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9 Quick-and-Easy Energy-Boosting Hacks That'll Make You Feel Awake AF

Put a pep in your step with these simple habits that take only few minutes -- no caffeine required
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Did you hit the snooze button a few times this morning? If you sleepwalk through your mornings or your head bobs come 3pm, you've got company. In a 2013 survey conducted by the Better Sleep Council, 48 percent of Americans admitted they don't get enough sleep. And when it comes to coping with extreme fatigue, many of us simply reach for that (umpteenth) cup of coffee.

But there are ways to boost energy that don't involve caffeine -- and are just as easy as filling up that coffee mug. We tapped Dr. Holly Phillips, MD, author of "The Exhaustion Breakthrough: Unmask the Hidden Reasons You're Tired and Beat Fatigue for Good" for oh-so-simple habits we can adopt in our everyday lives to feel refreshed and revitalized.

And because the truly exhausted don't have time (or stamina) to undertake a major lifestyle overhaul, these energy-increasing tips only require a few minutes out of your already busy day.

Here, nine energy-boosting tips that'll have you retiring the snooze button for good.

Image via Pinterest

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Let There Be Light
Gloomy office got you feeling like taking a nap under your desk? There's a reason for that. "Research has found that regular exposure to natural light -- actual daylight -- maintains higher energy levels," says Phillips, who explains that environmental cues play a huge role in our body's energy cycles throughout the day.

But that doesn't mean you have to grab your laptop and sunglasses and head outdoors. On the contrary, Phillips says exposure frequency -- rather than duration -- is more important. So, instead of sunning yourself like a sleep-deprived lizard during lunchtime, try exposing yourself to five minutes of natural light every hour. Too busy to sneak outside eight times a day? Visit that water cooler by the window or touch base with the office hottie who has the office with a view. And if you're kind of big deal at the office (aka you can't step away from your desk ever), consider investing in a blue light like Philips Energy Light, $199.99, which emits rays that simulate natural light.

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Get Moving -- Even If It's Only a Little Bit
You've probably already heard that exercise can increase energy levels, but that doesn't mean that you have to carve out a half hour for a workout. (Because, let's be real, if you -- the reader of this energy-boosting tips article -- had 30 minutes to spare, you'd probably use 'em to catch up on precious sleep.)

When it comes to fatigue-fighting exercise, Phillips explains that frequency of exercise is more important than duration. Translation: A quick 10-minute exercise routine or even a brisk walk can be as effective as a gym class in getting you to perk up. "When you exercise, your heart beats more intensively and moves oxygen throughout your body," says Phillips. "You also tend to breath more deeply, which also helps oxygenate all of your cells -- all of which helps you feel more energized."

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Take a Breather
And speaking of breathing, you may think you have this whole inhale-exhale thing under control, seeing as, you know, you've done it all your life. But according to Phillips, "There's an art to breathing, and unless you're breathing well, you're not giving your lungs, your blood and your brain ideal amounts of oxygen to have energy."

But no need to hyperventilate, because Phillips has a quick breathing exercise you can do two to three times a day that will have you feeling like you got a full night's rest:

Exhale all the way through your mouth while making a whooshing sound.

Inhale slowly through your nose for five seconds and then hold your breath for a count of six.

Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of seven, while making that same whooshing sound again.

Not only will this breathing exercise create increased, energy-boosting oxygen levels, but the more you practice it, the more it will help you unconsciously improve your everyday breathing.

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Take a Break From Booze
If, like a lot of energy-zapped people, you have trouble falling asleep, you may reach for a daily glass of wine to help you unwind. But, according to Phillips, having more than one alcoholic drink a day -- particularly if you're a woman -- can make you feel more tired than if you had just stuck with water.

Not only does alcohol have a dehydrating effect, which makes you feel tired, but it drains your body of magnesium. "Even slightly low levels of magnesium can cause fatigue," says Phillips, who explains that your body excretes magnesium when it metabolizes alcohol.

And while alcohol might help you knock out quicker, it makes you sleep more fitfully, robbing you of precious REM, or deep, sleep -- so you wake up feeling even more exhausted.

BY ROSE CURIEL | MAR 10, 2016 | SHARES
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