SuperCharge

YourenergY

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ContentsExhausted? Isn’t Everyone? 5

Choose to Snooze 6The Better Night’s Sleep Plan 7

Eat More Often 9Start Your Day Right 916 Edible Energizers 10

Clear Your Mind 17Om, Two, Three 18Take a Pose 19

Get Crafty 29Create a Small World 29Start Coloring 30Learn to Play an Instrument 31

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5SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY4

Most women are on the go-go-go from morning till night, tackling epic to-do lists while navigating one distrac-tion after another. They have accepted fatigue as a fact of life, but being perpet-ually spent takes a big toll on health and happiness. What does being chronically tired mean? “Aside from working full-time and doing the majority of housework and child care, we live in a society that’s

Exhausted?Isn’t Everyone?

wired 24/7, so women are always on,” says Holly Phillips, author of The Exhaustion Breakthrough. Add to that a susceptibility to insomnia, anemia, and hypothyroidism, and life for the fairer sex becomes less walk in the park and more The Walking Dead. Some of the most forward-thinking experts on this stuff have been working on ways to reboot your energy. Start by taking these steps.

4 Sneaky Energy SuckersYour extreme fatigue might be coming from hidden sources. Nixing these spirit- depleting factors from your life will automatically help reboot your verve.

1. DehydrationIt turns out that even moderate dehydration (which results in the loss of 3% of your body weight) can make you feel mentally sluggish and mess with your concen-tration. The next time you’re feeling foggy or light-headed, don’t just

assume you’re in serious need

of some food. Try downing

a glass or two of

water.

2. Cell PhonesChecking your cell before bed amps up brain activity, making it harder to doze off. Plus, any electronic gadget’s artificial blue light can suppress the sleep hormone mela-tonin. A 2011 poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 20% of people ages 19 to 29 are awakened by a call, a text, or e-mail at least a few nights a week. Power down your phone well before bedtime.

3. MedicationMany drugs have veiled energy-sapping side effects. Chief among them are some classes of antidepressants and certain be-ta-blockers used to prevent migraines or treat high blood pressure. If you start a new med and feel more le-thargic than usual, see your doctor for an alternative. (If there isn’t one, take your dose right before bed.)

4. Low IronThe mineral shuttles oxygen around your body and removes waste from your cells. If you’re not getting around 18 mg of iron a day, your body struggles to function properly and you can feel worn out; low iron levels in your diet can cause iron deficiency anemia. If you feel sluggish, ask your doctor for a simple blood test to see if you should be taking a supplement.

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7SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY6

Choose to Snooze

Sufficient sleep is crucial to energy. Here’s how it works: You have a highly effective energy-drug factory in your brain. In order to manufacture a max dose, you simply need to get sufficient shut-eye. “Sleep is the only time when your brain can produce ATP, a substance that stores and delivers energy in cells,” says Robert Rosenberg, an Arizona sleep specialist and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day. When ATP is at its peak, you’re more focused and less likely to feel fatigued. Follow this dawn-to-dusk regimen to capture the cel-lular magic. If after 2 weeks you’re still having trouble drifting off or aren’t getting a solid 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, then it’s time to call in reinforcements: A sleep specialist can help get to the root of the problem.

The Better Night’s Sleep Plan

6:30 a.m. Open your blinds to suppress sleepy-time melatonin and elevate brightening cortisol by more than 50%. Light stimulates the pro-duction of serotonin, a hormone that works like an antidepressant. Turn on a warm light as soon as you awake, open the curtains, and, if it’s nice outside, enjoy your breakfast in the sun. Bo-nus: Women who greet the day this way tend to have lower BMIs than those who don’t. How’s that for energizing?

2:30 p.m.Sleep on the job, at least if you’re one of the lucky types with an office door (or one of those mythical company nap rooms). Aim for 20 minutes, max: Naps of that length keep you in light, non-REM sleep, so you won’t wake up groggy.

6:35 a.m.Who knew making your bed could raise chances of a good night’s sleep by 19%? The simple reason: It creates positive vibes around bedtime.

6:45 a.m.Going for an outdoor power walk is like send-ing a strongly worded letter to your circadian

clock. You’ll detail the need for your body to feel more alert now and put in an order for drows-iness tonight. Your internal clock will heed the demands, especially if you stroll in the sun.

7:15 a.m.A hot bath before bed is soothing and sleep in-ducing, but a cold shower gets the heart pumping

and adrenaline flowing and sets you up

for an invig-orating day.

NooNSheesh. Cutting off cof-fee, tea, dark chocolate, and soda at this point is so draconian. But re-member the goal (ATP! ATP! ATP!) and the fact that, for many people, caffeine can stay in the system for hours.

6:00 p.m.Easy on the hefty din-ner—it can trigger acid reflux, a surefire way to toss and turn through the night. Save the pig-ging out for lunchtime (or, even better, never), and keep your evening meal simple: a lean protein like chicken or fish with a side of veggies or salad.

9:00 p.m.Sorry, the electronic curfew thing isn’t going away—no TV, computer,

or smartphone within 90 minutes of lights out. (Yes, that includes back-lit e-readers.)

CHOOSE TO SNOOzE

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY8 9

Even if you’re sleeping as much as usual, starting your night with blue light from a screen risks making it less restful: A Harvard study showed that people who read from a screen before bed found it harder to wake up in the morning and feel alert, even though they slept the same amount. The reason? The blue light emitted by e-readers suppresses the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin.

9:30 p.m. The fast train

to Zzzzsville is fueled by small snacks, like a

handful of whole wheat crackers with

peanut butter, or cereal with almond milk. The nuts contain tryptophan, a building block of the sleep chemical serotonin, while the carbs make the tryptophan more avail-able to your brain.

9:45 p.m. Make like a Floridian in August and crank the bedroom AC. Body temp hits a low around 5 a.m. If the room’s too hot, it may interfere with the natural dip and make you restless.

Most people sleep the best at around 68°F.

10:15 p.m. Lavender isn’t just a schlocky gimmick. It’s been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure, which relaxes you. Folks who sniff it before bed sleep deeper and feel more vigorous in the morning, according to a study done at Wesleyan University in Middle-town, CT.

10:30 p.m. If you don’t have a white-noise app, switch on the fan. Background sounds like a car driving by or a door closing might not wake you up fully, but they rouse you out of the

deep, restorative sleep your body needs to stay energized.

BedtimeHit the sheets at around the same time each evening, says sleep medicine specialist Katherine Sharkey, MD, PhD, of Rhode Island Hospital. “If you vary your bedtime—even by 30 or 60 minutes—your circadian rhythms get out of whack and you’ll feel like you have jet lag every Monday morning,” she says.

Following a strict three-square-meals-a-day plan may be sapping your vigor. “Eating small meals frequently throughout the day—every 3 to 4 hours—helps keep your blood sugar up, so you don’t experience energy crashes or get so ravenous that you overeat,” explains Kathy McManus, RD, director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Eat More Often

Start Your Day Right

Blueberry Chia Oat SmoothieBlend 1 cup unsweetened soy milk; ½ cup soft tofu, rinsed and drained; ½ cup blueberries; ½ banana; ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats; and 2 tsp chia seeds until smooth.

Kicking off the day with a meal that lacks nutri-tional value—ahem, that sugar-packed muffin and latte—puts a dent in your metabolism and sets you up for exhaustion later, says Robert J. Hedaya,

MD, founder of the National Center for Whole Psychi-atry in Chevy Chase, MD. Make sure your breakfast includes around 20 g of protein and some healthy fat—both help keep your energy up. Try some peanut

butter or a handful of almonds stirred into low-fat yogurt. Or try one of these easy recipes for a quick boost.

Fruit and Wheat CerealCombine ½ cup shredded wheat, ½ cup strawberries, ½ banana, 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, and 1 Tbsp walnuts in bowl. Top with ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk.

EAT MORE OFTEN

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10 11

16 Edible EnergizersDon’t accept fatigue as the price of an active life. Aim to eat two of these power boosters daily.

AlmondsAlmonds are packed with magnesium, a mineral that helps convert sugar into energy. Plus, they make a stellar morning snack because they con-tain protein and fiber, which provide sustained energy without a crash. Almonds are also rich in vitamin E, which de-stroys free radicals, the unstable molecules that can damage a cell’s DNA and lead to disease.

AvocadoThe fatty acids in this buttery fruit lower inflammation linked to fatigue-causing condi-tions. And that’s not all: If you’re watching your weight, a midday avo-cado may help. A study published in Nutrition Journal found that adults who indulged in half an avocado at lunch stayed satiated for up to 5 hours and their appetites decreased by as much as 40%, which meant less snacking when the 4 o’clock slump hit.

BlueberriesPotent antioxidants in these small but mighty berries combat free rad-icals that can injure cells and lead to fatigue. Plus, their healthy carb load revs energy without add-ing too much sugar. Blue-berries are also good news for your heart: Having them three times a week could lower your risk of a heart attack by a third, making them as good for your heart as becoming a vegetarian!

ChocolateChocoholics, rejoice. Research shows that dark chocolate in particular is a surprising source of iron, which speeds oxygen delivery to muscles. And chocolate milk, with its 4-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein, is ideal for re-plenishing energy stores and repairing muscle after vigorous exercise. And—not that you need more arm-twisting—epicatechin, one of the compounds that lends cocoa its bitter taste, may help give you surges of extra energy.

CoffeeThe caffeine content in a cup of black coffee should guarantee you about 5 hours (give or take) of energy. Even better, researchers have found that coffee is packed with antioxi-dants—in fact, it’s the top source of these nutrients for most Americans—and studies have shown that it enhances short-term memory and helps protect against dementia and cancer. But skip those “energy” drinks. The jolt they give comes mostly from sugar, which sets you up for an inevitable crash. Cocoa Espresso Waffles

MakES 5 SErvInGS

1½ c whole grain pastry flour

½ c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1 c 1% milk ½ c packed brown

sugar 3 Tbsp light olive oil 2 tsp espresso

powder 3 egg whites 1/8 tsp salt 2 Tbsp mini

chocolate chips (optional)

Powdered or maple syrup

1. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda in large bowl until combined. Make a well in center of mixture and add milk, sugar, oil, and espresso powder. Whisk until blended.

2. Preheat waffle iron 4 minutes, or according to man-ufacturer’s instructions. (A drop of water should sizzle and bounce when dropped on iron.) Meanwhile, beat egg whites and salt with electric mixer at high speed just until soft peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate batter in 3 additions, folding in chocolate chips, if using, with last addition of whites. Fold just until mixture is combined.

3. Coat heated waffle grids with cooking spray right before using. Add enough batter to almost cover grids (¾ cup) and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remain-ing batter. (To keep warm, place single layer of waffles on foil-lined baking sheet in preheated 250°F oven.) Top with powdered sugar or maple syrup.

EAT MORE OFTENSUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY

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13SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY12

Curried Carrot-Lentil SoupMakES 4 SErvInGS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 min-utes. Stir in curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Add water and lentils. Bring to a boil. Skim top of water to remove foam and simmer lentils, partially covered, 20 minutes. Add car-rots and simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 15 minutes longer.

2. Puree soup in blender, working in 2 batches, and return to saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until heated through. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add additional water if too thick. (Makes 8 cups.) Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

World’s Best Trail MixMakES 6 SErvInGS

¼ c dried cherries ¼ c dried goji berries ¼ c cacao nibs ¼ c peanuts (¼ cup) 6 Brazil nuts, halved

Mix all ingredients together.

Lentils Lentils are high in carbs and protein. The body absorbs these nutrients slowly, keeping energy levels on an even keel. But it’s fiber that’s the true star nutrient in lentils. Study after study has shown that by filling your belly and slowing digestion, fiber keeps you satisfied longer, helping ward off weight creep, especial-ly as you age.

KaleKale is a superstar when it comes to providing energy, due to its protein, fiber, and crazy levels of antioxidants. It also seems to enhance the function of immune cells in the skin and the gut, accord-ing to the journal Cell. This is particularly important because these cells—es-pecially the ones in the skin—form the body’s first

line of defense against germs that cause colds and flu.

Goji BerriesResearch finds that this tart Chinese fruit (think cranberry meets green tea) may live up to the superhero claims. Goji berries may reduce fatigue and stress and improve blood flow and alertness. They provide 18 amino acids, which help maintain and repair cells.

EAT MORE OFTEN

1 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 tsp curry powder ½ tsp turmeric 1/8 tsp cayenne 6 c water1¼ c dried red

lentils (8 oz), picked over

¾ lb carrots (about 5 med), cut into ½”-thick rounds

¼ c chopped cilantro + sprigs for garnish

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY14 15

OatsA fiber-packed whole grain cereal, oatmeal is your best breakfast choice for long-lasting energy. Credit oatmeal’s en-ergy-boost-ing ability with its soluble fiber con-tent. Much more than the insoluble fiber in, say, wheat bran, the soluble fiber in oatmeal slows down carbohydrate absorp-tion, thus keeping your blood sugar levels more constant. Both oat bran and rolled oats are high in soluble fiber, so when you don’t feel like eating oatmeal, try oat bran muffins.

OrangesIf you exercise in the morning, breakfast is the ideal time to eat citrus fruits that are rich in vitamin C. This nutrient plays a key role in metab-olizing iron, which helps your body move ener-gizing oxygen through your bloodstream. Plus, the fructose in OJ is a perfect pick-me-up, says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a certified special-ist in sports dietetics

and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

PineappleA cup of this luscious, tart-sweet fruit contains your daily quota of man-ganese, a trace mineral that’s essential for ener-gy production as well as promoting bone health. Go ahead and cut it into chunks and store in the fridge or buy it precut for convenience—the fruit retains its nutritional punch for up to a week.

Ricotta CheeseMade from whey protein, ricotta can enhance mus-cle building and metabo-lism. This lower-calorie cheese is rich in amino acids, which speed muscle recovery after a

workout. And don’t fear the fat—as long as you’re eating the appropriate number of calories every day, your body won’t store it in your soft spots but, rather, burn it for energy.

Quinoa This hearty, seedlike grain contains more protein than traditional grains do. Plus, quinoa contains amino acids needed to form complete proteins, so it’s a natural at aiding muscle repair and power-workout re-covery. A bonus: Quinoa helps boost levels of mood-lifting neurotrans-mitters in the brain, which can help relieve symptoms of depression, like slow thinking and poor memory.

Quinoa with Black Beans, Tomatoes, Corn & FetaMakES 6 SErvInGS

1¼ c water 3¾ c quinoa, rinsed ¼ tsp salt 2 tsp canola oil ½ large onion,

chopped (about ¾ cup)

¾ c frozen corn 1 can (15 oz) black beans,

drained and rinsed 1 pt cherry tomatoes,

quartered (about 1½ c) Juice of 2 to 3 limes

(about 4 to 6 Tbsp)

1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp chili powder 1/3 c fresh cilantro 3 oz feta cheese,

crumbled (about ¾ c)

Salt and pepper

1. Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Stir in quinoa and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked through but still firm to the bite and water is evaporated. Remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasion-ally, about 6 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. Add corn and cook 2 minutes, then add beans and cook about 2 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer to large bowl. Add quinoa, tomatoes, lime juice to taste, cumin, and chili powder and stir gen-tly to combine. Stir in cilantro and feta and season to taste with salt and pepper.

EAT MORE OFTEN

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY16

Meditation is not a New Agey time waster. It has become a much-touted medical tool, and it’s one of the mind-body therapies prescribed by doctors to some 6 million Americans, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. It can dial down activity in brain areas that process pain; it can also strengthen your immune system, lower blood pressure, and ease depression— stuff even the most advanced Western meds struggle to do sans side effects. Plus, research shows that what’s good for your health also gives your brain a big lift. Meditation can increase gray matter density in areas used for learning and memory, says the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging. And it doesn’t take a year at an ashram to get results—daily practice for 2 months can do it.

Clear Your Mind

SalmonThis fish’s hefty dose of protein speeds metabo-lism, which increases en-ergy. Plus, just 2 ounces of salmon contains 52% of your recommended daily dose of niacin, a B vitamin that boosts en-ergy and helps your body metabolize carbs and fat. Buy wild-caught species, such as Alaskan king—its varied diet makes it more flavorful, as well as lower in fat, than farmed varieties.

SquashSweeter than pump-kins, winter squash (think acorn, butternut, delicate, or hubbard) supplies your body with a healthy dose of the B vitamin thiamine, which plays a central role in energy pro-duction and cognitive function. Not enough reason to eat squash? It also provides lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxi-dants shown to reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

TurkeyA 3-ounce serving of turkey has nearly all the tryptophan (an essential amino acid that helps the body produce sero-tonin and melatonin, hormones that regulate sleep) you need in a day. Studies show that people who suffer from insomnia are deficient in tryptophan. This bird also contains B vitamins, which help metabolize food into energy, and the amino acid tyrosine, which can keep you more alert.

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19SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY18

Om, Two, ThreeAn a.m. om session can be highly relaxing and may straighten out taxing mental disar-ray. “Meditating in the morning can help clear your mind so that you can then do things faster and with more focus,”

says integrative medicine specialist Frank Lipman, MD, author of Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again. “You can actually end up with more time.” Aim for 20 minutes of quiet reflection before or after breakfast.

What to ExpectPracticing mindful medi-tation (a more practical version of transcenden-tal meditation, which calls for you to block out images and “transcend” thinking) can train you to focus your mind

For a detailed description of each pose, see the page noted.Plank

(p. 20)Side Plank

(p. 21)Half Pushup

(p. 20)Down Dog

(p. 22)Down Dog Split

(p. 23)Down Dog Split, Side Lift

(p. 24)Stay here for five long, deep breaths and return to Down Dog Split. Repeat this three times and return to Down Dog.Low Lunge

(p. 25)High Lunge

(p. 26)Single-Leg Forward Bend

(p. 27)Down Dog

(p. 22)Forearm Stand Prep

(p. 28)Forearm Stand Leg raise

(p. 28)Do three times on each side.Child’s Pose

(p. 28)Rest for a few minutes in Child’s Pose, then repeat the whole routine on the other side.

and shed stress. If you are a beginner, though, choose a quiet place to get start-ed—no incense or chanting needed.1. Sit comfortably and close your eyes.2. Focus on your breath. Don’t force yourself to take giant inhalations or ex-halations; just breathe naturally. “A bil-lion images and emotions might come into your head,” says Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation So-ciety. “That’s normal. Recognize them, then gently let them go and return your attention to your breathing.”3. Try to practice for at least 10 minutes a day, working up to 20 minutes or more. A meditative state may feel different for each person, but the basic aim is to untangle yourself from stress. The first 5 minutes is always the toughest, says Salzberg, so don’t be dismayed if you can’t concentrate right away.

Take a PoseYou know about the calming and restor-ative powers of yoga. But yoga is no one-trick pony. It’s also amazing for building stamina and increasing energy. Certain yoga postures stimulate the release of energy in the body, and you don’t have to be circus-level limber to do them. So whenever you need a pick-me-up—whether it’s first thing in the morning, before an important meeting, or after a frustrating argument with your signif-icant other—just follow this sequence. Hold each pose for five inhales and exhales, unless otherwise noted. You’ll notice an improvement in your stamina and a boost in your overall strength, tolerance, and willpower. How’s that for a 10-minute energy boost?

The Routine

CLEAR YOUR MIND

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21SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY20

PlankGet on your hands and knees. Tuck your toes under and straighten your legs so you are in one horizontal line.

Pose Directions

Side PlankPress your left hand firmly against the floor and roll to the outside edge of your left foot, stacking your right ankle, hip, and shoulder on top of your left ankle, hip, and shoulder. Reach straight up with your right arm and look up toward your hand.

Bring your shoulder blades together.

Extend forward through the top of your head and reach back through your heels. Reach the backs of your legs up.

Keep your elbows straight but not locked. Working with locked elbows is like slouch-ing. You might be able

Make sure your hands are under your shoulders and your fingers are spread wide apart, as if you were squishing them into wet sand. Spreading your fingers ensures a stable foundation that builds strength effectively and pre-vents injury.

to hold the position more easily, but it won’t help you build strength because you rely on the joints, instead of your muscles, to do the work. Back off slightly from your hyperextend-ed position so your elbows are straight and face back toward your feet. Working this way will build strong, sexy shoulders.

CLEAR YOUR MIND

Half PushupBend your elbows so they point straight back along your ribs and lower yourself halfway to the floor. Pause when your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

Reach out forward through the top of your head and back through your heels.

Lift your stomach up and in to keep your body in one straight line.

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23SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY22

Down DogFrom standing, come down on all fours. Spread your fingers wide on your mat. Make sure your wrists are under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Tuck your toes, lift your hips up and back, and extend your legs. Press your shoulders toward the floor and relax your neck. Press your palms against the floor a few inches in front of your feet. Walk your feet back, lift your hips, and press your heels toward the floor. Relax your shoulders and head.

Spreading your fingers ensures a sta-ble foundation that builds strength effec-tively and pre-vents injury.

Down Dog SplitBring your right leg straight up behind you, foot flexed. Keep your hips square to the floor.

Reach the back of your leg straight up.

You can check whether your hips are square by tilting your head down and look-ing to see if your foot is pointing down.

If your heels are far away from the floor, try walking your feet forward a few inches to lower your heels. When your entire foot rests on the floor, you have a much more stable base and get more length out of Down Dog. If your heels are too far off the floor, you may overstress the rest of your body in an effort to hold the position. Walking your feet in a bit can help take the edge off until your body opens up more.

CLEAR YOUR MIND

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25SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY24

Low LungeStep forward with your right foot. Press your fingertips on the floor, with one hand on each side of your right foot. Bend your knees slightly and step back with your left leg into a long, low lunge. Your right leg should be bent deeply and your left leg should be straight.

Down Dog Split, Side LiftArc your right leg from behind you out to your right side so your toes point forward. Keep your right leg even with your hips, and keep both arms straight and strong.

Stay here for five long, deep breaths, and then open your hips to the right and lift your leg even higher. Point and flex your foot to open up your ankle.

Reach out through your left heel and sink your hips low.

Relax your shoulders and soften your collarbones.

CLEAR YOUR MIND

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27SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY26

High LungeBend your right knee over your right foot so your thigh is parallel to the floor. Ex-tend your arms straight up over your ears. Sink your hips and relax your shoulders. Put some weight onto your left foot, reaching your heel out behind you for stability.

Single-Leg Forward BendMove the blocks aside and place your fingertips on the floor on each side of your right foot, with your elbows slightly bent. Hang your torso over your right leg.

Down Dog (See directions, p. 22)

CLEAR YOUR MIND

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29SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY28

You don’t need to log 18-hour days at work to feel an achievement high. Outside hobbies and pas-sions yield the same effect. “I call this creative com-pensation,” says Debbie

Mandel, author of Addict-ed to Stress. “It ends up being restorative because you are accomplishing something that’s just for you.” Think about what’s appealing to you—cooking,

Get Crafty

Create a Small WorldTerrariums bring crafting and gardening together, and bringing both into your office is an easy way to liven up your other-wise bland surroundings and sharpen your focus. In a study in the Jour-nal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, people in plant-free zones rated their stress levels as nearly 11% high-er than those exposed to plant life. Flexing your green thumb may help fend off an afternoon slump, too. Texas A&M researchers found that volunteers who kept vases of vibrant flowers on their desks, along with green plants elsewhere in the

office, generated more creative ideas than those in a vegetation-free setting. A terrarium can thrive in an office because it doesn’t need constant

writing, painting—and devote an hour or two to it each week. And try to surround yourself with pals who live more balanced lives and soak up their perspectives.

care. Its enclosure cre-ates a mini ecosystem, keeping the soil moist and the plants happy. With the right balance of ingredients, a terrarium can be self-sustaining for

Child’s PoseKneel and sit back on your heels. Extend your torso over your legs and rest your forehead on the floor. Relax your neck and shoulders.

GET CRAFTY

Forearm Stand PrepFrom Down Dog, bend your elbows and lower your forearms to the floor.

Try to normalize your breath as if you were in Child’s Pose.

Lift your shoulders away from the floor.

Make sure your fingers are spread wide and your elbows are directly under your shoulders and behind your wrists.

Forearm Stand Leg RaiseWalk your feet in about 6 inches, moving your hips over your shoulders. Inhale and lift your left leg, bringing your hips higher over your shoulders. Try to roll onto the toes of your right foot.

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31SUPERCHARGE YOUR ENERGY30

Learn to Play an Instrument

Whatever instrument you choose, the key to mastery isn’t your age—it’s your attitude and patience. After decades of listening to beautiful music, “it’s easy to have an unrealistic sense of what we’ll sound like when we first start play-ing,” says Brittin. Find a teacher at a college or music store who can put your progress into per-spective. Online tutorials are tempting and can be

helpful, but an in-per-son lesson will help you correct common mistakes and provide a personal touch, Brittin says. And one perk of learning as an adult? You have a say in choosing songs you actually like, which is a good incentive to practice, she says. Another way to improve without judgment: Jam with other music fans. Find a local group at folkjam.org/listall.

Learning to play an instru-ment is a brain booster, mood enhancer, and social lubricant. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Start like Jimi Hendrix did—with a uku-lele. (True story!) The uke is ideal for beginners, says Ruth Brittin, PhD, chair-woman of the department of music education at the University of the Pacific. With only four strings, it’s easy to play; plus, it’s portable and affordable.

years at a time. Simply, a terrarium is built up with pebbles, charcoal, moss, soil, and plants.

Getting StartedFirst, determine what kind of light your office space gets. In naturally lit rooms, indirect light filters through the glass, creating warmth and humidity that mimic the environment of an equatorial cloud forest. On the other hand, in an interior work area, such as a cubicle, fluorescent overheads create an environment similar to what you’d find in a low-light rain forest.

Go ShoppingAt a garden center, buy a pound of 3/8-inch peb-bles, a bag of horticul-tural charcoal, potting soil, and a 2-gallon glass container with a lid. For a window office, buy Af-rican violets or orchids; for a cubicle, Selaginella mosses and ferns.

Put It TogetherLayer the materials in your container. First add an inch of pebbles, then 1 tablespoon of the horti-cultural charcoal, then 2 to 3 inches of soil. Next remove each plant from its pot and

Start Coloring

loosen the roots with your fingers. Dig a hole deep enough to contain the plant’s root system beneath the surface of the soil.

Place Your GardenDirect sunlight on a closed container can burn your plants. So in an office with a window, situate your terrarium in a spot that’s well lit but not in direct

sun. Try a bookshelf or table that’s far from the window. For darker spaces, mosses thrive in dimmer environments, but if the ecosystem is too dark, nothing will grow. For the best light, place your terrarium on a high shelf or an open part of your desk. Water your plants and cap your terrarium. Every 2 weeks, take off the lid for a few hours.

Feeling crazed? Grab a crayon. Using coloring books with intricate patterns created spe-cifically for adults can help relieve stress and anxiety. Coloring in complex images is repetitive and rhythmic, which can have a soothing effect, explains David Gussak, PhD, an art therapist at Florida State Univer-sity. If that sounds a bit Zen, well, it is: In a study in the journal

Art Therapy, people who colored in mandalas—or-nate designs prominent in Buddhism—saw their stress levels drop three times as much as those of people who worked with a plaid pattern and twice as much as those of folks who doodled on a blank page. Your stress-busting supplies: Coloring Mandalas: For Confidence, Energy, and Purpose and a set of colored pencils, crayons, or fine-tipped markers.

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Having a low-energy day? Sometimes the problem is lack of sleep (in which case, the tips in this premium can help), but even if you’re well rested, certain diet or exercise habits can bring on a slump. And surprisingly little things—such as how often you check your cell phone or how you decorate your office—can hurt or help your energy levels. Make some of these tweaks to power through your day.

Sit quietly with your eyes closed and just breathe—you’ll get sharper focus.

Eat this berry to combat free radicals that lead to fatigue.

Borrow your grandkids’ crayons and start coloring.

Try yoga to build stamina and energy levels in just minutes a day.

Sip this drink—with zero calories—for energy.

And much more!

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