5 Micro-Habits to Improve Energy

Just like that, we are a few days away from setting our clocks back for daylight saving time. As fall and winter settle in, it’s normal to notice your energy dip and your mood shift along with the fading daylight, but the good news is that you don’t need a major lifestyle overhaul to start feeling better.

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Micro-habits can make a big difference in how you move through darker days. They’re small, repeatable actions grounded in habit and science that add structure, grounding, and pockets of joy when you need them most. Here are 5 micro-habits to improve energy.

1) Let in Natural Light Your body’s internal clock relies heavily on natural light. Getting just 10 minutes of daylight exposure, even on cloudy days, within the first hour of waking up improves alertness throughout the day.

To easily make this part of your morning ritual, take your coffee or tea and sit by the brightest window you can find. If it’s not too cold, sitting outside or a quick walk counts too. If natural light isn’t an option, consider using a good quality SAD light therapy lamp.

 Light directly impacts our mood, our sleep, our ability to wake up and focus, our hormone levels, our immune system and our ability to cope with stress.

– HUBERMAN LAB, USING LIGHT FOR HEALTH.

RELATED POST: 6 Ways I Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder

2) Stay Hydrated It’s easy to forget to stay hydrated during the colder months, especially when you’re not sweating or feeling thirsty, but even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, headaches, and brain fog.

Keep your favorite reusable water bottle near or treat yourself to some hot liquids on a cold day, such as tea, coffee, and even broth.

3) Get Moving When your energy level starts to dip in the early afternoon, it’s natural to want to reach for a second cup of coffee or to scroll on your phone as a quick escape. While caffeine can give you a short term boost, too much later in the day can interfere with your sleep.

Instead, take a few minutes mid-morning and mid-afternoon to stand up, roll your shoulders, and stretch. A short but intentional movement break can wake you up, improve your mood, and increase blood-flow.

4) Playlists Music is a powerful tool for shifting energy. Consider creating a few different playlists to match your mood. One can be curated for wake-up mode, focus mode, or reset mode.

By tailoring your playlists to your mood, it can help you stay in flow whether you’re working, relaxing, or transitioning between tasks. Your playlists can become a personal soundtrack for your daily routines, helping to enhance your emotional and mental well-being.

With winter approaching, it is normal to feel a little dreary, but SAD can cause an individual to experience actual depression. Listening to types of music can help improve mood. Research shows that music has the ability to generate a positive biological response whose structural elements, sensory attributes, and expressive qualities engage the human brain comprehensively and in a complex manner.

– BRAIN INJURY GROUP, FIGHT OFF THE WINTER SAD BLUES…

5) Rest If all else fails, prioritize your rest. Whether it’s taking a short nap during the day or turning in earlier for the night, remember that darker days naturally make us feel sleepier and more sluggish.

By embracing moments of stillness, you allow your mind and body to recharge, which ultimately leads to greater productivity and clarity. Listen to your body signals and give yourself to slow down without guilt.

Micro-habits are successful for a reason because they’re small and practical steps you can take today. You don’t need an entire routine reset to feel better during the darker months, just start with one or two new habits and build from there. What’s one micro-habit you’ll try this week to boost your energy? I’d love to know.

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