How Do You Wake Up Full of Energy and Ready for the Day? Advice from 22 People Worth Listening To.
From Zoom Fatigue to Lockdown Exhaustion, our energy levels seem to be declining with many Mumsnet members describing themselves as ‘bone tired’ or ‘running on empty’.
A recent survey from King’s College London of over 2000 men and women aged between 16 and 75 has found that our sleep is more disturbed in the last 12 months.
That is why we asked 22 health and fitness experts for their opinions and top tips on how best to feel energised.
We also asked them for their go to energy boosting foods and sleep tips.
How To Get Energy In The Morning
Many people struggle with getting enough energy throughout the day. This can be combatted with some morning routines to start the day off with more energy. These can be simple routines like making sure you eat breakfast, start moving the body with a gentle exercise like a walk or not sleeping in after the sun has come up.
Best Food For Energy In The Morning
It’s important to note that this isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. But if you’re looking to boost energy levels, improve athletic performance, or just feel better overall, then some of our fitness experts foods suggestions are worth a look: Fruit, porridge, berries, nuts, eggs, avocado, a good balance of protein/fats/carbs there is no one food but a good balanced diet approach.
How To Have More Energy During The Day
Many of our fitness experts keep coming back to building your lifestyle around good healthy habits. Reducing the amount of caffeine, getting fresh air, exercise to suit your fitness levels and goals, building a workout into your working day, joining a fitness club. Pick healthy habits that you enjoy doing and these will give you more energy throughout the day.
When do you feel most energised?
- In the afternoon (4-6pm) – 4.5%
- After my morning walk – 9.1%
- After exercise – 86.4%
Outside of food and exercise what helps you increase your energy levels?
Most of our expert panel agreed that a good self care routine and topping up their vitamin and iron levels helped to reduce tiredness and fatigue. Good sleep, meditation and deep breathing as well as positive thinking and affirmations were also highlighted by our experts.
Erica Bracken
PR & Marketing Professional, Yoga Enthusiast.
Instagram: @erica_bracken
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Meditation, getting outdoors, and yoga.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Banana and a handful of nuts or spoonful of peanut butter – yes, straight from the jar!
Georgie Delaney
Co-Founder of TGO, environmentally friendly outdoor gyms that recycle precious materials, generate electricity and serve their communities. Website: www.tgogc.com 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
I go to bed early most nights. This enables me to get up early and get my head in the right space. I practice prayer and journalling. I drink a glass of water whilst I do that and then take the dog for a walk. I then eat a healthy breakfast and take supplements like Active Iron. I drink coffee but make sure I don’t drink caffeine after 12pm. I make sure I get out into the great outdoors every day to absorb vitamin D from the sun. I eat a plant-based diet and try not to eat too much sugar.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Porridge with Cacao, homemade peanut butter and maple syrup with bananas on top!
Joshua Clark
Joshua is one of London’s leading personal trainers, over the last 12 years his clientele has ranged from bankers and business leaders, to The Royal Family and London’s elite. Website: https://www.trainwithj.net 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Breath work and exercise. I was lucky enough to hire Richie Bostock (The Breath Guy) to teach at my studio in London and he taught me a lot about breath work and its benefits. Both for relaxation and boosting energy before exercise. Boosting the oxygen levels in your body through breath work and booting those endorphins from exercise is the best way to start my day. Period!
What is your go to energy boosting food?
It’s old school: simple and cheap, but a banana is all you need to get a boost. Mind you a good old espresso always does the trick too.
Korina Duffy
Korina is the owner of Korina Duffy Mind Body Repair. She is a fitness trainer, former beauty therapist, soon to be hypnotherapist, podcast host, and mum. Instagram: Korinaduffy.com_ 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Moving My Body – Breathing Deep – Lots of Hydration. I find moving my body in the morning helps reduces my stress levels which in return boosts my energy. If I have a day where I’m stuck on the laptop, I find a quick nap at lunch time helps me RESET for the second half of my day.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Bowl of Oats, Egg Whites & Berries & Nut butter…Yummie
Lizzie Lee
Rio marathon Olympian. European XC Team Gold medallist. Lizzie is a working, running Cork mum of three. Twitter: Lizzieleevale 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
I try to get 8 hours sleep a night and I eat well.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Red Meat.
Lorna O’Regan
Lorna is the owner of Feel Good Health & Fitness. She is a Nutritional Science graduate, personal trainer, fitness instructor and mum to 3 girls. Website: www.feelgoodhealthandfitness.ie 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Regular exercise of varying intensity, HITT, Tempo training, spinning, strength training. Mix it up!
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Dates and Bananas.
Eleanor Whyte
Eleanor Whyte is a former Miss Galway, a Secondary School PE and Irish Teacher. She uses her Instagram page to help motivate herself and other runners. Instagram: @elle_runs_
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Get up once your alarm goes off, don’t snooze! Keep active throughout the day, particularly if you have a stationary job – even small changes like using the water cooler farthest away.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Banana – easy to eat on the go – simple carbohydrate – readily available – easy on the tummy.
Pete Foley
Pete is a former Irish International Karate, Kickboxing and Weapons Champion. He is the founder and chief instructor for Black Dragon Ireland with clubs in the UK & Ireland.
Website: Blackdragon.ie
Facebook: Black Dragon Kickboxing
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Regular exercise, good diet & sufficient sleep.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Fruit, porridge, and water!
Alison Desmond
Alison is a personal trainer and owner of PTME. She also specialises in pre- and post-natal coaching and offers free at-home workouts through her Facebook and Instagram pages.
Instagram: @ptme.ie
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Exercise for definite!! Exercising produces endorphin levels that are basically hormones that make us feel good -this is where the ‘runners high’ comment comes from! It also helps us sleep along with many other physical and mental benefits all contributing to higher energy levels overall. A workout may feel like it’s depleting your energy levels before beginning. But I’ve yet to find a person who completes their workout and doesn’t feel more energetic for their day afterwards as opposed to spending their day on the couch instead.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Big bowl of berry and nut topped oats for sure! Carbohydrates are the nutrients most frequently used as an energy source as they are fast-acting and turn into energy as soon as they are ingested. This energy powers the brain and body not to mention the fibre content makes for a healthy gut, healthy gut, healthy body, more energy🙌
Steven Wise
Steven is the co-owner and studio director of The Cut, a transformation gym based in central London. Website: www.thecutgym.com 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
In the morning I like to get some light exercise in pre breakfast. On a non-working day that is usually a light jog with my dog, and on workdays I’ll walk to work which takes 30 minutes. I try to avoid looking at my phone during that period, so I don’t get sidetracked and distracted.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
I know it’s a bit of an unsexy answer, but I eat a good balance of protein/fats/carbs and lots of veg through the day so typically don’t get an energy crash. I personally prefer to consume carbs pre- and post-workout to avoid feeling flat. Typically, that’s oats and berries before I train, then post workout I am not too fussy but make sure my post workout meal contains 60-100g of carbs. If I do need a boost I will snack on berries and maybe a small handful of nuts.
Margaret Young
Margaret Young is a vinyasa, restorative and yin yoga teacher and wellness entrepreneur. As well as teaching online and at her home studio, she teaches yoga for a number of top Dublin studios and corporate clients, as well as the prestigious Powerscourt Springs Hotel. Website: www.wildsoul.ie Instagram: @magsmmyoung
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Movement creates energy even if it is just steps, I aim for 8 to 10k steps a day. Borrow a dog if you have to!
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Bananas! The handiest most versatile food forms the basis of my breakfast, some of my lunch and lots of my snacks.
Dave Hedges
Dave is a martial arts champion with international success in Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Mountain Biking and Kettlebell Sport. He is the founder and principal instructor at Wild Geese Fitness Training.
Website: www.wg-fit.com
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Good food, appropriate training, meditation, and down time.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Nuts & Berries.
Joanne Page
Joanne (Jo) Page is an adventurer, marathon runner and trail runner from Dartmoor. She has completed marathons and trail runs internationally and is a National Running Show ambassador.
Instagram: adventures_with_jp
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Drinking lots of fluids, alternating water and electrolytes. Also eating often, not just three big meals a day.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Cake. Christmas cake or fruit cake generally 😊
John O’Connor
John is a specialist in health and performance nutritionist. After graduating with a BSc in Sports Science and MSc in Nutrition Science, he established Target Nutrition. Website: https://targetnutrition.ie/ 
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Exercise, sleep, good nutrition practices
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Oats, fruit, and coffee.☕
Conor O’Keeffe
Conor is an ultra-runner, wellbeing/mindset speaker and host of the Flip The Script Podcast. Website: www.patreon.com/flipthescriptwithcokeeffe
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
I try to keep it simple. My three practices to boost energy levels are: 1. Pouring a glass of water and sipping it for 15 minutes. 2. Stretching my body as I wait for the kettle to boil. 3. Going outside for 5 minutes and taking 10 deep inhales and exhales in the fresh air.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
A bowl of Porridge with Chai Seed, Flaxseed and Peanut Butter.
Audrey O’Connor
Audrey O Connor (Audspilates) founder of CoreState. She left her career as a Quantity Surveyor in the Construction Industry to establish Core State where she uses Pilates, Sports Therapy and PT to train and rehabilitate hundreds of people.
Website: https://corestatehq.com/
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Definitely has to be sleep, sleep and more sleep. I really believe in going to bed early and waking up early and starting my day with a little movement, exercise or fresh air really boosts my energy levels. l always try to drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day too to keep myself hydrated and to prevent sluggishness.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Definitely celery juice first thing in the morning.
Chris Heron
Chris Heron, leads the Engine Coach Program and has over 20 years’ experience with a hugely successful track record as a personal trainer, body transformation coach and athlete that still competes in Indoor Rowing at a World Class Level. Website: www.enginecoach.com
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Make sure you get enough sleep and exercise; this is the best balance for great energy levels. I think it’s essential to do a restoration session at least once a week like Yoga/ Meditation.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
I love a homemade flapjack!
Margaret Walsh
Margaret is a physical therapist and business owner. Physical therapy is a holistic and patient-centred approach focusing on the manual treatment of the soft tissue.
Facebook: margaretphysicaltherapy
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Sleep, hydration, gut health and nutrition
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Balanced diet, there is no one food…otherwise that’s a stimulant for instant energy.
Colin & Adam– DT Fitness
DT Fitness & Performance is a purpose-built facility in Cork City providing high-level expert coaching in physical fitness training.
Website: http://dtfitness.ie/
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Overall healthy lifestyle habits are key. Good routines around sleep, exercise, nutrition are obvious. Taking time out to look after your mental health is also of paramount importance. It can be anything from reading to getting into the cold sea, meditating etc to help take your mind off the past and future and keep you, if only for a short period, in the now. Worry about the future and dwelling on the past can be very draining.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
It really depends on where I am in the day, be it post workout or pre. What am I planning to do for the day? Fuelling for a long hike is different to fuelling for a repeat hill sprint session. Timing is also key but to give an example I’ll fuel up on generally high fat satiating foods like eggs, avocado, nuts if planning to go on a long walk.
Anna Abubakara
Anna is the owner of Pilates Centre, she is a qualified Pilates teacher, and theatre and dance graduate. She trained in London and the US before opening her business in Dublin. Website: www.pilatescentre.ie
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Pilates! It demands concentration, control and moving with flow. After a great Pilates workout you’ll feel more clearheaded and the increased circulation created by the workout will boost your mood and energy.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Fruit (ok, or chocolate!)
John O’Connell
John O’Connell is the owner of SF Fitness in Dublin, who specialise in custom fitness plans and training for over 45s. He is two time international bestselling author with The Fit Formula and Total Body Breakthroughs.
Website: www.sffitness.ie
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What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
Aim for a regular sleep routine with consistent bed and wake times, good sleep hygiene (no screens at least a half an hour before bed or if unavoidable install a blue light blocker on phone/laptop, exercise regularly with a mix of intensities including strength training, mobility exercises, and walking.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
Coffee, does that count as a food? 😂
David Mulqueen
David is Co-Director of The Edge Gyms in Dublin and has been involved in sport all his life. The Edge specialises in all aspects of health nutrition and training.
Website: www.theedgegym.ie
What are your best practices for boosting energy levels?
We need to be on top of our nutrition and sleep.
What is your go to energy boosting food?
I fuel for training and performance. My favourite high carb meal pre training is definitely granola.
