VISITING ANGELS MOBILE, AL 251-345-4100
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Tips to Improve Your Energy Level

This is a difficult time in our country, especially for seniors. When our movement is restricted by Covid-19 precautions, it can feel difficult to muster up the energy we need to continue enjoying happy, healthy lives. Somedays, it may seem tempting to sink in a malaise of boredom, loneliness and sadness. That’s not good for our bodies or our minds.

Life requires energy, purpose and a plan. This is especially important during these hard times when our usual energy sources like church, the community center, and our friends and family members’ homes are less available. These days, we have to create our own energy. This can be a challenge but with a little effort, it’s doable. Consider these tips to improve your energy level.

Exercise Senior couple exercising

Remember those pre-Covid days, when it was easy to get your exercise? We could show up and play pickleball at the Y or drop by the community center for a swim. Part of the challenge of this time is that those activities that were once effortless now require planning, preparation and work. While it can be a chore, it’s a worthwhile one.

Do what you need to in order to keep up your exercise. Your body was made to move and the more you give it what it needs, the happier it will be. Always check in with your doctor before you begin a new exercise routine, and then think about what will serve you well right now. Maybe that means a daily walk around the neighborhood in the early morning or in the evening. Perhaps it’s a good time to take a yoga class or Tai Chi. Many classes are offered outdoor to alleviate concerns about infection spread.

See what is available to you and what sounds like fun. Then start working it into your routine. You’ll feel healthy and proud of yourself, and that’s energizing!

Nourish

It can be tempting, when we feel lethargic, sluggish or sad to overindulge in foods that don’t serve us well. While sweet, salty, starchy, and fatty foods may indulge our cravings, they don’t fuel our bodies well. Pay attention to what you’re eating. When you make lists for your Visiting Angels Caregiver to pick up at the store, make sure you’re including healthy foods like plenty of fruits and vegetables along with lean proteins that make your feel alert and energized. Hard boiled eggs, tuna, turkey, chicken are some examples of healthy lean proteins. Incorporate these with fruits and veggies throughout the day to make sure that you’re getting nutritious, energizing meals.

The old saying that “we are what we eat” remains an important insight. How we eat directly impacts how we feel. Talk with your doctor if you feel like you need input that’s tailored to your specific needs.

Sleep

Americans of all ages are struggling to sleep these days. It’s a worrisome time, but we all need to be getting as much regular sleep as we can. Aim to restrict your caffeine intake during the day and especially in the evening. Don’t read or watch the news or upsetting programing in the evening.

Adopt a regular, calming routine each evening to prepare yourself for sleep. End screen exposure for the day. Take a bath. Read a book. Pray. Do some evening stretches. Wind down for the day and prepare your mind and body for sleep.

If you experience challenges, talk with your doctor about it. Not being able to sleep is draining and it makes it difficult to feel well and healthy in other ways. Good sleep seeds good health.

Find your calm

Develop a routine that serves you. Be careful about how much time you spend reading or watching the news. It’s good to remain informed, but too much news can have a negative effect. Create limits for yourself and stick to them. If you feel like the news is making your feel stressed or sad, tune it out for a couple of days or only read news from a limited source or two. Don’t turn to the news when you’re bored. Recognize that the news right now is heavy and stressful. Absorb it when you have the emotional energy for it, but don’t read or watch it when you are tired, stressed or sad.

Create a daily routine that serves you and your health well. Stick to it and notice how it makes you feel. Do things that make you feel productive and good about yourself. Read. Get books from the library. Connect with family members and old friends. Make call lists and reach out. Build. Create. Try new things. Remember and the things that make you who you are.

This is a hard time. We confront it by fighting against it, not by caving into it. That’s not always the easiest thing to do, but we serve ourselves well when we make our best effort to embrace each and every day.

Serving Mobile and the Surrounding Area

Visiting Angels MOBILE, AL
5901 Airport Blvd #204
Mobile, AL 36608
Phone: 251-345-4100
Fax: 251-345-4766

Serving Mobile and the Surrounding Area

Visiting Angels MOBILE, AL
5901 Airport Blvd #204
Mobile, AL 36608
Phone: 251-345-4100
Fax: 251-345-4766