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Oct 2009  |  By Andrea Bartz  |  Comments

Recharge your Batteries

Craving caffeine? Try our quick tip for lasting energy instead.

You’re exhausted, but you’ve only got 20 minutes before you need to pick up the kids from practice, get dinner in the oven and check your e-mail. You may feel tempted to rush out for a latté but—surprise!—relaxation is actually key to long-lasting energy.

Maria Lezniak, founder and owner of the North Shore Healing Centre in Glenview offers up this trick guaranteed to help you quickly refresh and refocus.

What to do: Lie on the ground with your rear end as close to the wall as possible. Place a small pillow or folded towel under your hips and rest your legs straight up against the wall. Close your eyes and relax for 20 minutes.

Why it works: We spend most of our time sitting up, with gravity working against the oxygen-rich blood that flows to the brain, Lezniak explains. This age-old technique, rooted in yoga, increases blood flow to the brain and fosters a stable (read: crash-free) energy boost.Resting with your legs up provides an oxygen-rich blood flow to your brain.