8 Tools to Re-Energize in Body-Mind-Soul
Stress is necessary and even healthy for our growth and resilience as a species, but in today’s world, so many of us are suffering the consequences of chronic stress. This can look like anxiety, depression, lethargy, overwhelm, agitation, irritability and anger. Over time, chronic stress can lead to higher risk of disease in the body because there is no time to rest and repair. When we are stressed we are not who we want to be and our behaviors and actions just perpetuate more stress. How can we show up for ourselves and others with enthusiasm in our everyday lives?
We want to share some of our GO TO’s when it comes to amping up energy levels, preventing burnout and feeling whole again, so we can show up for ourselves and others each day. These tools we are sharing are simple, free daily habits you can start to introduce into your life. The impact of these small daily habits and intentions can be extraordinary.
1. Meditation and Mindful Intention
Just like we take care of our bodies with physical activity and diet, there are tools we can use to nurture the health and wellbeing of our minds. Stress can be heavy, worry, fear and self-doubt are emotions that can really weigh us down. When we meditate, especially regularly over time, we learn to separate from the thoughts and stories on loop in our minds. We don’t stop thoughts from happening, but we can begin to develop a new relationship with the thinking mind.
Meditation is a set of techniques that bring us into a mindful state. In meditation we can connect to the deeper layers of ourselves, to the living and breathing present moment, and ultimately progress our minds to higher states of consciousness so we can live a life with less suffering. Meditation can be as simple as bringing awareness to the present moment or present task at hand, such as walking, doing the dishes, driving your car or eating your lunch. It can also be sitting in a comfortable, upright position, allowing for your natural breath to flow while you practice clearing the chatter in the mind. Here are a few ways to bring meditation and mindfulness into your everyday life:
Start with sitting just 5 minutes every day, breathing deeply and focusing on the rhythm of the breath. Letting go of thoughts as they come. Practice returning attention to your breath.
If self guided meditation is a challenge, try our meditations podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or use an app like Calm or Insight Timer.
While driving, doing the dishes or waiting in a line, see if you can notice your posture, your breath, feel sensations around you, notice what you hear, what you see, fully taking in the present moment. Extra challenge: see if you can let your observations of the present moment be completely free of judgment. If a judgment comes up, let it go.
Take a walk outside in nature and try to really take in the moment with all your senses.
Eat a meal and notice the taste and texture and smell of each bite experience.
When talking with a friend or family member, allow yourself to be completely present, really listening, without thinking of what you are going to say.
2. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing allows you to take in more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide. This helps increase the oxygen supply to your brain and other organs, making you feel more alert and focused. By upping your oxygen intake, deep breathing can provide a natural energy boost. It can make you feel more refreshed and revitalized, especially during moments of fatigue or low energy.
There are specific breathing techniques we can practice to boost energy. In the yogic tradition, the breath is called ‘prana’, meaning ‘life force’ and breath work is called ‘pranayama’ meaning ‘life force control’. Think of your breath as your life force, the inhale and exhale keeps the heart pumping, the rhythm of the breath brings life to all the internal rhythms of the body that keep us alive. The breath also connects us to the external world. We share this air we breath with the whole planet.
Pranayamas are ancient practices, created to cleanse and clear the passageways, open up the energy channels of the body, and cultivate a clear and steady mind and heart. Try these two yogic breath techniques to increase energy and focus:
Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing.
Kapalbhati breath, sanskrit for ‘skull’ or ‘forehead’ ‘shining’ breath.
3. Yoga, Exercise and Physical Activity
Regular physical activity such as walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, yoga, or any form of exercise that you enjoy, releases endorphins, reduces mental stress, and boosts energy levels. Exertion spurs the body to produce more mitochondria inside our muscle cells. Mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell - create fuel from the food we eat. The more mitochondria we produce, the more fuel or energy we have in our muscles.
Finding outdoor activities like taking a walk or joining an outdoor group sport provides an opportunity to connect with the elements of nature, a great source of inspiration, peace and grounding. The benefits of being active is in the consistency. Choose activities that you enjoy to help keep you on track. Any form of movement has the ability to shift your mood and just like meditation, movement can help get you out of your thinking mind and into your body, into the present moment.
We’d like to share a quick activity you can do whenever you need a “reset” button in your day. Let’s try Sleeping Dragon Wakes the Universe:
Stand with your feet hip distance apart, or a little wider, parallel to each other
Let the arms hang from your shoulders, relax the chest, the belly, the hips and soften the knees.
Begin by lifting the heels and then dropping them to the ground. As the heels drop, let the body completely relax, let the knees bend a little. Continue lifting and lowering the heels.
The movement is small and quick and the idea is to completely relax, feeling the body shake.
For more, try this 10 Minute Body Awakening Flow.
4. Quality Sleep and Rest
Sleep is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing. When we allow our body and mind to rest, we are not just giving ourselves a break, we are repairing, healing and growing! When we sleep we shift into a parasympathetic state that allows the body to repair and reset. Inflammation is reduced, the immune system is boosted, enzymes are renewed, tissues are repaired, the brain sorts and stores information and the body detoxifies.
If falling asleep or staying asleep is tough for you, it might mean your circadian rhythm or internal 24 hour clock is out of balance. Your circadian rhythm prepares your body for expected changes in your environment, for example, it’s time to eat, it’s time to be active, it's time to sleep. The most important external cue for this internal rhythm is the sun. We are designed to rise with the sun and sleep when it’s dark. Artificial light, working a night shift, and digital screens can all impact this internal clock and make falling asleep a real challenge. We can use sunlight to reset our circadian rhythm, bringing us back into balance with nature.
When you wake in the morning, try getting out into the sun for 30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure. Notice how this impacts your desire to sleep that evening. Avoid using a screen at least an hour before you go to sleep too. Resetting your internal clock and getting the right amount of sleep will have a big impact on your energy levels during the day.
Other sleep hacks to try:
get to bed by 10pm
dim lighting an hour or two before sleep to increase melatonin production (a hormone your brain produces that helps with sleep)
limit screens and blue light an hour before sleep
do not keep your phone beside your bed and turn off notifications if possible
sleep in as dark of a room as possible or utilize a sleeping mask.
Use natural sleep aids: lavender oil or a sleepy time oil, ear plugs or white noise sound machine, guided meditation or yoga nidra practice
Although you can’t ‘catch up’ on lost sleep, you can recharge with some short rest periods in a day. Taking time to “do nothing” or “let everything be” can provide the reset you need to continue on a creative project or just get you back on step. We use 15 minute power rests, or a midday yoga nidra to completely reset.
5. Healthy Diet & Hydration
Energy is delivered to the body through the foods we eat and the liquids we drink. Foods contain stored chemical energy - our body breaks these down to use as food. Three main nutrients we get energy from are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates are believed to be the most important energy source. This doesn’t mean it's time to gorge on cookies and bread. Whole fruits, vegetables, whole unprocessed grains and legumes are the carbs we want to nourish our bodies with. Feed your body with a balanced diet consisting of whole, nutritious foods. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
If you are feeling lethargic or low, there are a few adjustments to diet that could help:
Reduce or remove sugar and alcohol. Blood sugar stabilization will help balance hormones. If we are taxing our endocrine system, we produce more cortisol and insulin in the blood which can overburden the adrenal glands and lead to a feeling of exhaustion or burnout.
Reduce caffeine to 1 or 2 cups of coffee in the morning or remove altogether
Increase fresh veggies and fruit, living foods like sprouts, spices like ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, garlic, peppermint tea, ginseng and green tea
Stay hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of water throughout the day. How much water do you drink in a day? Dehydration could be the source of your lethargy. Our body is made of up to 60% water and so many of our body's vital functions depend on water:
A vital nutrient to the life of every cell, water acts first as a building material.
It regulates our internal body temperature through sweating and respiration
The carbs and proteins that our bodies use as fuel are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream;
Water flushes waste through urination
acts as a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord, and fetus
forms saliva
lubricates joints
To stay hydrated we need to consume about 2-3 liters of water a day. Here are some tips to help you hydrate:
Sip your water throughout the day rather than guzzling 1 whole liter at a time, for better absorption.
Prepare a glass of water at your bedside before you go to sleep so that it is ready for you to have first thing in the morning, upon waking. Our bodies are usually at their most acidic in the morning, so it’s a good opportunity to flush the system with water and have a pee to clear out any toxins.
Fill a 1 liter bottle with filtered water and take note to finish that bottle and have 1 - 2 more in a day. Try to consume more water in the first part of the day and less in the evening. Heavy water drinking is best to end around late afternoon and then just little sips afterward.
Add flavor if you don’t like the taste of water or get bored of it. Mint leaves, cucumber or lemon slices are great additions.
Coffee, juice and soda do not account for the 2 - 3 liters of water needed.
6. Address Digestive Disorders and Inflammation in the Body
Inflammation in the body is a natural response by the immune system to protect and heal tissues from injury or infection, but when it becomes chronic, it can lead to various health issues, all of which divert our body mechanics to restoring and healing, rather than producing and sustaining energy levels.
Malabsorption: Disorders like celiac disease or Crohn's disease hinder the absorption of nutrients, leading to deficiencies that can result in low energy levels.
Nutrient deficiencies: Some digestive disorders cause deficiencies in specific nutrients essential for energy production, such as vitamin B12. Insufficient levels can lead to fatigue and decreased energy.
Inflammation and immune response: Inflammatory bowel diseases trigger chronic inflammation, diverting resources and causing fatigue instead of energy production.
Gut-brain axis: Disorders like IBS disrupt the gut-brain axis, affecting mood, sleep, and stress levels, indirectly impacting energy levels.
Disrupted sleep patterns: Certain digestive disorders cause discomfort or pain, particularly at night, leading to disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue.
Managing and treating the underlying digestive disorder, addressing nutritional deficiencies, and adopting a nutrient-rich diet can help improve energy levels. It’s best to consult with a healthcare specialist to get started on your unique protocol.
All of the points we are addressing today help to reduce inflammation - meditation, deep breathing, exercise, good diet and hydration, quality sleep, and connection.
7. Connection to Self
Staying connected to who we are, learning to appreciate ALL the parts of ourselves is what makes us feel whole in body, mind and soul. If you are feeling out of sorts we have a few tools to help you reconnect to yourself when you need to, or create an even deeper connection with yourself.
Try activities that allow you to express your creativity, such as painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, learning a dance, or crafting. These creative expressions of yourself can help relax the mind and nourish the soul.
Write down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a journal to help clarify your emotions, release stress, and promote self-reflection.
Set aside dedicated time for things that bring you joy. This could include taking a bath, practicing a hobby, listening to music, taking a course in something, reading a book, visiting an art gallery, you fill in the blank here.
Loving Kindness meditation is a great tool to promote a more compassionate relationship with yourself and others. As you practice this meditation regularly, notice how it trickles into your everyday life experiences. This can be a transformative practice.
Other types of self care might include: dry brushing, taking a cold shower or cold plunge, using an exfoliating scrub, aromatherapy, having a massage, you get the picture.
8. Connection to Others
We are social beings. It's in our DNA to be part of a whole. Creating positive social connections will enhance your overall well-being. We want to feel valued and feel we are part of something beyond ourselves. Take the time to be with family and friends, especially the ones that fill your cup. Nurture these relationships and also cultivate new ones. Meeting new people can be energizing and inspiring. Join a club or sport or find a group activity that connects you with others. Practice focused listening and engage in meaningful conversations to help expand your mind and heart. Giving to your community, a friend or someone in need, without expectation; this can awaken a feeling of belonging to something greater than yourself.
Nurture and nourish yourself with good food, clean water, mindful practices, deep breathing, exercise, nature, sleep, rest and deep connection to yourself and others. As you take care of yourself, notice how you show up brighter in the world around you, and how the world around you becomes brighter too.
