Feeling tired all the time? We get it.
Our go, go, go lifestyles start early and end late. Our days are filled with non-stop activities, rushing from point A to point B, leaving us exhausted by the end of the day. Getting a good night’s rest or having an extra cup of coffee can help increase your energy levels to some degree. But the thing that can help the most is exercise.
It may seem counterintuitive, but when you feel like you really need to rest or take a nap, moving your body with exercise can be the thing that carries you through the rest of your day.
How does exercise boost energy?
When you exercise, your brain releases neurotransmitters--which are linked to feeling more energized--including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Exercise also boosts cardiovascular health, which can give you greater endurance throughout your day. Study after study shows that exercise can increase energy levels, even in people who are sedentary.
Here are some of our favorite exercise routines to help you gain energy.
Exercise Routine For Energy #1
Hit all your major muscle groups with this 12-minute total-body strength and cardio workout.
Set a timer for 2 minutes. Do as many reps as you can in 2 minutes, then rest for 2 minutes before moving on to the next exercise:
- Squat to overhead press
- Running pushup
- Squat thrust with row
Exercise Routine For Energy #2
High-Intensity Interval Training Workouts (HIIT) are fast and effective and can give you energy all day long. You can torch calories with this low-impact HIIT cycling workout. Set your time for 20 minutes and start riding.
- Start with your pace at a comfortable level.
- Stay here for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
- Boost your intensity.
- Pedal as fast as you can for 45 seconds.
- Go back to your first speed.
- Repeat.
Exercise Routine For Energy #3
You can boost your energy levels throughout the day without spending all day in workout clothes. This quick Tabata-style workout is perfect for when you’re feeling lethargic and could use a boost but can’t fit in time to head to the gym.
- Get up from what you’re doing and do 20 seconds of burpees.
- Rest for 20 seconds.
- Repeat the set four times.
When you’re feeling tapped out, it can be tough to push through that exhaustion and go for a workout. But the feeling you’ll have afterward will be so worth it! Getting in consistent workouts will give you increasing amounts of energy and make you want to keep coming back for more.
