Though this is not a comprehensive list, it includes a few things that can help us created a balanced lifestyle full of energy. It’s also important to note that some of the aspects are interconnected (such as caffeine, exercise and sleep quality). It is important to take into consideration all 6 of these things, in order to provide your body with what it needs to function at its best.

If you feel that you need guidance to figure out what’s causing low energy levels for you particularly, it would be best to consult with a Registered Dietitian to find solutions and help you reach the best version of yourself, energy-wise. 

Click here to book a FREE 15-minute discovery call with me. 

Have a wonderful day,

Maria Tanielian, RD/Dt.P

Registered Dietitian/Nutritionniste (OPDQ #7223)

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