Slumps--Tips for Getting Out
The past three weeks my energy levels have been generally low. (If I am being completely honest, my energy levels have been low all year). It seems like I am going good for two days, then day three hits and I feel like falling over--this feeling continues into the weekend, during which I feel like doing absolutely nothing. I know some things that have specifically contributed to my low-energy for the month of July...
Week 1: The exhaustion felt post-wedding
Week 2: Moving into our house
Week 3: Busy week serving at church
Week 4: Readjusting to a new and inconsistent work schedule
Week 5: New puppy who wake me up 2-3 times every night (I swear she is trying to break me in for the baby I am not having any time soon).
Needless to say, I have been feeling so exhausted. I wake up, go to work, try to gym (lately unsuccessfully), come home and do house things, and go to sleep again. I have decided it is time to re-evaluate and take action. I came up with a few tips that I hope are also helpful to you. I am sure that you feel my struggle as well, and if you are a mother, I'm sorry for complaining, I can't imagine how exhausted you feel.
ONE// It's Okay to Rest
When you are in a slump, remember that it is okay to take a day or two and simply REST. Don't think about the things you should be doing, just grab a blanket and turn on Netflix and recharge your batteries. Sometimes we are in a slump because we haven't given our bodies and minds time to recover. So one weekend, take time to actually rest and see how it affects you!
TWO// Drink More Water
I feel like there is never a situation in which drinking more water is a bad idea. Our bodies and brains function better with more water (because the majority of our bodies are water). Maybe you feel foggy and groggy because you got a little dehydrated. Chug some extra water every day and see if it will change your mood and brain function! I know that when I drink more water my brain is clearer and I am generally less of a grump.
THREE// Be Active Outdoors
Fresh air and God's beautiful creation are always healing and encouraging to me. Plus doing something to get the blood flowing and endorphins pumping is super helpful in slumps! Not only does it help you physically, it boosts yourself esteem to know that you did something good for your body and got fresh, clean air.
FOUR// Be Productive First Thing in the Morning
I can't leave my house unless my bed is fully and neatly made in the morning. (Okay, sometimes I leave if my husband is still in bed). Whether it is making your bed, taking out the trash, folding your clothes, doing something productive first thing in the morning is so helpful! It makes coming home so much more comfortable, and cleaning is known to relieve stress! It also gives you a confidence boost knowing that you did one thing this morning, you can do another.
FIVE// Do Something Fun!
Go to the movies, out to eat, to the farmers market, invite friends over for a game night. Getting out of your house and workplace will change your perspective and help you get out of the slump that routine can create. Hanging out with people you love and who love you will also change your attitude. If you are an ambivert (introvert and extrovert) like I am socializing is the last thing you want to do, but you will feel 100% better after you actually do it.
SIX// Evaluate Your Diet
Lack of energy can often be contributed to a minor deficiency in vitamins. You body uses vitamins to function. and if you are lacking, you will likely feel less energetic. Are you eating plenty of greens and vegetables (I know for a fact that I am not)? Perhaps you need to add more green into your diet and take other stuff out --JUNK FOOD-- to boost your energy. We may crave ice cream and cupcakes, but the sugar + carbs in those foods will bog us down. If you drink alcohol, it will stay in your brain longer than you think which will cause grogginess. Look at what you are and are not putting into your body, the problem may lie in the food.
SEVEN// Get Into a Sleep Routine
Sleep = energy, lack of sleep = no energy. (Remember what I said about the puppy waking me up multiple times between 9:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.?) It is helpful to make a bed time. When I was a teenager, I reveled in the fact that I no longer had a bed time. However, I think we forget that bed times are as important to us as there are to small children's well beings. Set a specific time that you need to be IN bed. I set it up on my phone so that it dings at 9:35 telling me to go to bed. It will calculate how many hours of sleep I get as well! I don't always follow it, but it is a goal. I know that it feel better when I am asleep by 9:30/10:00. Another helpful tip for better sleep is no phones. I do NOT follow this rule whatsoever. but I have pondered following it. It is best (according to people?) to turn off your phone an hour before bed. Maybe I will give it a try and let you know if it is helpful? I do know that I had an ongoing dream based off of an Instagram story I watched before falling asleep. Figure out how you can sleep better in your personal situation and I bet your energy levels will increase! For me, getting my puppy potty trained and sleeping in the living room instead of my room will help me sleep immensely.
EIGHT// Exercise Regularly
"Doesn't exercise take energy?" Yes and no. According to Dianna Rodriguez at "Every Day Health" exercise helps you sleep better which means more energy. I know that I sleep significantly better when I work out every day. The article also says that exercise increases your heart rate and releases endorphins which will increase your energy levels. Go work out and you will have more energy (as backwards as it sounds, I have personal experience with this and it is true!). When your muscles are sore from a work out, one of the main ways in which they recover (besides protein) is sleep. When your muscles need recovery, your body goes into a deeper sleep in order to repair the torn down tissue.
(https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/workouts/boost-your-energy-level-with-exercise.aspx)
I hope these tips are helpful to you. I will be trying them all to see if my words are true. Yes, even the turning-my-phone-off-an-hour-before-bed one! (Trying it tonight!) I need to spend less time on my phone anyway! Let me know in the comments below your tips for getting more energy, as well as how these tips affected you!
Have a great week, see ya next Friday!
