MORE ENERGY
THE SCIENCE Dragging yourself around the park might be as appealing as scrubbing the loo when you’re feeling drained, but that’s no reason to succumb to the snooze button. Exercise triggers the release of invigorating neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and noradrenaline, while boosting blood flow to the brain. One study even found that 10 minutes of walking up and down stairs boosted energy levels more effectively than 50mg of caffeine. Be wary of overdoing it, though. A major cause of fatigue is stress, says Pinho. When prolonged, this can cause your body to produce excess cortisol. ‘In this state, upping exercise will make your body more stressed.’ Use a fitness tracker to measure your heart rate, body temperature and heart-rate variability in the morning. If the former is trending up while the latter two are trending down, you might need to ease up on your training. An active daily routine is always beneficial; a punishing workout schedule isn’t.
Diet is a more reliable energiser. For optimal mental and physical stamina, Pinho recommends a macro split of 30% protein, 30% fat and 40% carbs. Include high-fibre foods such as whole grains, beans, lentils or potatoes in every meal to drip-feed your body with energy throughout the day. Next, ensure you’re getting enough magnesium (whole grains, leafy greens), iodine (seafood, iodised salt), vitamin D (fatty fish, eggs) and vitamin B12 (red meat, shellfish) – supplementing where you need to. Go!
THE WINNER Plate-based pep-ups edge it here.