Energy Booster: Move Your Body

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Jump, shake, groove—whatever it is you do, get moving!

We know that: Stretching, bending, running, walking, and other heart-rate-boosting activities help release potent feel-good hormones like endorphins, which help boost energy even hours later. Jessica Postigo, the L.A.–based producer-turned-screenwriter, reaped those rewards once she started doing Pilates, which also improves strength and alignment. Plus, those natural-painkiller hormones can increase alertness and your ability to get the job done (whether its playing the piano or flying a plane), explains Edward Laskowski, MD, co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center.

But did you know: Just thinking about your workout differently can have an impact on your energy level. John Bartholomew, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas at Austin, found that college-age women who were pleased with their aerobic exercise had a greater sense of vigor and energy after the workout than those who werent. So the next time youre dragging your heels, find something thatll make you feel good when you move (new workout music, a different routine, great-looking exercise gear).

Instant-energy blast: Take a brisk 10-minute walk—or have sex. Whether youre feeling frisky or fried, love-making releases some of the same energy-boosting, feel-good hormones that your body releases during a workout, says Hilda Hutcherson, MD, co-director of the New York Center for Womens Sexual Health at Columbia University Medical Center and author of Pleasure. Sex also makes you feel good about yourself and your body, Hutcherson says. “And if you feel good, you feel ready to get going.”

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Sometimes fatigue is more than just fatigue. Read this chart to see if any of these symptoms sound familiar, and see your doctor right away to determine any health issues you may have.