Ever get the feeling that you are running on empty? Even though you start the day feeling fresh and alert, it gets to mid-afternoon and you feel like you’ve run a half marathon and are ready for bed again.

You are not alone, but the great news is that you don’t have to feel that way. In fact, by making a few minor changes to your diet and lifestyle you can send your energy levels soaring.

TIME TO RE-FUEL

Have you ever pulled up at a service station and put diesel in your petrol-engine car? You pull away and the car splutters for a bit before coming to a grinding halt.

Your body is just like that car. It runs on fuel (food) and if you give it too much of the wrong types of fuel (junk and over-processed food) it will eventually slow down and stop. To keep your engine purring you just have to follow some simple food principles.

Avoid alcohol, added sugar and caffeine. They are stimulants that add to stress and irritability. Although these are the very substances we reach to when we need an energy rush, they will only give us a brief high followed by an inevitable energy dip.

Trans fats – or hydrogenated fat as it is described on food labels – will also leave you feeling tired and sluggish. There’s no need to cut fat out of your diet altogether, but opt for the essential fatty acids found in nuts, seeds and oily fish instead to give you energy.

Whether you prefer to eat three meals or five (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon) a day, distribute your calories evenly throughout the day.

A light breakfast, then a sandwich on the go followed by a heavy dinner will only add to your fatigue. You will not have enough energy to get through the day, but then you will have calorie overload in the evening and when are you going to use them up?

If you do snack, snack wisely. Quick releasing carbohydrates like sweets, chocolates, crisps and white bread will only give you a sugar high and a sugar crash. If you crave something sweet, opt for fruit or dried fruit in moderation. Unsalted nuts or seeds are the perfect savoury fix.

Never overeat because it will only leave you completely drained of energy. If you are not convinced, picture the post-turkey feeling on Christmas Day and you will have all the evidence you need.

REST AND RELAXATION

If you have a healthy, balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, grains and pulses, nuts and seeds, and oily fish but are still always tired, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep.

Most people need seven to nine hours a night to flourish. If you are getting less than that you should reassess your sleeping pattern to see what you can do to promote longer, better quality sleep.

Even if you are getting the ideal eight hours sleep a night, it’s still perfectly natural to have an energy dip between two and four in the afternoon because of a change in body temperature.

If you are lucky enough to be in a position to take a siesta, a 15 to 20 minute nap is all you need to revitalise yourself. Power nap for more that 20 to 25 minutes and you will wake up feeling even more tired and groggy than when you went to sleep.

Realistically, you are not going to be able to take an afternoon nap, but you do still need to take time out to recharge your batteries.

If you are in an office all day, get in the habit of getting up every 90 minutes and going for a walk to stretch your legs and clear your mind, and always get away from your desk and get some fresh air at lunchtime.

When you do get hit by your mid-afternoon energy dip, spend ten minutes looking out of a window and clear your mind of the stresses and strains of your life.

A little time spent daydreaming will give your eyes a break from your PC – one of the very things that makes you feel tired – and will give you the energy you need to get through the rest of the day.

NATURE’S PICK-ME-UPS

Other than lack of sleep, the most common reason for feeling fatigued is dehydration. To avoid falling into that trap ensure that you always drink six to eight tall glasses of water a day – more if you are exercising.

The old foes alcohol and caffeine both have a dehydrating effect so make sure you drink even more fluids to combat them.

Sunlight is nature’s other gift to boost our energy levels. Exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun enables the body to produce vitamin D and produces the chemical serotonin, which helps to control sleep patterns, lifts moods and helps fight depression.

You may also decide to try natural energy boosters such as ginseng and ginkgo biloba. Both herbs have been added to energy foods and drinks, but rather than adding more processed foods or drinks to further clog up your congested system, try them in natural teas instead.

ARE YOU GETTING YOUR VITAMINS

If you enjoy a healthy, balanced diet then you should have all the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs.

But topping your levels up won’t do you any harm. In particular iron and vitamin C supplements can help in your fight against fatigue.

Although taking a good multivitamin will not give you energy – only food can do that – it will give you the foundations for increased vigour so you need never feel sluggish again.