• Assess your energy levels
• Causes of low energy
• Ways to boost your energy
• Quick energy boosters

Achieving your personal and professional goals takes a significant amount of energy. Yet, countless factors—hunger, fatigue, and even the weather—can leave you feeling drained. In this article, you’ll find strategies to help you recharge and elevate your energy levels.

Assess your energy levels

Some people naturally seem full of energy, while others struggle to find enough to accomplish everything they want. These questions can help you assess your energy levels.

Do you often:

• Feel physically or mentally drained by the end of the workday?
• Skip activities you enjoy because you’re too tired?
• Have less energy than others with similar work demands or schedules?
• Rely on unhealthy pick-me-ups, like excessive caffeine or nicotine, just to get through the day?
• Have difficulty waking up in the morning or starting your day feeling refreshed?
• Notice that you don’t have as much energy as you once did?

The more questions you answered “yes” to, the more likely it is that low energy is keeping you from doing all that you would like.

Causes of low energy

Low energy can stem from a range of factors. A temporary dip might simply be the result of starting the day with a doughnut instead of a nutritious breakfast, while chronic low energy could signal an underlying physical or mental health concern, such as anaemia or depression. If your energy is noticeably lower than usual for more than a couple of weeks, it’s a good idea to talk to your GP.

Some of the most common causes of low energy include:

An unhealthy diet. A diet high in sugar or other empty calories won’t provide the nutrients your body needs to get through the day. Poor nutrition can drain your energy even more if it leads to being overweight, which puts extra strain on your heart and joints.

A lack of exercise. When you are too sedentary, nutrients and oxygen do not reach your cells efficiently. As a result, muscles become weakened and circulation slows down, resulting in deconditioning and low energy levels. Lack of exercise can also negatively affect mood and increase stress levels.

Too little sleep. Sleep replenishes the energy you use during the day. If you build up a “sleep debt” by consistently getting less sleep than you need, you’re likely to feel sluggish and drained.

Extreme heat. It’s no coincidence that many of us feel our energy drooping on the hottest days of the year. When temperatures soar, your body has to work harder to maintain a normal temperature.

Overload at work or elsewhere. Even with otherwise good health habits, your energy levels may fall if you push yourself too hard. Apart from wearing you down physically, overload can sap your mental energy, especially if it causes you to consistently worry about how you’ll get all your work done.

Ways to boost your energy

Here are some general tips for boosting your energy:

Eat a balanced diet. Start each day with a nutritious breakfast. Sugary breakfast food gives you a quick jolt of energy, but your body digests it too quickly to keep you satisfied until lunchtime. Your energy will last longer if your first meal of the day includes a good balance of protein and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Try an omelette with fresh vegetables, almond butter on whole-wheat toast, low-fat yoghurt sprinkled with raisins and nuts or add a poached egg on top of healthy leftovers from last night’s dinner. Make sure that you don't skip meals.

Prioritise restful sleep. Most of us have experienced the benefits of a good night’s sleep that restores our physical and mental energy. Studies have found that sleep and mood are closely connected. Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to stress and irritability, and chronic insomnia may increase the risk of developing depression or other mood disorders. Getting 7 to 9 hours a night helps to restore energy and promote physical and mental health.

Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight puts added demands on your body, which can sap energy. Adults who maintain a significant weight loss have higher energy levels. Just make sure that if you need to lose weight, you find a safe way to do it. Extreme diets can leave you very hungry and deplete your energy (instead of restoring it) because they often omit so many foods.

Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps your heart, lungs, and other organs function efficiently, allowing you to do more with less effort. It boosts your energy levels—unless you overdo it. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. As your fitness improves, daily tasks will become easier, leaving you with more energy for other things.

Limit caffeine and nicotine. Caffeine stimulates your brain, which can provide a temporary surge of energy. While moderate caffeine consumption—such as in tea and coffee—is generally safe and can even offer benefits for most adults, health experts advise a maximum daily intake of 400mg for adults, which is equivalent to approximately three 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee.

People who rely on caffeine for energy often need increasing amounts to get the same lift. So, it’s best to limit your intake and, if you need more of a boost than that amount provides, opt for other healthy energy sources instead. Similarly, nicotine can cause an initial “adrenaline rush”—a rise in heart rate and breathing—followed by a crash and craving for more. It often triggers sleep disruption, irritability, chronic fatigue, and anxiety. Quitting nicotine will increase energy levels in no time.

Be careful with “energy” drinks. These drinks often contain high doses of caffeine, which can provide a short-lived energy lift. But they can have unhealthy effects, including increasing your blood pressure and disturbing your heart’s natural rhythm, according to cardiac health experts. These drinks may pose additional risks for children, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with certain health conditions. Always check labels and before you try an energy drink, ask your GP if it’s safe for you.

Pay attention to your overall health. Fatigue can also be a sign of a medical problem such as anaemia, hypothyroidism, heart disease, depression, and some forms of cancer. Talk to your GP if you have less energy than you used to and can’t see an obvious reason for it. A doctor can tell you whether you might benefit from other energy-boosting strategies or have an underlying health condition that needs attention.

Keep cool in hot weather. Avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day in the summertime. If you can’t avoid it, stay in the shade and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, which would further strain your body. If your home isn’t air-conditioned, put off heavy housework until it’s cooler. By protecting yourself from soaring temperatures, you’ll also be saving your energy.

Drink plenty of water. Fatigue and weakness are common signs of dehydration, which occurs when you don’t replace the water your body loses through sweating, urination, or other means. And being even slightly dehydrated saps your energy by forcing your heart to work harder to carry oxygen and other nutrients to your brain. To reduce the risk of dehydration, make a habit of keeping a water bottle nearby when you work out at the gym, play a sport, or do heavy housework or gardening.

Avoid supplements unless recommended by your GP. Don’t fall for adverts saying vitamin B12 or other dietary supplements can miraculously affect your energy level. Vitamin and mineral supplements are generally not required when eating a variety of nutritious food, though they may be recommended for certain life stages. And taking too much of some supplements, including iron, can be harmful. Before taking any supplements, talk to your GP to ensure it’s safe and recommended for your specific needs.

Learn to pace yourself. Each of us has only so much energy to spend each day. Make the most of yours by pacing yourself so your energy lasts as long as you need it. Prioritise what matters most to you, and don’t hesitate to say “no” to less important activities.

Adjust your expectations as you age. Each of us has an energy “battery” that in later life may not be able to hold the charge it once did, according to Dr. Anne Fabiny in an interview with Harvard Health Publications. “If you try to do all the things you did in the past, you could end up feeling tired,” added Dr. Fabiny, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She suggests that as you get older, you take care not to burn through your “battery” early in the day. Instead, spread it out between morning tasks, afternoon projects, and evening activities, with rest and meals in between.

Manage stress. Stress can drain your energy, so it’s important to find ways to manage it. Try practising relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises. Engage in your favourite activities as often as possible, such as reading, having a long bath, or working on a craft project to boost your mood. Consider keeping a gratitude journal.

Quick energy boosters

Take a brisk walk. Even if you don’t have a regular exercise routine, a 15- or 20-minute walk can stimulate the release of the feel-good hormones known as endorphins that help you get through the day.

Listen to upbeat music. Scientists have long known that music can affect your mood, and some research suggests that it may also influence energy levels. When you need a boost, try listening to upbeat songs with a quick tempo, whether you prefer rock, classical, or another type of music. You could preload your phone or tablet with bouncy tunes that you can listen to during your lunch hour or break if your energy starts to wilt at work.

Recharge on your break and at lunchtime. Use these times to do something physically and mentally energising, such as spending a few minutes outside on a beautiful day or talking to an upbeat friend.

Spend time outdoors. Research has linked exposure to nature to increased vitality and wellbeing in adults. As little as 20 minutes outdoors significantly increased adults’ energy levels when they spent it walking along a tree-lined path or in a similarly green setting, according to a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Surround yourself with people who energise you. Have you noticed that you have more energy when you’re around high-energy people? Research has shown that moods are contagious, and you can “catch” them from others. If you seem to be operating in low gear on a certain day, chat with a friend or colleague who always seems to be upbeat or play with a young child who’s always on the move. You may “catch” some of their energy.

Some people may naturally seem to have a lot of energy, but no one has an unlimited amount. If you spend your energy wisely, you’ll be much more likely to have some available when you need it most.

© TELUS Health 2025