About ten years ago Dr. Amy Shah found herself almost always exhausted. As a busy working parent she refused to accept constant low energy as normal. Her experience inspired the 2021 book I’m So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your Energy, and Reclaim Your Life. Together with a clinical psychologist and a leadership coach, Shah lays out straightforward, natural ways to restore energy without relying on extra caffeine.
1) Feed your gut for steady energy
What you eat and the microbes that process it affect how energized you feel. A healthy gut helps produce hormones tied to mood and energy, while inflammation drains resources. Shah recommends focusing on nutrient-dense, high-fiber foods — think berries, avocados, seeds and nuts, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables — to support digestion, metabolism and serotonin production. Avoid sugary, caffeinated drinks that spike blood sugar and cortisol then crash, and limit processed meats linked with inflammation. If you eat animal protein, choose lean, hormone-free or grass-fed options and fatty fish when possible.
2) Support your circadian rhythm
When your internal clock is aligned, energy, mood and thinking improve. Simple ways to reset it: get early morning sunlight to suppress melatonin and cue wakefulness; eat primarily during daylight hours so digestion and metabolism have a regular rhythm; stop eating about three hours before bedtime and aim for roughly a 12-hour overnight break between your last and first meal to give your gut a rest.
3) Build daily recovery rituals
Emotional and mental energy matter as much as physical stamina. Clinical psychologist Enmanuel Mercedes stresses short, regular recovery practices rather than saving relaxation for the weekend. Daily rituals — a quick workout, a few minutes of journaling, a nightly crossword or another calming habit — help refill emotional reserves, lower anxiety and increase a sense of control.
4) De-stress every day
Since stress accumulates, recovery should be frequent. Small, consistent acts of self-care are more effective than occasional long escapes. Treat stress management like a practiced skill: brief, repeatable routines produce compounding benefits and prevent the chronic drain of ongoing pressures.
5) Pursue a hobby that delights you
Activities done for pure pleasure refresh you in a different way than chores or obligations. Leadership coach Karen Walrond notes hobbies give a burst of exhilaration when you learn or create something new. Hobbies reduce stress, encourage social connection, spark curiosity and boost long-term motivation and wellbeing.
6) Prioritize short, restorative wins
Weave tiny energizing practices into your day: standing or stretching breaks, a minute of sunlight, a few deep breaths, tidying your workspace, or a quick creative task. These micro-wins interrupt fatigue, lift mood and keep momentum without large time commitments.
7) Favor sustainable habits over quick fixes
Avoid relying on sugary drinks or constant caffeine that produce short-lived boosts and later crashes. Instead, build manageable, lasting habits — better food, light exposure, timed eating windows, daily recovery rituals and joyful hobbies — that compound over time to restore physical and emotional energy.
If exhaustion is severe or persistent, seek medical evaluation. For many people, simple, consistent changes in diet, sleep timing, stress recovery and regular pleasure-seeking can meaningfully restore energy and help reclaim life from constant tiredness.
This story was edited by Malaka Gharib. We’d love to hear from you: voicemail at 202-216-9823 or [email protected]. Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and follow @nprlifekit.