Running on empty? Simple, evidence-based ways to boost your energy

Another is reducing stress. Picard’s research shows that the stress response puts a huge strain on our mitochondria, which not only need to provide energy for the raised heart rate and other physical responses to stress, but also produce and pump out the stress hormones that keep the response going. For reasons that aren’t fully understood, stress makes cells age faster, perhaps because they are being forced to work harder than they should.

Nevertheless, Pontzer remains unconvinced that “boosting” the activity of our mitochondria to get more energy out of them is possible. His research suggests that our bodies adjust the rate at which the mitochondria burn calories to keep the total within a narrow range. If we exercise more, for example, the body adjusts the overall metabolic rate to spend less energy on other things, such as the stress response or inflammation. So, any attempt to tinker with your mitochondria is likely to be pointless, and “wouldn’t necessarily increase vitality”, says Pontzer.

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So, what is vitality if not the feeling of supercharged mitochondria? Part of the answer may come down to mindset. Psychologists used to believe that mental energy was a limited resource: that we run it down by working hard – physically or mentally – and that this leaves us feeling depleted. More recent research, however, suggests that this is only true if you think it is. People who considered work to be energising had the reverse effect: they felt boosted, not depleted, by their efforts. This, of course, depends what it is that you are doing – it’s easier to feel energised when the work you are doing has meaning, less so when it’s a tedious means to an end.

There is good news, however, for anyone who blames their low energy levels on simply getting old. Research by Brian Cardini at the University of Zurich suggests that while it is true that older people run out of perceived energy more quickly, they also recharge more quickly than younger folk. Which suggests that taking regular rests (naps, even) to recharge could be the secret to increased staying power overall.

It goes without saying that, nap or no nap, getting the recommended seven to nine hours a night is a good idea for anyone who feels depleted. As is turning off screens or wearing blue light-blocking glasses in the evening. Studies have shown that two hours of screen time in the evening blocks the hormone melatonin, which is needed for good quality sleep. When bright light hits our eyes, especially at the blue end of the spectrum, it stimulates a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which controls not only the sleep/wake cycle of but also alertness throughout the day.

Exercise stimulates the suprachiasmatic nucleus, helping us to feel more alert, floods the brain with feel-good chemicals to boost motivation and reduce stress while also encouraging the production of new mitochondria in the muscles.

So while too much light close to bedtime will scupper sleep, during the day it could be the key to more energy. “Light affects areas of the brain controlling alertness directly – it literally wakes us up,” says Linda Geddes, author of Chasing the Sun: The New Science of Sunlight and How it Shapes Our Bodies and Minds.

Studies suggest that an hour of exposure to blue-spectrum light boosted people’s reaction time by more than if they had consumed two cups of coffee, says Geddes. She suggests getting outdoors little and often throughout the day, or using a SAD light “to provide an extra energy shot” in the winter.

Of all the ways to get more energy, though, exercise tops the list. It stimulates the suprachiasmatic nucleus, helping us to feel more alert, floods the brain with feel-good chemicals to boost motivation and reduce stress while also encouraging the production of new mitochondria in the muscles.

So, forget the fancy supplements. If there’s one weird trick that actually works to provide more energy you can feel, exercise is it: especially when done outside on a bright day. If that sounds too exhausting, maybe start with a nice, restorative nap.

Caroline Williams is the author of Move! The New Science of Body Over Mind

The Telegraph, London

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