As a mom, I can tell you without hesitation there are four specific things I can pinpoint that can drain my energy in a flash. My friends and my clients who have kids all seem to agree about this as well.
But the good news is by identifying the culprits that make us feel sluggish, it’s easier to fix the problems.
Here are four common energy busters, followed by simple fixes (a.k.a. energy boosters) to help us all feel our best this spring!
Energy Buster: Lack of sleep.
This one is the hardest for me. We all try to juggle so much at once that sleep tends to take a back seat.
Energy Booster: Shut off the TV in the bedroom and living room a half-hour before you would like to go to sleep. Most moms tell me that they get caught up watching a show and wind up staying up later than they planned. By shutting the TV off sooner, you’ll get to bed earlier and get more of those necessary zzzs!
Energy Buster: Not drinking enough water.
Energy Booster: Drink water throughout the day. Every process in the body takes place in water and relies on adequate fluid levels in the body for peak functioning. These body processes include proper digestion, appropriate vitamin and mineral delivery throughout the body and a speedy metabolism. So be sure to carry a water bottle with you so you can sip throughout the day. This is especially important if you’re nursing as you need extra fluid to make enough milk for your baby.
Tip: If you find yourself not drinking water because you don’t enjoy it, try adding a lemon, a lime or an orange wedge to your water. You could try adding cucumber too. All of these add a refreshing flavor that may encourage you to sip more often.
Energy Buster: Not exercising consistently.
We get busy. We get tired. We skip exercise. This always backfires.
Energy Booster: Move daily. Even if it’s just a 15 minute walk – starting at your front doorstep and walking in any direction for 15 minutes will refresh you and make you feel good about yourself. Exercise gets the blood flowing through our bodies (think rejuvenating the oxygen moving from our hearts to our extremities, which energizes us) while making us feel good about doing something beneficial for our bodies. Plus, it boosts endorphins, making our feel-good chemicals kick into high gear. It also helps us to shed those extra pounds.
And let’s face it, when we don’t feel good about ourselves because we’d like to improve our bodies (we’ve all been there!), we don’t feel energized. For us, we know that we better get moving every day if we want to get that energy boost, so we make it our priority to make sure you know it will work for you too!
Energy Buster: Being irregular.
We’re referring to occasional constipation – we know, it’s not glamorous to talk about or deal with – and boy is it an energy drain! And it’s especially common after giving birth. When we experience it, we spend a lot of energy thinking about how uncomfortable we feel, and in turn we spend energy trying not to think about it.
Energy Booster: Drink plenty of water, eat fiber-rich foods and exercise regularly to kick your digestive tract into high gear. A combination of these three things usually gets your intestinal tract moving and keeps you regular, but sometimes we need a little extra help. After I had my twins, this was a major problem for me and I was so thankful that the doctor recommended Colace® Capsules so that I could get back to feeling like my normal, energetic self. (Colace® Capsules offer a gentle way to relieve irregularity for new moms*).
What did you do to get back to feeling energetic and like yourself after you had a baby?
*If pregnant or breastfeeding, please ask your doctor before use. Please read full product label before use.
As members of the Purdue Products Constipation Crew™, the Nutrition Twins help people deal with the uncomfortable feeling of occasional constipation.
