ELEVATE YOUR ENERGY!

Make this the year you finally feel on top of everything, with new ways to boost your body and mind

- ALI HORSFALL

Energy fuels everything. It’s the oomph that gets us out of bed in the morning and it keeps us going when life gets tough. But can you keep up? If you’re finding that lethargy is getting in the way of life, maybe it’s time to fine-tune your energy levels. Often it’s not more hours in the day we need, but a get-up-and-go hit to power us through.

A nourishing diet, plenty of sleep and regular exercise are the cornerstones of feeling on form and, with some crucial tweaks, you can really make a difference to your vitality. Follow these expert-led tips to reboot the body and super-charge the soul.

WHAT’S ZAPPING YOUR ENERGY?

AGEING As we get older, our energy supplies dwindle – and it’s not just a state of mind. ‘Human biology plays a crucial role,’ says Imogen Watson, Dietitian and Medical Manager at Abbott Healthcare. ‘We lose 8% of our muscles every decade from the age of 40. Muscle strength, energy balance and feelings of exhaustion are strongly dependent on each other and can create a lasting feeling of fatigue as we age.’

MENOPAUSE The hormonal changes, night sweats and insomnia of perimenopause and menopause can leave women feeling low and fatigued. ‘It's crucial for us to maintain the balance between oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone as we age and hormone levels begin to decline,’ says Dr Marion Gluck, author of It’s Not My Head, It’s My Hormones (Orion, £9.99). She adds that women may also have low levels of the androgen-related hormone DHEA, which declines as we age. ‘Symptoms are commonly mistaken for underlying depression, because low levels of DHEA bring down mood, energy and sexual desire.’

Turn to page 112 for natural ways to ease symptoms and restore energy during menopause.