I’ve been listening to a lot of Andrew Huberman lately via his Huberman Lab Podcast. I recently heard him touch on two things that I have been practicing for many years and then picked up one new tip I find very beneficial.

I’ll start with talking about the sun. I spoke about the practice of getting exposure to morning sunlight as being just as important as sleeping in complete darkness in the Hormone Diet when it was published way back in 2008, but Huberman gives many more up-to-date scientific reasons as to why this is so helpful for setting our circadian rhythm and the specific brain benefits (as he is a neuroscientist). The second topic I heard him discuss as great to do for your mental health and wellbeing was the value of sending a “Good morning” text to at least one to three people daily. When I heard him mention this, I smiled. I have been doing this with one friend for 15 years every morning and with  another for three so far. It's a simple habit which builds connection – something we all can run the risk of lacking. Without this powerful experience in our day we are prone to depression, loneliness and anxiety. And the new tip I picked up was to extend your exhale when you want to calm down and increase your inhale, when you want to become more alert.

If you are currently feeling overwhelmed or in a state of chronic fatigue, depression or anxiety, perhaps you can start with these three simple things as something good and achievable. I encourage you to go for these options rather than a pick-me-up fix like an energy drink. Caffeine is the major ingredient in most energy drinks—a 24-oz energy drink may contain as much as 500 mg of caffeine (similar to that in four or five cups of coffee). I bet you didn’t know these drinks are linked to bone loss. They are. You can see the study here. 

Beyond these three super helpful and amazingly health promoting tips there is so much more anyone can do as you see in the six steps I have shared here. Trust me when I say that constantly feeling tired is never normal. There is always a cause for fatigue, the secret is to find it.

1.)There are blood tests that anyone with fatigue should have completed. They include:

a.Cortisol – this is a stimulating hormone, it allows us to get up out of bed and adapt to stressors. Studies have shown that people with low cortisol have more depression and fatigue

b.Storage form of iron, ferritin – optimal levels should be 70 – 84 for most women, low iron is a common cause of fatigue

c.Vitamin B12 - essential for mood, circadian rhythm, red blood cell production and memory, optimal B12 is between 600 – 1200 in the blood

d.CBC – complete blood count, rules out anemia a common cause of fatigue.

e.Thyroid markers – TSH, free F3 and Free T4 – as the hormone that controls the metabolism of every cell in the body, optimal levels are essential for energy, mood, focus, metabolism and digestive function. TSH should be less than two and T4 and T3 should be in the middle upper range of normal on the labs reference range.

f.RBC Magnesium and zinc – These are two essential minerals, involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions, low magnesium is linked to chronic fatigue and low zinc is related to weight gain and hormone imbalance.

g.Vitamin D3 – optimal levels should be 125 – 200 In the blood. Vitamin D3 is essential for blood sugar and insulin balance, bone health, immunity and weight management.

h.Fasting blood sugar and fasting blood insulin – when an imbalance of these is present it can cause fatigue related to “carb-coma”, blood sugar fluctuations lead to fogginess, cravings and lethargy after meals. Fasting blood sugar is optimal when less tan 5.2 and fasting insulin should be less than 36.

2.)Orthostatic BP test: A simple at home means of screening for adrenal fatigue or adrenal gland burnout. Lay flat for a few minutes and let your blood pressure normalize. Do not talk. Take your blood pressure while lying down. Then stand up, again without speaking, and take your blood pressure upon standing. If your adrenals are healthy and functioning well, your blood pressure should increase by about ten points when you stand up. If it increases more than this, you may have high cortisol levels and benefit from an adaptogen such as Clear Balance or Clear Cortisol (use this option if you experience a lot of mental stress). If your blood pressure falls from lying to standing, it can be an indication of adrenal fatigue and low cortisol. In this case, the most powerful and beneficial supplement for you is an adrenal extract like Cytozyme (Biotics) – this is so revitalizing for long term stress and burnout.

3.)Bio-impedance scale to assess muscle mass and fat mass. The more muscle you have the better your energy - as it is metabolic tissue. You can purchase a scale to use at home – such as Renpho from Amazon. If you are muscle deficient, strength training or yoga and protein consumption – at least 120 grams per day for most women and 160 grams per day for a male - are essential for increasing muscle and boosting energy.

Steps Four To Six – Your Energy, Brain and Nervous System Solutions:

4. My Supplement Rx: 

• Give Your Brain a Dose of Dopamine:Tyrosine is a building block of dopamine, norepinephrine and thyroid hormones in the body. A study looking at the effects of tyrosine on cognitive task performance found that under psychosocial and physical stress, supplementation could combat the effects that stress and fatigue have on concentration levels. Take 500 to 1500 mg a day of L-tyrosine, upon rising (avoid if you have an overactive thyroid). Start your day with a breakfast that contains at least 30 g of protein to ignite your metabolism (especially your thyroid hormone) for the day. Avoid starchy carbohydrates at breakfast to improve your mental function and focus as this simple trick sets your dopamine, which is essential for focus, motivation, drive, and appetite control. A sample meal choice would be an omelet with two or three eggs and goat cheese served with a side of mixed greens. You can enjoy organic coffee—with cream and cinnamon—for an added dopamine boost.

• Adaptogenic herbs, like rhodiola can increase vitality - especially if the cause of your fatigue is a result of stress. In one Swedish study rhodiola significantly reduced symptoms of fatigue and improved attention after four weeks of repeated administration.

• Clear Energy provides a dose of both rhodiola and L-tyrosine. Take three on rising or with breakfast daily.

• Creatine is one of the only supplements proven to increase energy, muscle growth/recovery, and brain power. Yes, it’s true – it is not just for muscle-bound body builders anymore because almost everyone can take it for mental function, energy, and muscle mass. Suggestive dose is 5 grams a day which in one half scoop of Clear Recovery.

Studies have shown that creatine has been recognized as a product that delivers on its promise of improved strength. Signs of poor recovery include fatigue, poor workouts, prolonged muscle soreness, lack of increased strength, and lack of increased muscle mass. Recent studies also show it is has cognitive benefits.  

5. Work in a workout. It’s counterintuitive, but a quick workout can actually boost your energy levels rather than deplete them. The body is a complicated system of give-and-take, and when you move around, it rises to the challenge, giving you the energy you need. In a study published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, researchers had sedentary, healthy adults do just 20 minutes of low-to-moderate-impact strength- based exercise three days a week. They found it put a large dose of extra pep in their step: Participants reported a 20 percent increase in energy levels and also felt 65 percent less fatigue. And of course, it will also help to relieve some stress and burn off any extra calories that you may be taking in this week. If you need guidance check JJ Virgin for some workout ideas on strength, she is a great resource.

6. Go to bed earlier and mellow out at night with Melatonin: If you are staying at your in-laws this week without the comfort of your own bed you may find it challenging to get a good night’s sleep. In that case, bring with you some melatonin and magnesium. Melatonin is a hormone released from the pineal gland that plays a role in the regulation of circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles. In one clinical trial, forty-three subjects with difficulty sleeping received a combination of melatonin, magnesium, and zinc. The group receiving these three supplements showed significant improvement in ease of getting to sleep, quality of sleep, hangover on awakening from sleep, alertness the following morning, total sleep time and restorative quality of sleep. Melatonin decreases as we age, as well as during times of stress and depression. Take 0.5 to 3 mg at bedtime. Try opening up capsules and pouring them under your tongue. You can also purchase melatonin in lozenge form for ready absorption (this is the one we sell).

And – when you sleep matters! Our body recuperates the most from stress when we are sleeping between the hours of 10pm and 2am. So if you need more energy, start prepping for bed around 9 – 9:30pm to be asleep by 10pm.