I have days, weeks or even months where I (try to, not always succeed) go without caffeinated coffee, and processed snacks (snickers, protein bars, croissants, yum). When I am mindful about this, it makes me feel good, to not feel like a slave of my morning coffee. When it comes to processed snacks: I am sensitive to sugar and notice I am more susceptible to mood swings and belly pain (these pinching sensations in my guy) when I have consumed more sugar. So.. I am always interested in natural, healthy ways to boost my energy levels. Here’s some ways:

1. Move More. Even short periods of movement throughout the day can improve your mood and decrease fatigue. If you have a sitting job, try getting up every 30 minutes, to have a little walk or stretch. Movement boosts energy levels by enhancing blood circulation, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and brain, helping you feel more alert.
2. Avoid screen-time 30 minutes to one hour before going to sleep. Many people like to scroll or read on their phones at night, but this can disrupt your sleep, and make you feel less sharp in the morning. Opt for reading real books if you still want to ‘do something’. In our home, we keep our bedroom electronics free, so phones never even enter the bedroom!
3. Wake Up Light: Specially here in Finland, where the winter is long and dark, a wake up light can be super helpful. We have one too, with a nice zen garden alarm sound, so we don’t get a heart attack when we wake up.
4. Drink Water. Dehydration can make you more irritable, feel more tired, and has been shown to negatively impact short term memory.
5. Taking a nap when your body tells you to: Feel sometimes like you are falling asleep during the day? A cleared sign could not be given: you need to sleep. A quick nap can help if you have space for it. (set a timer for 20-30 minutes).
6. Try breathing exercises as they can increase your energy, or make you more sleepy and primed for bed, depending on the technique that you use. The Wim Hof Method, Kapalbhati, Box breath, there’s countless of great breathwork techniques to try and see how they affect you.