As a certified Hatha Yoga teacher and dedicated wellness coach in our sunny city of Clearwater, Florida, I’m passionate about fostering wellness and vitality in our community.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raise human consciousness with proven and powerful methods, including the science of classical hatha yoga. I trained at its renowned Isha Yoga Center in India, learning from the acclaimed yogi, Sadhguru. I have over 1750 hours of training and hundreds of hours teaching Hatha Yoga and meditation. That’s where my journey into wellness started, where I delved deep into understanding the subtle mechanics of the body, mind, and energy.
Today, I’m diving into a topic that impacts us all – energy depletion. Whether you’re an aspiring yogi, a fitness enthusiast, a busy parent, a dedicated professional, or just someone navigating life’s hustle and bustle, I’m sure we share something in common – the desire for boundless energy to conquer each day with zest!
If you find yourself lacking the drive to work on your goals; catch yourself saying “I am tired” before you even start your workout or task at hand; or snooze when you’re meditating; then you’re in the right place. We’re about to explore the hidden culprits draining your vitality and learn how to reclaim your energy.
! Please check with your physician in case your energy depletion is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, such as hormonal imbalance (e.g., thyroid) or chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis).
The Three Major Energy Thieves
1. The Nutrition Gap: How Your Diet Can Leave You Drained
Ever reach for a quick takeout meal after a long day? Or frequently depend on processed, convenience food? While these may be time-savers, they could also be your energy’s biggest enemy. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet is crucial for energy and wellness. Include more variety in your meals, and eat more raw, fresh, and home-cooked meals.
In yoga and Eastern traditions, food, referred to as Pranic food, is considered vital for our physical, mental, and spiritual health. ‘Prana’ is a Sanskrit word that translates to ‘life-giving force.’ Pranic food is categorized into three types: Positive Pranic, Negative Pranic, and Zero Pranic.
- Positive Pranic Food: These foods are believed to add prana to your body, and they’re considered energy-boosters. Examples include fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and certain grains like quinoa and millet.
- Negative Pranic Food: These foods are thought to deplete energy from your body. They include onion, garlic, chilli, coffee, tea, and alcohol.
- Zero Pranic Food: These foods neither add nor reduce prana in your body. They are typically neutral and include foods like potatoes and tomatoes.
Here are some benefits of including Positive Pranic food in your diet:
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- Increases Energy Levels: Positive Pranic foods are rich in vital nutrients and life force energy, leading to enhanced energy levels, vitality, and overall wellness.
- Improves Mental Clarity and Focus: Consuming Positive Pranic foods can lead to better mental clarity, focus, and concentration, improving your cognitive abilities.
- Aids Digestion: These foods are often high in fiber and natural enzymes that support healthy digestion, reducing the energy drain often associated with the digestive process.
- Promotes Emotional Balance: The heightened life force energy in Positive Pranic foods can help balance emotions, resulting in a more positive mood and reduced stress or anxiety.
- Supports Physical Health: Positive Pranic foods are typically whole, unprocessed foods that support overall physical health, helping to prevent diseases and maintain a healthy weight.
Besides nutrition-poor food, dehydration can also cause a significant drop in energy levels since your body needs water for virtually every process it performs. Water intake depends on many factors, including gender, weight, climate, physical activity, etc. But drinking about half an ounce of water for each pound you weigh (so for 120 pounds, that would be 60 ounces of water or 7.5 cups) sounds about right.
Lack of energy may also be due to vitamin deficiencies such as Vitamin D or B12 among vegans and vegetarians. Ask your physician or do a blood test to determine these deficiencies.
Remember, a balance is key in diet, hydration, and supplementation as in all aspects of life. As a Wellness Coach, I can guide you towards making healthier choices that enhance your energy levels.
2. Movement Matters: Is Your Sedentary Lifestyle Holding You Back?
Endless Zoom meetings, hours at the desk, marathon Netflix sessions – sounds familiar? Sedentary habits could be stealthily draining your energy. Time to get up, stretch, and get moving! Movement, in any form – be it yoga, exercise, or simply taking a brisk walk – is a vital part of maintaining not just physical health and energy levels, but mental and emotional wellbeing too. Here’s how:
- Boosts Energy Levels: When you exercise, your body increases its production of endorphins – the ‘feel-good’ hormones. This can lead to improved energy levels, mood, and even better sleep, which in turn keeps you feeling more energetic throughout the day.
- Enhances Mental Health: Physical activities, including yoga, can significantly decrease feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. Yoga, in particular, is known for promoting relaxation and mindfulness, leading to improved mental clarity and focus.
- Improves Strength and Flexibility: Regular exercise and yoga can enhance your physical strength and flexibility. This not only enables you to perform daily tasks more easily but also protects you from injury, keeping you active and energetic.
- Promotes Heart Health: Exercise helps strengthen your heart, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure, resulting in a healthier cardiovascular system. A strong heart is more efficient at pumping blood throughout your body, which means more energy and endurance for your daily activities.
- Supports Weight Management: Regular movement helps you manage your weight, which is critical for maintaining high energy levels. Carrying excess weight can make everyday tasks more strenuous and leave you feeling tired.
Incorporating regular movement, such as Hatha Yoga, into your routine can do wonders for your energy levels. Yoga, with its emphasis on conscious breathing and mindful movement, serves not only as a physical exercise but also as a form of meditation, offering benefits on multiple levels. As a trained Hatha Yoga teacher, I can guide you in adopting a yoga practice that complements your lifestyle, meets your physical capabilities, and supports your energy needs.
3. Rest and Sleep: The Energy Rechargers You're Neglecting
Whether it’s deep, restorative sleep or brief moments of relaxation throughout the day, giving your body and mind time to recharge is crucial in maintaining your energy levels. Moreover, skimping on sleep can leave you feeling more like a zombie than a go-getter. Sleep is needed to allow your body to restore and repair vital processes such as your immune system and muscle tissue, boost brain functions and mental wellbeing, enhance emotional stability, and conserve energy.
Also, breathwork and meditation are powerful recharging tools that can bring about a host of benefits to both your physical and mental health, including boosting your energy levels. Here’s how:
- Enhanced Relaxation: Deep, intentional breathing and meditation can shift your body into a relaxed state, reducing stress and promoting a sense of calm. This can help you rest more effectively, ultimately improving your energy levels.
- Improved Focus and Clarity: By centering your mind on your breath or a point of focus during meditation, you can clear mental clutter. This results in increased mental clarity and focus, making your mental energy more effective.
- Emotional Balance: Both breathwork and meditation can help regulate your emotions, preventing energy-draining mood swings and promoting a more positive outlook.
- Oxygen Efficiency: Breathwork increases your lung capacity and improves the efficiency of your oxygen exchange. This means more oxygen gets to your muscles and brain, enhancing your energy levels and mental alertness.
- Reduced Anxiety and Depression: Regular practice of breathwork and meditation can decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can often deplete your energy.
- Enhanced Mind-Body Connection: Breathwork and meditation heighten your awareness of your body’s needs, helping you better identify and address any energy drains.
As a trained Hatha Yoga teacher and wellness coach, I incorporate breathwork and meditation techniques into my practice in Clearwater, Florida. I help people just like you harness the power of these tools to enhance their energy levels and overall well-being.
Ready to be more energetic? Well, the journey to vitality involves self-care, good nutrition, adequate sleep and relaxation, and regular movement.
If you need support, reach out to me and let’s work together to reclaim your energy so you can have more fun and live your life to the fullest.
Have a question? Contact me:
407-808-1194
1 Comment
Kritika
Very well drafted article Nada.
Sedantry lifestyle is one of the major cause of not just energy depletion but so many lifestyle diseases that are happening.
I feel UPA YOGA is a blessing, as we can do one practice quickly in office break