How to Stop Feeling Tired: 4 Tips to Boost Your Energy

Did you know that one in eight people in the UK report feeling tired all the time? With nearly half of adults preferring an extra hour of sleep over £20, it’s clear that energy is a precious commodity.

Feeling drained can undermine your productivity and mood, but simple hacks can help you recharge without a major schedule overhaul. Here are four science-backed strategies to sharpen your focus and sustain your energy.

Cut the Caffeine

Coffee and tea can be lifesavers on groggy mornings, but overuse—or poor timing—can trap you in a cycle of fatigue. Based on nutrition surveys, just under 90% of adults consume caffeine every day [verify]. While caffeine blocks adenosine receptors (the chemical that signals tiredness), its half-life is about five hours, meaning a morning latte can still linger in your system by dinner.

Drinking caffeine too late often leads to restless nights and a worse energy slump the next morning. To break the cycle:

• Limit coffee or caffeinated tea to before or during lunch.
• Wait at least 90 minutes after waking before that first cup. Experts like Dr. Andrew Huberman recommend this to let your natural adenosine clear and avoid an afternoon crash [verify].
• Swap late-afternoon caffeine for herbal tea, water, or a brisk walk to refresh your system without sleep disruption.

By timing your caffeine wisely, you’ll maximize its boosting effects without cutting into your sleep quality.

Work As Play

What if work felt less like a chore and more like a game? When we infuse tasks with playful elements, we tap into a flow state that fuels both creativity and energy. Psychologists identify three “Ps” to energize work: play, power, and people.

• Play: Turn repeatable tasks into fun challenges. For instance, set a timer to beat your own speed record on data entry.
• Power: Take ownership. If you choose the order of tasks and set personal goals, you’ll feel more invested and motivated.
• People: Collaborate or share progress. Celebrating wins—even small ones—in a team or with friends makes work more rewarding.

Consider the McDonald’s drive-thru employee who turned upselling sauce into a weekly game: Monday was barbecue sauce day, Tuesday sweet and sour, and so on. This simple twist made a mundane job surprisingly energizing—and it can do the same for you, whether you’re writing reports or studying from a textbook. When enjoyment drives your tasks, productivity and energy levels rise in tandem.

Move In The Morning

That groggy haze called sleep inertia can stick around for hours—but a short burst of movement can help shake it off. Research shows that high-intensity exercise first thing can spike cortisol, the hormone that primes us to wake up. In one study, participants who did just 30 seconds of intense cycling after a nap felt significantly less groggy than those who did low-intensity movement or rested [verify].

If sprint intervals aren’t your style, you can still leverage morning movement:

• Go for a brisk 10–15 minute walk around the block.
• Do gentle stretching, yoga flows, or bodyweight exercises at home.
• Schedule a low-intensity post-lunch stroll to prevent the afternoon slump.

Even mild exercise boosts blood flow, elevates mood, and reinforces your cortisol awakening response. By making morning movement non-negotiable, you set a stable, energized tone for the rest of your day.

Start With Sunlight

Light is one of the most potent signals for our internal clock. Exposing your eyes to natural morning light within the first hour of waking can trigger the cortisol awakening response, suppress melatonin production, and boost serotonin levels—all of which sharpen alertness and mood.

To soak up morning sunlight:

• Step outside for 5–10 minutes on clear days, or 20–30 minutes when overcast, as recommended by Dr. Andrew Huberman [verify].
• Open curtains and blinds immediately upon waking to flood your home or office with daylight.
• Use a SAD lamp or a daylight-mimicking light therapy device if outdoor exposure isn’t possible.

Regular morning light helps synchronize your circadian rhythm, ensuring you’re tired when it’s truly nighttime and alert when it’s time to work. Over time, this consistency translates to deeper sleep and more sustained daytime energy.

Conclusion

By fine-tuning caffeine habits, reframing work as play, embracing morning movement, and prioritizing sunlight exposure, you can interrupt the fatigue cycle and feel more consistently alert.
Actionable Tip: Choose one strategy this week—such as walking outside for 10 minutes each morning—and track how your energy levels improve over seven days.

How do you combat fatigue? Share your go-to tips in the comments!