by Lindsey Unterberger
Wear something bright.
A new holiday dress, a cherry polish on your fingers or toes—just looking at those could help you have a peppier day. One study found that people who wrote on red paper felt more positive than those working with plain white or blue. And another study suggested that workers in colorful surroundings were more upbeat than those in drab environments.
Turn on a lamp.
Light sends your brain a message to wake up. Perfect for bleary mornings and midafternoon slumps: Researchers in the Netherlands found that exposure to bright light between noon and 4:00 P.M. significantly reduced people’s feelings of fatigue and sleepiness. So switch on a lamp at your desk, or, even better, step out into the sunshine!
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Pat yourself on the back.
Fitness expert Jim Karas, author of The 7-Day Energy Surge, recommends this stretch to clients like Diane Sawyer; it works by opening the muscles in your chest so you can take deeper breaths and get more energizing oxygen. To do: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides. Swing left arm across your body, twisting your torso and head to the right, and tap your right shoulder, allowing your right arm to swing out behind you. Switch sides, twisting torso and head left and swinging right arm across your body to tap your left shoulder. Repeat, going back and forth in a fluid motion for three minutes.
Take a five-minute walk.
When researchers at California State University, Long Beach, compared people’s energy levels after eating chocolate and after taking a walk, “the walk won hands down, giving people up to two hours of increased energy,” says lead study author Robert E. Thayer, Ph.D. Sure, the candy pepped people up initially, “but after an hour they felt less energetic than they had before they began.” As few as five minutes of brisk walking is all you need, he says.
Have sex!
This won’t work on the job, but if you need a pick-me-up, a quickie may be just the thing. Sex releases what Karas calls a “cocktail of happy hormones.” Masturbation triggers some of the same effects—and even the mere thought of having sex has been shown to boost blood flow and stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers. If doing the deed isn’t possible, daydream!
See our tips: What to Eat When Eating Healthy Isn’t an Option
Reader secret: Turn up the music.
“I work early mornings, so I find putting on some good hip-hop and loudly singing along is just the thing to keep me awake on the drive.” —Emily, 27, Kansas City, Mo.
Reader secret: Shop!
“Nothing gets me going like scoring a cute pair of shoes during some lunch-hour shopping! It gives me enough kick to pull through any day.” —Elizabeth, 26, Minneapolis
Reader secret: Tighten your abs.
“It would obviously look bad to nod off in an important meeting—my trick is to tense my stomach muscles and try to lift my feet an inch off the ground. To keep your balance, you have to stay alert.” —Leslie, 33, Chicago
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“When I need a little energy, I go on match.com and look at pictures of cute guys. Some of these men are so hot it just makes you feel pumped!” —Bernice, 40, New York City
Reader secret: Make someone smile.
“Whenever I can’t get motivated, I send a nice text or e-mail to someone. It sounds lame, but it brightens me up knowing that I just made someone else feel good.” —Shanna, 27, Queens, New York
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