We might have been battered by the elements in the last few weeks, but spring is officially on the way and, with the clocks going forward soon, now is the time to conserve your energy to prepare for an hour’s less sleep.
The clocks officially go forward on March 29, marking the official start of British Summer Time and lighter mornings and evenings but with that, we lose one hour of sleep. And so, health experts at Nairn’s have offered some simple tips on preserving your energy, and great ways to boost it too.
- Exercise: As the weather starts to get a bit warmer and the days become a bit lighter, there is no better time to pull on your gym gear and head outside for a little work out. Although it may feel like it is sucking the life out of you after a heavy weekend, exercise is a brilliant way to conserve and boost energy levels. This is because it has a knock-on effect; the harder you work out, the easier it will be for you to fall asleep and, therefore, save you more energy! Don’t feel confident enough to work out outside or at the gym yet? Try online workouts from the comfort of your own home.
- Nutrition: It may seem obvious, but a healthy and nutritious, balanced diet will do wonders for your energy levels. Try and steer clear of processed foods that are high in sugar and fat but this doesn’t mean that you have to skimp out on the calories. Instead, try gaining your calories from healthy, nutritious foods that will provide you with essential nutrients and see your energy levels soar.
- Eat oats: Oats are somewhat of a super food, and whilst a lot of people will associate oats with porridge and run the other way, they are in fact very versatile and can be whisked up into any tasty treat that takes your fancy. Oats break down in your body to become energy and are released very slowly.
- Reduce stress: When you are feeling stressed, you might find that you are finding it hard to concentrate and have difficulty switching off. Whilst it is nearly impossible to reduce 100 per cent of the stress from your life, start by reducing lifestyle stress by taking some time for yourself to relax. The UK’s leading burnout coach, Rosie Millen, explained: “Have a breather where you can – even just for five minutes or taking your full hour lunch break and stepping outside – or even better – plan a trip away to escape the never ending demands! The best way to do this is to block out time in the diary to actually do this and do it with someone else so they are accountable for you doing it!”
