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

2024-10-18 · Long video (solo, talking head or whiteboard) · Ali, Julie Smith, TJ Power, Russell Foster · recording, 16:25 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Health, sleep and habits (also: Productivity and time) · mode: Explanation and tutorial · tags: Evidence-based framing, Feel-Good Productivity thesis, Sponsor segment present

Ali gives four ways to feel less tired when more sleep is not possible: time caffeine well (ideally before or at lunch, and not straight after waking), make work enjoyable through play, power and people, move your body in the morning, and get morning sunlight, with clips of Julie Smith, TJ Power and Russell Foster.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Introduction: how many people feel tired, and four ways to boost energy

  • ★★ Ali says one in eight people in the UK feel tired all the time and one in four most of the time, and that in a poll around 50% of people would prefer an extra hour of sleep to £20. — 00:00:00 · United Kingdom
  • ★★★ Nothing beats a good night's sleep for energy, Ali says, but when schedules do not allow it, there are four things you can do to boost your energy through the day. — 00:00:00
  • ★ Ali says nutrition surveys in the US show that just under 90% of adults consume caffeine every day. — 00:00:29 · United States

00:00:45 — Tip one: cut the caffeine, and take it at the right time

  • ★★ Ali describes a cycle of waking tired, drinking tea or coffee, struggling to sleep and waking more tired; one reason you may feel tired a lot is too much caffeine, or caffeine at the wrong time. — 00:00:58
  • ★★ Ali explains that caffeine makes you feel awake by blocking adenosine receptors: adenosine, a chemical in the body, normally binds to them and makes us feel tired. — 00:00:58
  • ★★ Ali says the often-quoted five hours is caffeine's average half-life, not the time to clear it: after five hours half is left, after ten hours 25%, and 15 hours later 12.5%. — 00:01:43
  • ★★★ If you drink caffeine, Ali says the best time is ideally before or during lunch; caffeine at any time in the afternoon is probably a bit late and puts your sleep at risk. — 00:02:12
  • ★★★ Ali, citing Andrew Huberman, advises against caffeine straight after waking, since blocked adenosine accumulates and brings an afternoon crash; Huberman recommends waiting 90 minutes to two hours after waking for the first caffeine. — 00:02:41

00:03:27 — Sponsor read for BetterHelp

  • ★★ In a paid BetterHelp read, Ali says he used BetterHelp therapy in 2023 during stress in his life, by video call, and the therapist helped him see that what he thought were business strategy problems had a deeper emotional core. — 00:03:27

00:04:53 — Tip two: work as play, making work enjoyable to make it energising

  • ★★★ A core idea of Ali's book Feel-Good Productivity: making work enjoyable is a massive source of energy; positive emotions make you more productive, more creative and less stressed, and generate energy for the other important areas of life. — 00:04:55 · feel-good productivity (concept), Feel-Good Productivity (book)
  • ★★ Ali says absorbing, sufficiently challenging work, perhaps in a flow state, can be energising, while tedious, boring work drains motivational energy even when it uses little physical energy. — 00:05:27
  • ★★ Ali sees two ways to enjoy work: choosing work that is inherently enjoyable, a privileged position most people are not in, or finding ways to enjoy the work you happen to be doing. — 00:05:56
  • ★★★ Ali's friend Matthew Dicks made his McDonald's drive-through job a game, picking a sauce each day to upsell (barbecue on Monday, sweet and sour on Tuesday); if he could, Ali says, you can find a way in your job. — 00:06:55 · McDonald's
  • ★★ Ali says there are always ways to make whatever we are doing just 10% more enjoyable. — 00:07:24
  • ★★ Ali's book Feel-Good Productivity rests on the three Ps, play, power and people: play means approaching work with lightness and ease, power means taking ownership and responsibility for it. — 00:07:24 · play, power, people, Feel-Good Productivity (book)
  • ★★ The third P of Feel-Good Productivity is people: being around others, helping the people around us and connecting work to a purpose beyond ourselves make work much more energising, Ali says. — 00:07:53 · play, power, people, Feel-Good Productivity (book)
  • ★★★ If your job drains your energy, Ali says quitting to follow your passion or become a YouTuber is one option but often not realistic now; the alternative is to make the job you have a little more enjoyable. — 00:08:23
  • ★ Ali says there is a lot of research by psychologists and scientists on reliable ways to increase how much you enjoy what you do. — 00:08:23
  • ★★ Julie Smith: Psychologist Julie Smith says hating your job does not mean you must just endure hardship: you can work on improving what is, even if you have ambitions of doing other things. — 00:09:24

  • ★★ Ali cites his friend, executive coach Joe Hudson: enjoyment equals efficiency; the more enjoyment you find in what you do, the more energy you get from it and the less tired you are. — 00:09:55 · feel-good productivity (concept)

    “enjoyment equals efficiency”

00:10:23 — Tip three: move in the morning, cortisol and the cortisol awakening response

  • ★★ Ali says cortisol, the stress hormone, is important for waking up: it peaks within the first hour after waking and should be low by bedtime, the opposite of adenosine, which builds sleep pressure through the day. — 00:10:25
  • ★★ Ali says moving your body first thing in the morning reinforces the cortisol awakening response, because exercise also temporarily raises cortisol. — 00:10:57
  • ★ Ali says sleep inertia, the grogginess on first waking, can last for up to three hours. (hedged) — 00:10:57
  • ★★ In a study Ali cites, people woken from a nap felt least tired, and had the highest cortisol awakening response, after high-intensity cycling compared with low-intensity or no exercise. — 00:11:26
  • ★★ Ali says fairly intense exercise can help you feel less groggy and more energised after waking, and suggests trying it. — 00:11:55
  • ★★★ Ali does not like high-intensity exercise first thing, so he goes for a low-intensity morning walk, around Regent's Park when he lived in London, listening to a podcast or audiobook, thinking, or using his app VoicePal. — 00:11:55 · London
  • ★★ Ali finds he feels a lot less tired on days he goes for a morning walk than on days he spends a long time scrolling social media on the toilet instead. — 00:12:24
  • ★★ Ali does not like working out in the morning but likes working out in the afternoon, straight after lunch, because it helps him avoid the afternoon slump in energy. — 00:12:24
  • ★★ Ali says that, contrary to what people say, exercise at night apparently does not make sleep worse: a research paper pooling many studies found neither exercise intensity nor timing affected sleep quality. (hedged) — 00:12:24

00:12:51 — Tip four: start with sunlight, serotonin, melatonin and the circadian rhythm

  • ★★ Ali says bright sunlight first thing in the morning gives a much sharper morning cortisol spike, which helps us feel more alert at the start of the day. — 00:12:53
  • ★ Ali says sunlight helps our bodies make serotonin, which boosts mood and makes us feel happier. — 00:13:24
  • ★★ TJ Power: Neuroscientist TJ Power suggests a disciplined morning: wake, brush your teeth, splash cold water on your face, make your bed, then get sunlight before seeing social media, for more dopamine and serotonin, energy, mood and motivation. — 00:13:24
  • ★★ Ali says bright morning light tells the brain to stop making melatonin, so you feel less tired, and sets an internal timer so that about 14 hours later you start making melatonin again. — 00:13:54
  • ★★ Ali says light is a powerful signal that synchronises the circadian rhythm with the day-night cycle, which is why it is generally healthier to be awake in light hours and asleep in the dark. — 00:14:23
  • ★★ Russell Foster: Sleep expert Russell Foster says a Dutch colleague put banks of 1,000 to 2,000 lux light and dark bedrooms into nursing homes, consolidating residents' sleep-wake patterns; those with stable patterns improved cognition by almost 10%. — 00:14:52
  • ★★★ Ali's key takeaway: get sunlight as soon as possible after waking, ideally in the first hour when cortisol normally spikes; a morning walk combines sunlight with morning exercise. — 00:15:21
  • ★★ Andrew Huberman (quoted): Andrew Huberman, in a tweet Ali cites, recommends morning sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes on clear days and 20 to 30 minutes on overcast days, without staring at the sun. — 00:15:21
  • ★★ If you cannot get outside in the morning, Ali suggests flooding your home with natural light by opening curtains and windows, or using a lamp that mimics sunlight, such as a SAD lamp, in a dark or cold place. — 00:15:50

Threads in this video

  • restate · Is coffee good for you, and how much should you drink? — If you drink caffeine, Ali says the best time is ideally before or during lunch; caffeine at any time in the afternoon is probably a bit late and puts your sleep at risk. (00:02:12)
  • refine · Is coffee good for you, and how much should you drink? — Ali, citing Andrew Huberman, advises against caffeine straight after waking, since blocked adenosine accumulates and brings an afternoon crash; Huberman recommends waiting 90 minutes to two hours after waking for the first caffeine. (00:02:41)
  • restate · How do you have more energy during the day? — A core idea of Ali's book Feel-Good Productivity: making work enjoyable is a massive source of energy; positive emotions make you more productive, more creative and less stressed, and generate energy for the other important areas of life. (00:04:55)
  • refine · How do you have more energy during the day? — Ali does not like high-intensity exercise first thing, so he goes for a low-intensity morning walk, around Regent's Park when he lived in London, listening to a podcast or audiobook, thinking, or using his app VoicePal. (00:11:55)
  • refine · How do you make boring work more enjoyable? — Ali's friend Matthew Dicks made his McDonald's drive-through job a game, picking a sauce each day to upsell (barbecue on Monday, sweet and sour on Tuesday); if he could, Ali says, you can find a way in your job. (00:06:55)
  • restate · How do you make boring work more enjoyable? — Ali says there are always ways to make whatever we are doing just 10% more enjoyable. (00:07:24)
  • restate · What should you do if you hate your job? — If your job drains your energy, Ali says quitting to follow your passion or become a YouTuber is one option but often not realistic now; the alternative is to make the job you have a little more enjoyable. (00:08:23)
  • restate · What should you do if you hate your job? — Psychologist Julie Smith says hating your job does not mean you must just endure hardship: you can work on improving what is, even if you have ambitions of doing other things. (00:09:24)
  • refine · How do you exercise consistently and get in shape? — Ali does not like working out in the morning but likes working out in the afternoon, straight after lunch, because it helps him avoid the afternoon slump in energy. (00:12:24)
  • refine · How do you sleep better? — Ali says that, contrary to what people say, exercise at night apparently does not make sleep worse: a research paper pooling many studies found neither exercise intensity nor timing affected sleep quality. (00:12:24)
  • refine · What morning routine should you have? — Ali's key takeaway: get sunlight as soon as possible after waking, ideally in the first hour when cortisol normally spikes; a morning walk combines sunlight with morning exercise. (00:15:21)
  • restate · What morning routine should you have? — Neuroscientist TJ Power suggests a disciplined morning: wake, brush your teeth, splash cold water on your face, make your bed, then get sunlight before seeing social media, for more dopamine and serotonin, energy, mood and motivation. (00:13:24)
  • restate · Should productivity be about efficiency or about enjoying the work? — A core idea of Ali's book Feel-Good Productivity: making work enjoyable is a massive source of energy; positive emotions make you more productive, more creative and less stressed, and generate energy for the other important areas of life. (00:04:55)

Mentioned

Central: caffeine · feel-good productivity (concept) · play, power, people

Also: People: Andrew Huberman · Joe Hudson · Julie Smith · Matthew Dicks · Russell Foster · TJ Power

Projects: Deep Dive

Works: Feel-Good Productivity (book)

Organizations: BetterHelp · McDonald's

Concepts: adenosine · circadian rhythm · cortisol awakening response · Flow state · melatonin · sleep inertia

Places: London · Netherlands · Regent's Park · United Kingdom · United States

Products: VoicePal

Also centred on caffeine: Is Coffee Good For You? · How to Stay Focused While Studying - Evidence-based Tips · My Evidence-Based Sleep Routine

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