Spring into energy

Here’s how to revive and refresh yourself ready for the new season

Most of us want more energy especially after the long winter months which can leave us feeling sluggish and lethargic. So how do you get it? Following a wholesome healthy diet and taking regular exercise are obvious routes. Getting plenty of sleep, keeping motivated and not getting stuck in a rut are other factors.

But that’s not all. There are plenty of herbs that can also help you renew your zest and love for life.  Read on for some common energy blockers and the herbs that may be able to help.

You’ve lost your get-up-and-go

If you can hardly get out of bed in the morning and then when you do everything is a struggle you need something that will give you a quick boost to kickstart you into action. And the herb that springs to mind is ginseng. Long regarded as something of a wonder drug it is a highly respected herbal tonic, which will give your body the injection of energy you are looking for.

You can’t get to sleep

A good night’s sleep is essential if you are to function at optimum levels for it is while you sleep that your body goes through the vital processes of cell repair and rejuvenation. So maybe it’s time for a little herbal help to get you through the night so you are full of energy when it comes to dealing with the day ahead. Valerian is the most popular herbal sleep remedy. It will make you feel sleepy if you take it at bedtime, while taken during the day, it can help you deal with stress, which may be what is keeping you awake at night.

Camomile is another sleep- inducing herb, which you can make into a tea and drink during the day as well as before bed. To get maximum benefit, buy it in loose form and use a tablespoon to a cup of boiling water. Infuse it covered for 10 minutes before drinking.

You feel low and lethargic

The days may be getting longer and lighter but your mood is far from sunny. If this is an apt description of how you feel it sounds like you belong to the SLUMPER brigade – that’s slightly, low, unhappy, moody people. But don’t despair you are not alone. In a recent on-line survey of 3,000 UK adults almost 70 per cent admitted to sometimes feeling down or unhappy without knowing why. And the good news is a course of St John’s wort, often known as the sunshine herb, may be all that’s needed to bring back the smile to your face.

At least 30 studies on more than 1,700 patients show that St John’s wort can be an effective remedy for mild- to-moderate depression without the side effects of more conventional anti-depressants. It is not known exactly how it works but it is thought to help prolong the action of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin – a deficiency of which can result in depression.

Fast forward to energy

• Get minty Sprinkle a few drops of camomile oil on your handkerchief and sniff for a quick energy boost.
• See red According to the colour experts red is the colour that stimulates so fill your home with red object and wear red whenever you can.
• Laugh Chuckling away boosts feel good hormones, which in turn ups those energy levels.
• Try something new Breaking with routine is incredibly energising so take up a new hobby, book a weekend away or simply do something different.