Updated: December 23rd, 2019 Having ADHD and low energy is a massive problem for plenty of people. In fact, I personally spent a period of 7+ years feeling fatigued, tired and lethargic.
But today, I’m happy to say that I typically wake up feeling thankful and excited to live another day.
This article reveals just about everything that I know about feeling upbeat, energized and refreshed while dealing with ADHD.
Contents
Attack the 3 fundamentals
Before you jump right into taking a magic pill that magically solves your ADHD low energy issues, you’ll want to attack the 3 fundamentals of your lifestyle, which have the most influence over how you think, feel, and live your life.
Diet
Fixing your ADHD diet is the most important step in restoring your energy levels.
Food is fuel. You have to fill your body with premium fuel if you want to enjoy top-notch performance. It’s kinda’ like filling up your car with gas, right? Same concept, same results.
If you feel like your ADHD and energy levels have been out of wack lately, the first place to look is your diet.
The food that you eat has a direct impact on how your brain functions, and how much energy you have, so you have to assess you diet honestly. There’s nothing wrong with eating junk food on occasion, by the way. The point of eating a clean ADHD diet means that you eat mostly clean food.
Chicken, brown rice, eggs, fruits, and vegetables are all great for energy levels.
But, you’ll want to avoid heavy, starchy foods like pasta – and limit your intake of sugar as well.
If you can keep your diet in check, you should see a massive improvement in your level of energy.
Sleep
Figuring out how to get good sleep with ADHD is essential to living an excellent life.
If you aren’t sleeping well, then literally every other aspect of your life will suffer.
I know that not everyone can get good sleep easily. That’s OK. You just have to do whatever you can to get good sleep, as sleeping well will have a profound effect on your level of energy.
To get better sleep with ADHD, make sure that you:
- Use Magnesium Citramate (Amazon) nightly
- Take Melatonin (Amazon)
- Try 5-HTP (Amazon)
Whatever it takes to get high-quality sleep is much better than going through the next day feeling like a zombie.
Sleep well, and your energy levels will probably flourish.
Exercise
Exercise will flood your brain with endorphins, make your skin glow, and give you an extra charge of energy that you need.
Seriously. If you aren’t exercising, then you’re missing out on a massive part of life!
Whether you like to run, strength train, swim or do yoga – the point is that you need to be moving your body.
Exercising consistently will give you energy, and change your entire outlook on life.
Find out if you suffer from adrenal fatigue
I will admit that I’ve abused my adrenal glands in the past. I’m not proud of this. But, I’m not afraid to admit it either.
Between coffee, tea, Vyvanse, nicotine, and various other types of stimulants, there have been times in my life where I haven’t treated my body very kindly.
I’ve suffered from adrenal fatigue in the past. And, it’s a problematic condition that plenty of people don’t even realize they have.
Here’s a clearer idea of what adrenal fatigue actually is…
From Adrenalfatigue.org:
Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a syndrome, that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level. You may look and act relatively normal with adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or “gray” feelings. People experiencing adrenal fatigue often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day.
Basically, if you primarily use a lot of stimulants to stay alert, then you’re eventually going to have problems.
This is why I always recommend fixing the fundamentals like sleep, diet and exercise before moving on to stimulants.
If you think that you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue, it’s best to take a break from all stimulants, let your brain and body restore its natural functions for a week or two, and enjoy feeling so much better as a result.
Giving your adrenal glands the time to heal will naturally bring energy back into your life again.
Enjoy a full mental reset
Taking a vacation every once and a while isn’t a luxury. It’s more like a necessity for living a full and healthy life.
You have to take time off to give yourself a ‘full mental reset’.
By the way, did you know that humans are extremely mismatched for the modern environment?
It’s true.
Most people aren’t even well suited for living in the city (our ancestors lived in village-like communities for thousands of years – and this is most-likely ingrained in our DNA).
So, as a result, the modern-day environment is extremely stressful for humans. Add in ADHD to the mix, and you have a recipe for disastrous levels of chronic stress and mental frustration.
This is why taking a week off to reset your brain is so important.
I recommend booking a vacation if money isn’t a problem. If you need a budget-friendly solution, then I recommend booking a nearby house on AirBnb.com for a few nights.
Because, even just changing your environment for a few days can be enough to help refresh your brain, and revitalize your life.
Improve your relationships with others
Did you know that who you surround yourself with can have a massive impact on your mood and energy level?
Yes, that’s right. Your friends, family members, co-workers and acquaintances all play a role in how you feel, even if you don’t realize it.
While not everyone has a choice in who they associate with (since you can’t always change your co-workers) – you can at least manage how much time you spend with friends and family members.
You ultimately have to be conscious of whether people are bringing positive or negative energy into your life, and surround yourself with people who add value to your lifestyle.
Friends and family members are all fair game. Be vigilant about who you allow into your life. Make sure that they’re giving you good energy, and not taking energy away from you.
Take quality supplements for ADHD low energy
Once you’ve taken care of the bare necessities, it’s time to add some high-quality supplements to your daily routine.
Yes, by simply adding these supplements into your daily routine, you can fix some of the vitamin and mineral deficiencies that you’re most likely experiencing (if you’re like most Americans).
It’s really hard to tell which supplements you’ve been missing from your life until you try them.
So, I highly recommend you start by supplementing with the following must-use ingredients:
Life Extension Complete B-Complex (Amazon)
Premium liquid fish oil (Amazon)
Organic maca root powder (Amazon)
By supplementing with these four products, you’ll naturally boost your energy in a way that’s safe and healthy.
I use all four of these products on an almost daily basis, and I can vouch that they work extremely well. I love them.
Conclusion
I wish there was a magic pill to take care of the lethargy, tiredness, and similar low energy problems caused by ADHD. But, sadly I don’t think any single solution exists (let me know if you find one, though).
However, the good news is that just about anyone can restore their energy levels while dealing with ADHD symptoms.
Your body has the amazing ability to heal, treat and restore itself. It can be fixed. You just have to put forth a little bit of work, and all will be well again.
Make sure to eat well, sleep well, exercise well, and take your supplements. If you can do that, you’ll enjoy greater enjoy greater energy, health and happiness while living with ADHD.
Rosie
Thank you for this useful article.
Do you take any stimulant meds as well as taking your own v good advice and supplements?
Just wondering as my body does not want to take stimulant meds anymore but I am noticing increasing fatigue and theta-brain.
Thanks in anticipation of your response.
Stefan Taylor
Thanks for the comment Rosie! I used to take Vyvanse but stopped after a while. Now I take a full range of supplements (i.e. yes I follow my own advice).
Focus on exercise, sleep and diet first and foremost. That’s most important. The rest just takes time and experimentation to get right. I wish you the best of luck!