You're so predictable. Every day, you run out of steam, lose juice, or otherwise hit the wall at nearly the exact same times.
How do we know? Because
it happens to everyone. In fact, it's like
clockwork, which actually makes sense, because your body clock is part
of the problem – when your internal chronometer is out of whack, you
feel wiped out. But these tips will provide a quick fix – or at least a
work-around – for each energy sapper. Consider your energy crisis
solved.7am: The morning fog
You would think that if there were one time you'd feel naturally
alert and energised, it would be after eight hours of resting and
recharging. Instead, your mind is mush. Why? Blame a phenomenon called
"sleep inertia." When you first awaken, the parts of your brain
associated with consciousness – the thalamus and brain stem – begin
firing right away. But the prefrontal cortex, which handles problem
solving and complex thought, is like a cold engine – it needs time to
warm up.
"Sleep inertia can last for up to 2 hours, although it's most severe
within the first 10 minutes of waking," says professor Kenneth Wright of
the University of Colorado. Wright and his colleagues discovered just
how severe in a new study, which shows that the mental impairment caused
by sleep inertia is akin to being intoxicated. Adding to your addled
state is the fact that you also have a nearly empty fuel tank. "Your
brain needs a continuous supply of glucose to function optimally," says
research psychologist Caroline Mahoney.
Fill it up. Make your morning meal a bowl of instant oatmeal prepared
with skim milk. Tufts University researchers recently found that people
who ate one packet of instant oatmeal received a steady glucose
infusion, which increased their alertness all morning and improved their
ability to process information. And if you aren't already jolting
yourself with java, start; a University of Pennsylvania study shows that
a dose of caffeine can combat sleep inertia.
Just don't let a latte replace a real meal. "It will mask your low
blood sugar by temporarily stimulating your brain," says professor Dan
Benardot of Georgia State University. "But you won't have done anything
to satisfy the need for energy."
1pm: The lunchtime letdown
If your typical lunch consists of carbs à la starch, then you've
experienced this early-afternoon brain drain.
That's because a
high-carbohydrate meal is the surest way to cause your insulin levels to
spike – and your concentration to crash. "A high insulin response will
rapidly take too much sugar out of your blood," says Benardot. "Then
your brain doesn't have enough of its primary fuel, so you become
mentally fatigued."
If you can't (or won't) limit your lunchtime carbohydrate
consumption, work in extra fibre to slow your digestion and the release
of insulin, says Susan Kleiner of High Performance Nutrition. For
example, if your noon nosh includes a baked potato, make sure you eat
the skin, which is dense with a type of fibre called pectin. "Pectin
slows everything down in the gastrointestinal tract," says Kleiner.
It’ll save you from the usual energy crash.
6pm: The pre-workout conk-out
It's the catch-22 of exercising in the early evening: you know that
working out will leave you energised, but you don't have the energy to
work out. In most cases, the problem is simply that you've forgotten a
critical piece of exercise equipment: food. "If you're going into a
workout when you haven't eaten since lunch, your blood sugar will be low
again," says Kleiner.
Snack before you sweat. Schedule a small feed roughly an
hour-and-a-half before your post-work workout. The ideal mini meal
totals 250 calories and consists of 25-35g carbohydrates, 10-15 g
protein, and up to 5g fat, says Kleiner. Try this peanut butter and banana cracker for the perfect combo.
8pm: The prime-time torpor
There's no complicated biochemical reason for being tired now – you
worked all day. But it's early, and even if you don't have plans,
falling asleep now will only screw up your body clock and leave you
feeling more fatigued in the am. "Going to bed a couple of hours earlier
than you normally do will throw off your rhythms, while consistency can
really help you feel alert during the day," says professor Philip of
the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
Rock yourself awake. First, do not stretch out on the couch or
recline in your easy chair. "Underlying sleepiness becomes more apparent
when we put ourselves in sleep-conducive positions, such as lying
down," says Wright. And instead of turning on the TV, power up your
iPod. "To increase the perception of energy, listen to a piece of music
that is upbeat and familiar, and use that song to get you going," says
Andrea Scheve, director of the University of Pittsburgh medical centre
music-therapy program. "Even just thinking about it and hearing it in
your mind can give you a boost of energy."
What you do with this newfound energy is up to you, but if you have a
significant other, now actually might be the perfect time to head for
bed.
Shut it off
It would be funny if it weren't so frustrating: you spend the entire
day fighting fatigue, only to slip into bed, shut your eyes, and
suddenly realize that you now have too much energy.
Fortunately, there's an explanation, and it's pure Pavlov. Do you do
anything in bed besides sleep? Maybe read, watch TV, or play Sudoku?
"These activities train the brain to associate the bed with excitement,"
says professor Kenneth Wright of the University of Colorado. "Some
people become so sensitive to this that when they go to bed, all of a
sudden their brain's aroused, because normally they're watching a
basketball game or reading a favourite book."
Which means the fix is what sleep researchers have recommended all
along: no books, no Netflix, and definitely no laptop when you're under
the covers. Sex, however, is fine. It is nature's perfect sleep aid,
after all.