What I find during the holidays is that with everything going on, it’s easy to go full-steam ahead in the morning, and then quickly feel your energy slipping, and get lazy after lunchtime. You know how it goes…your mind starts wandering, your brain gets foggy, and you find yourself begging for a nap.

One of my favorite ways to spark my energy is to head into the snowy outdoors with my family! The pic above is me and my oldest daughter Kate Grace and I enjoying one of our favorite activities….butt sledding! We hike up a mountain, and then sled all the way down!

If you’re feeling sluggish in the afternoon, don’t worry…it’s pretty natural. Lona Sandon, RD, MEd, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says, “There seems to be a natural rhythm or set clock in our bodies, so many people tend to feel a little sleepy around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.”

But don’t let your circadian rhythms be an excuse! Your habits throughout the day can also cause you to feel a crash in energy.

So if you’re in need of an energy spark, here are my 3 top techniques for full-body energizing…

• Squeeze Time

  Lie down flat on your back, with your palms turned upward. Beginning on the left side, inhale and contract and tense your foot.  Squeeze and hold for 5 seconds and then exhale and release.  Repeat on the right foot and follow that pattern all the way up your body (from foot to calf to thigh, etc).  Inhaling, squeezing, exhaling and releasing – and go all the way from toe to head!

• Full-Body Explosion 

  Then, do a full-body squeeze: Tense all your muscles at once, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, and hold it for about 5 seconds.  Release, take a few breaths, repeat the “full-body squeeze” two or three more times and head out the door.  Trust me – after this little rejuvenating exercise, you’ll be ready to go!

• See Things Upside Down

Lie on your back with your legs straight up the wall. If possible, have your sitbones touching the wall. Soften your belly and relax your inner groin. Then, take long, deep breaths, and hold for one minute, focusing on stillness and letting go.  This pose is the queen of yoga poses when it comes to  rejuvenating.