During pregnancy, your usual energy level may take a dip at times, especially as your body adapts to hormonal shifts and increased body weight. Sometimes you may feel like lying on the couch all day, but inactivity can increase your fatigue. Try the following tips to help boost your energy level on those days that you’re feeling tired.
- Watch your diet. When you’re feeling tired, you naturally reach for sugary foods to help boost blood sugar levels. Eating sugar-rich foods will give you a spike of energy, but at the expense of a big dip afterward. Instead, reach for protein-rich snacks that have some fat to help keep your blood sugar level steady. Try swapping a cookie for peanut butter on a cracker, or low sugar yogurt.
- Get up and move a bit. You may not be up for a workout, but a short walk can wake up your body and boost your energy. Just think about doing 10-15 minutes of any activity, such as walking, doing several sets of going up and downstairs, or a portion of an exercise DVD. The key is to keep the intensity down and just move your body.
- If you don’t feel like aerobic exercise, spend 5-10 minutes strength training with a resistance band or hand weights. Choose a weight or resistance that allows you to do at least 12 repetitions and 2-3 sets. Avoid overloading your weight lifting when your feeling tired–the goal is to get your blood pumping with some gentle reps.
- Take a power nap. You may think this is counterproductive, but if you feel exhausted, sometimes the best remedy is a short nap. The rules for an effective power nap are to keep it between 15-20 minutes, and avoid napping after 3 PM. The sweet spot is sometime just after lunch and before 3:00 PM—any later than that can disrupt your nightly sleep. Remember to set the alarm, so you don’t oversleep, and even if you don’t fall asleep, taking the time to rest can be helpful.
- Take a shower. One of the best ways to increase your energy level is by taking a shower. Avoid having the water temperature too hot, and end with a cold rinse if you can tolerate it.
- Increase your fluid intake. Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, so monitor your fluid intake to make sure you’re drinking enough. Water is the best choice, but juices and even tea and coffee count. Aim for eight glasses of fluid or more a day. A good way to determine whether you’re dehydrated is by checking the color of your urine. If it’s deep yellow, it’s your cue to up your fluid intake. Aim for urine that is pale to almost clear.
- Use your breathing to decrease stress and improve your energy level. Pregnancy can be stressful, and when you’re feeling tense, your breath can become shallow. You can improve your breathing and reduce stress by “belly breathing.” Hold your hands over your tummy, and as you breathe, allow your abdomen to expand outward (you should feel your tummy expand into your hands). Avoid breathing with your upper body (where your shoulders lift and tense) and relax your shoulders as you slowly breathe in and out with your belly expanding and relaxing. Practice belly breathing several times a day to help train yourself to breathe correctly.
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