As I walked (yes, walked!) to the grocery store this evening, fog from the Pacific danced in the headlights of rush hour traffic and softened the glare of streetlights. To us in LA, this is winter. Time to put on sweaters and extra covers at night, even light a fire in the fireplace and say silly things like "boy is it chilly." Especially silly as my relatives back in Minnesota and Wisconsin have recently endured weeks of arctic temps multiple digits below zero. Wherever you live though, this time of year can seem a little low energy. The Holidays are over, the thrill of newly made resolutions has faded and spring is oh so far away. That's why I put together this short list of five simple things that can make a big impact on your energy and give you just that little extra boost.

Some of these tips might feel like no-brainers, but are you actually doing them? Here’s five easy things you can build into your daily life that will put that extra pep in your step.

Get Enough Sleep

Do whatever you can to get the sleep that you need. If you need nine hours of sleep, you must be vigilant about getting nine hours of sleep. Yes, occasionally we just can’t get what we need, but if you go months at a time getting less, you’re hurting your body. You’re not giving it time to heal and recuperate, which is what happens while we sleep.

Every once in a while situations come up and we have to make exceptions one way or another. It’s important to make sure we build in a day or two just for ourselves to relax after periods of less-than-optimal sleep times.

Limit Stimulants

If you want to have more energy, limit sugar, coffee and alcohol. This may seem counter-intuitive, because coffee is generally thought to give people energy. One or two cups in the morning is fine, but if you find yourself drinking coffee later in the day you’re depriving yourself of precious rest time during the night.

Some friends and clients have told me that they can drink coffee and go right to sleep. This tells me that either they are so exhausted that it doesn’t matter how much caffeine they imbibe, or their body is so accustomed to stimulants that it’s almost immune to them. Either option is not ideal. Try cutting down on caffeine to a level where your body is still receiving benefit. 

Drink Plenty of Water

Hydration keeps your body functioning properly, simple as that. Water helps flush out toxins and lubricate all our movement, and is especially important if you do drink coffee or alcohol.  How much water per day?  It is suggested that you take your body weight, divide it in half and drink that many ounces per day.  So, if you weigh 120 pounds, you should drink about 60 ounces of water per day.  At 10 ounces per glass, that would be 6 glasses of water. 

Go for a Walk

Move that body! Our bodies are designed to move, especially to walk. In these days of cars and computers we don’t walk enough, so try adding even ten minutes of walking into your daily routine. A walk around the block will get the energy and blood flowing again.

A fun alternative to this is to take a five minute dance break! Bop around to your favorite tunes for a few minutes and your brain will feel sharper, you will feel energized and you might not even need your coffee.

Absorb Sunshine

Get at least 10 minutes a day without sunscreen, as it blocks some of the natural benefits of the sun.  If you’re worried about getting a sunburn, choose carefully the hours you sun: before 9 am or after 3 pm is ideal for those with fair skin (10am to 4pm during Daylight Saving Time).  Aside from the well-known benefit of helping our bodies make Vitamin D, getting some sun helps regulate your circadian rhythms, which will help you sleep better at night. 

Implement these five little things into your daily life, and in no time you’ll be feeling much more energized and centered!

Over the years, I’ve practiced Reiki and GYROTONIC® in studio spaces as well as invited clients into my home.  Home is better.  Yes, it makes sense that something like Gyrotonic would be offered in a studio or gym setting because it’s movement-based, and many luxury clubs offer services such as Reiki as well. However, my most successful clients prefer to work with me one-on-one in my home, and it's not just because they can play their favorite tunes. 

Full Relaxation

As the healer, working out of my home helps me feel grounded. The simple fact that I can have a cup of tea on my balcony or relax by petting my cats a bit before starting a session impacts my clients tremendously, and they can feel the soothing energy the instant they enter the apartment. I also like to meditate and light candles before a client arrives. Through meditation, I create a calm and peaceful atmosphere that allows deep healing to occur.

At the gym, the mind more easily strays from the present moment to a to-do list or the next appointment. The home space is a comforting, all-encompassing, and womb-like retreat where the mind can settle in.

Full Discretion

The moment a client sets foot in my home, they know they have absolute privacy. Unlike a gym or club setting where you can feel chaotic, fiery energy radiating from the people around you or blaring through speakers in the ceiling, the energy in my apartment is very quiet and centered.

Often when a client comes to me in pain, there is an emotional component to the injury. It’s important to feel safe enough to delve into the emotional aspect to truly clear out the “junk” and help the body heal. In my home, it’s just you and me. My cats are sleeping in the other room. They’re not going to tell. My plants are here to support you, they’re not going to tell. There’s an opening for healing and release that is created when a client truly feels at ease and we can work much deeper. Tell me, would you prefer to delve into your secrets in the middle of the gym or in the comfort of my home studio?

Complete Trust

In the end, the simple fact that clients are walking into my personal space elevates the session to a level of intimacy that in my experience is not possible to achieve in a public space. I trust them and welcome them into my home. That confidence inspires their willingness to be vulnerable with me in return. Working with Reiki and Gyrotonic at home, in my opinion, is the most productive and healing way to work.

And the best part is, there is no line for the bathroom.