Have you ever had a day where you planned to rest, stay home, and do nothing? We all get exhausted with our daily lives and we often crave that one day when we will do absolutely nothing. Finally, that day comes around, and we sleep in, scroll on our phones, and stay in bed. But by 8 pm, rather than feeling rested and energized, we feel exhausted!
If you have had those days where you feel more tired from doing nothing, know that you’re not alone. Here’s why.
Low Mental Energy
Not doing anything takes a toll on our mental health. We are wired for growth and stimulation. So, when we have nothing to do or we feel purposeless, we can feel defeated and lethargic. This can even spiral into depression.
Low Physical Energy
When we don’t do anything, we sometimes feel more anxiety and stress. Because of these low feelings, our bodies produce more cortisol, the stress hormone. The stress hormone also results in physical feelings of exhaustion.
In addition, when we aren’t physically moving and our body remains in the same position for long periods of time, its ability to take in oxygen decreases. This also results in a drop in energy levels and motivation.
How Can You Combat Low Energy?
Our bodies need purpose, movement, and stimulation to thrive. Think of when you are faced with a challenge or a deadline; suddenly your body can stay up late to finish up your work or solve the problem. You feel energized and motivated.
Stimulate Your Mind
In order to have a fulfilling life and combat mental lethargy, it’s important to find a purpose. Set a goal for yourself. If you have free time, use it to stimulate your mind. Learn something new. Give yourself challenges. Have fun with life by constantly learning and growing. Make sure you are emotionally, intellectually, and socially challenged every day.
Stimulate Your Body
To have more energy, you have to move your body. Make it a habit to incorporate some sort of physical activity in your daily life, whether it’s a short walk, a solo dance party at home, morning yoga, or a pilates class. It doesn’t matter how you exercise; the important thing is that you get some movement.
Sleep
Of course, everything comes in balance. While stimulating your mind and body, you also have to give yourself rest. The best way to do this is to ensure you are getting 7-8 hours of good quality sleep every night. I wrote a post about my bedtime routine for great sleep that you can check out here. When you challenge your body and mind on a daily basis, you will find that it is easier to get a good night’s rest. Use that to your advantage, and soon your body will feel both rested and energized.
Every day, strive to balance both mental and physical stimulation to keep lethargy away. If you’re at home with nothing to do, learn something new, go for a walk, or talk to a friend. Balance work, play, and sleep, and you’ll stay motivated and energized.
