Why Your Emotions Could be the Key to Better Energy
This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission, which helps support and maintain the site. Rest assured, I only recommend products or services that I use or believe will add value to my readers; as such, not all links are affiliate-based.
Are you wondering why you feel tired all of the time? Why do fluctuating energy levels seem to control your daily life, or why you're drained before your feet even hit the floor in the morning?
Presuming medical explanations have been ruled out, waking up tired or general low-energy could be a symptom of your emotional state. In this article, I delve into the impact of emotions on energy levels and share my favourite technique for letting go of energy draining emotions quickly.
Read on to discover:
The link between thoughts and emotions
How emotions affect energy
The connection between low-mood and tiredness
Recognising differences in emotional tolerance
Managing energy through emotions
Ways to change the way you feel
You may have made significant habit changes to get more energy, such as eating better, exercising, going to bed earlier, etc. All of these are important and a piece of the energy puzzle, yet you're still getting those annoying mid-afternoon energy slumps, brain-foggy mornings or simply feeling drained and lacking that get-up-and-go you used to have.
Perhaps you've not yet joined the dots between emotions and low energy, or you know your predominant emotional state is zapping your energy all too well but don't know how to change it.
Either way, read on. This article is for you.
The link between thought and emotions
Before getting into how to go about managing energy through emotions, it's essential first to understand where our emotions come from. Bear in mind, this is a topic I could write pages on, and it can get very complex, but I like to try and keep things simple:
Emotions stem from our thoughts, both are interdependent. Neuroscientific research indicates that the brain regions responsible for cognition and emotion are interconnected, highlighting the integrated nature of thought and emotion. [1]
The term "emotion" comes from the latin word "emovere," meaning "to move out." Emotion is energy designed to move through us (when we allow it to). The clue is in the word; E-motion, "Energy in Motion'.
The energy of emotion is neutral, sometimes high-intensity and sometimes low-intensity. Once the physical energy shift is felt, we attach a label to it, such as joy, happiness, excitement, anger, etc.
Commonly, when we have an emotional reaction, we use the words "I feel………." to describe it, indicating emotions are a physical sensation, therefore experienced within the body. As renowned researcher of epigenetics, quantum physics, & neuroscience, Dr Joe Dispenza states in his book "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' [2]:
“Thoughts are the language of the brain and emotions are the language of the body.”
Reflection Question
Try taking a moment when you next feel an emotional response, breathe deeply and focus inward. Do you identify physical sensations?
Although thoughts and emotions are intrinsically linked we often recognise our emotions way before we become aware of the thoughts that triggered them. This is understandable given the sheer volume of thoughts we experience daily. Renowned cell biologist Bruce Lipton, PhD, is at the forefront of innovative DNA research. In his ground-breaking book, The Biology of Belief, he suggests a human, on average, has between 40,000- 60,000 thoughts each day, a number that makes it impractical for even the most self-aware individuals to be aware of them all. [3]
Our minds can be like those sneaky smartphone apps, running in the background, silently draining the battery without us even realising. When your phone battery keeps dying, and your tech-savvy friend recommends closing all apps—suddenly, it clicks!
Imagine me as your energy-savvy friend, giving you the same heads-up. Those continuous thought patterns humming away in the background might generate emotions that are sapping your precious energy.
How emotions affect energy
You've undoubtedly experienced a time when you've felt completely worn out and would swear you haven't got the energy to move. Then something happens. You hear a song that reminds you of a happy time, you read something that sparks your interest, an old friend calls, and you chat about exciting plans, or you're told something that makes you angry. All of a sudden, you have renewed energy.
You didn't ingest any caffeine or artificial stimulants. So what happened?
You experienced a hit of emotion!
There are two types of energy that influence feelings of vitality. Firstly there is the physical, the material systems and functions of the body that influence how the body produces energy —an area of energy that’s frequently studied because it’s tangible and measurable.
And there's also the energetic system. Different philosophies have different names for it: Life Force, Shakti, Kundalini, Prana, Qi. Some people may refer to it as psychological energy or ‘unseen’ energy. Call it whatever makes sense to you. The name is a way of referring to a power that flows through every living thing. Present in every cell of your mind and body. This energy fuels everything in the universe yet is intangible and unobservable. [4]
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on this energetic system. Known as ‘Qi’ the life force energy that runs through the body’s energy meridians, connecting mind, body and spirit. TCM acknowledges that the material/physical and energetic system of the body are intrinsically linked. The material can be studied and measured because it can be observed. In contrast, due to the invisible nature of Qi energy, it is experienced rather than seen, making studies in this field trickier.
That said, many compelling thought leaders, are expanding thinking around health and wellbeing based on ancient wisdom. For example, a paper published in 2014 suggest that,
“ Research approaches to the human body that focus only on the visible part and ignore the invisible part result in an incomplete model of the body”
After all, you can't see electricity, oxygen or gravity. Does that mean it doesn't exist?
Emotional energy is an example of how the unseen impacts the physical. You can't see emotion, but you feel it; you experience the shift it brings. Research has recognised physiological changes that happen within the body based on certain emotions. Still, the magic of the 'unseen', the flush of vitality that arises from within, is hard for science to measure.
With all this in mind, try picturing your personal energy supply as a well filled with water flowing from the stream. Certain emotions give power to the current, fuelling a fast-flowing, forceful current that keeps the well replenished, leaving you with feelings of vitality. These emotions can be referred to as high-intensity emotions.
High-intensity emotions are often labelled positive or negative (I prefer the terms low-vibe and high-vibe; I'll explain why later). Researchers such as Emma Sepala, in her book "The Happiness Track" [5], suggest that when people experience such high-intensity emotions, the physical body responds similarly whether the emotion is negative, such as anger or fear, or positive, such as excitement or exhilaration.
The body goes into something called 'sympathetic response' prompted by the amygdala, the brain region responsible for triggering survival mode, a state also termed 'fight or flight. Increased cortisol and adrenalin are released into the body, your heart rate increases, and you'll feel a boost, a vital force, as energy is directed away from your bodily organs and systems (including your brain) to your limbs.
This process is highly demanding on your energy supply; if this state is allowed to continue for significant periods, it can interfere with your personal energy levels. You'll feel a considerable energy dip once the perceived "threat" or stimulating experience or stressor has gone.
But remember what I mentioned earlier. The emotion itself is neutral, simply energy moving through us. The label we give it, the feeling we name it, is what we deem to be positive or negative, which is perhaps why the physiological response is the same whether the feeling is excitement or anger.
Reflection Questions
When was the last time your experienced high-intensity emotions? Did you label them positive or negative? How did you feel once the experience passed?
In contrast, low-intensity, positive emotions, such as peace, calm, satisfaction, etc., encourage what's called a 'parasympathetic response'; this signals rest and recharge, turns on genes to create a host of chemicals, proteins, and antibodies designed to relax, revitalise and replenish.
In a low-intensity, good mood, we bring about homeostasis, the state of balance and stability, allowing the body to relax, the immune system, digestive system, brain function, etc, to operate effectively while that all-important stream of energy flows abundantly and unhindered.
Connection between low-mood and tiredness
So what about low-intensity, negative emotions such as sadness, boredom, worry? Well, they also have an effect. But, rather than draining energy, they restrict the flow. Energy needs to flow unhindered for it to be effective.
Let's go back to the 'well' analogy. If the stream that fills the well is blocked, water and debris can back up and become stagnant. Over time, the water may even leak out, finding its own channel to escape, resulting in flooding and, eventually, water shortages. But when the current is allowed to flow freely, unhindered in the stream's natural channel, harmony is restored, and the well is plentiful with fresh oxygenated water.
Of course this analogy is just my interpretation, but there's science behind it. Negative emotions, whether high or low intensity, lead to tension in the physical body and blockages in energy channels. The result? 'stuck energy' which can manifest in physical discomfort, ailments, illness and a general feeling of disengagement, tiredness and fatigue over time.
For example, a 2014 study into the role of emotions in fatigue and burnout of police officers, found that 'low-arousal negative emotions reduced energetic ability to work'.[6]
Researcher Barbara Fredrikson explains this in her work. She describes an upward and downward spiral effect of emotions upward being expansive feelings such as joy and happiness. A downward spiral manifests in contraction feelings such as resentment and fear.[7]
Reflection Questions
Next time you have an emotional reaction, take a breath, close your eyes. Where do you feel it in your body? Does it feel restrictive or expansive?
Recognising differences in emotional tolerance
You'll likely experience a range of emotions, sometimes many in just one day. From major life events to everyday stresses and moments of renewed vigour after a positive encounter or uplifting experience. The flux of emotions is part of life, but issues arise when your default emotional home drains your energy or blocks its natural flow.
It's essential to remember what works for one may not work for another, everyone is different, and knowing this is key to finding the solution to your low-energy.
I always remind people that all aspects of personal energy remedy, including emotional tolerance, will be unique to you. For example, as Jenn Granneman author of 'The Secret Lives of Introverts' describes, if you have stong introvert characteristics or are a highly sensitive person you may find conflict or confrontation much more overwhelming, she says:
““Both introverts and sensitive people may struggle with conflict or confrontation, as the emotional intensity of these situations can feel overwhelming and trigger overthinking”. ”
Highly sensitive people find that stimulation within the everyday can trigger a heightened stress response, so certain experiences and associated emotions may drain your energy battery faster, meaning you need more downtime to recharge.
Meanwhile, many people learn at an early age that negative emotions are bad, are taught to shut down unwanted emotions and find ways to stuff them down using whatever works, food, alcohol, drugs, shopping or work, to numb them. After all, it's not socially acceptable to express anger, right? Especially for a woman! So some may feel they need not to feel it and to try to fix themselves in other ways.
But when we don't allow ourselves to feel the emotions where do they go? Nowhere! They get stuck.
When we don't allow ourselves to acknowledge emotions, feel and express them, we don't allow them to pass through, and our body holds onto them. Physical tensing, a survival state, locks the emotions into your body and blocks energy flow.
While the concept of emotions influencing your energy might seem unconventional or, for some, very obvious, I'm guessing because you are reading this, the more conventional solutions, such as buying a new mattress, getting more sleep, taking supplements and eating more greens seem didn't work; meanwhile, drinking more coffee and eating sugar-filled energy foods made you feel worse. They may be a part of the solution, but they aren't where the answer lies in isolation.
Of course, tiredness, fatigue and energy issues have a combination of causes: nutrition, environment, quality of sleep, lack of creative outlet, lack of fun, and the people, places and things in your life all play a part. Energy mastery requires a holistic approach, but in my experience emotions are always a fundamental element.
Managing energy through emotions
The great news is you can learn to change your default emotional set-point Although it takes time, patience and practice.
The first steps is to become aware of and acknowledge your emotions.
"What your resist persists". So, by owning how you feel, you begin to process the emotional energy, allowing it to move through rather than become suppressed and add to those energy blocks and energy drains.
A tool that helps me and the people I've worked with is The Emotional Guidance Scale' shared by renowned law of attraction teachers Abraham -Hicks in the book "Ask and It Is Given" [10]. It lists 22 of the most common emotions, ranging from those they describe as low-frequency or low-vibration, such as anger, fear, and boredom, to high-vibration emotions like joy, appreciation, and enthusiasm. Viewing emotions in terms of vibrational frequency, rather than positive or negative, helps to let go of the perception that certain emotions are bad and, therefore, shouldn't be expressed.
Using the scale and following the guidance of their teachings helps you to identify where you are om the scale in any given moment and guides you to move to the 'next best feeling thought' i.e move incrementally up the scale rather than aiming to leap from depression at the low end of the scale, to appreciation at the very top (something that's an impossible leap in one move).
Ways to change the way you feel
Years ago, I came across two powerful insights from the renowned personal development coach Tony Robbins:
"Change your physiology, change your state" and "Motion creates emotion."
These quotes have become my go-to reminders, encapsulating effective techniques for swiftly altering emotions and energy levels. When recognising emotions as a form of energy in constant motion throughout the body, it makes sense that by altering our physical self—whether through breathing exercises, physical movements, improved posture, or even a refreshing cold shower—we can leverage scientifically supported methods to reshape our mindset and mood and in turn our vitality.
I see it as giving yourself an energetic shake-up. In low-intensity, low-vibe emotions, I visualise energy flow as stagnant, requiring disruption to kickstart and revitalise the system.
Conversely, the energy stream roars during high-intensity, low-vibe emotions and demands regulation and moderation to prevent burnout. Employing various techniques interchangeably allows us to identify what effectively interrupts thought patterns, shapes emotions, and facilitates the smooth flow of energy.
Three of my favourite ways to manage emotions
1.Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT, tapping) is a mind-body practice involving tapping with your fingertips on specific regions of your upper body called energy meridian points whilst focusing on the current emotion or scenario causing unwanted emotion.
This helps to turn off the fight or flight response and ease anxiety in the moment whilst also helping to shift energy blocks and clear emotions stored in the body. It can be highly effective during high-intensity emotions to bring about calmness or to remove blocks, identify solutions and bring about clarity.
The reason it's at the top of my list is because it's a technique you can learn for yourself and easily incorporate into your self-care routine. However, it's also important to mention that working with a practitioner can be highly beneficial, too. To discover more about EFT tapping, read my article Tired to Revitalised: How EFT Tapping Can Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy.
2. The Wim Hof Method, developed by the renowned "Iceman" Wim Hof, combines specific breathing exercises, cold exposure, and meditation to enhance physical and mental wellbeing. Central to the technique is controlled hyperventilation followed by breath-holding, leading to increased oxygen intake and heightened alkalinity in the blood.
Regular practice has numerous benefits, including improved immune function, increased energy levels, reduced stress, and enhanced focus. The method's unique combination of breathwork and cold exposure promotes autonomic nervous system regulation, offering a holistic approach to health and resilience.
If you're interested in exploring the Wim Hof Method, the free mini-course is a great place to start while plenty of research is available for those who love to explore the science. Try it for yourself, and you'll feel it working and instantly experience the energy revitalisation it provides.
3. Yoga-fusion. I love fusions. Taking the benefits of more than one approach and combining them makes for an exciting combo. Asana Rebel is my go-to platform. It offers lots of variations of sessions for people of all fitness levels and time availability via their app, so you can practice anywhere you have wifi access. With options for energising, relaxing, strength and more it gives lots of scope for what you may need at any given time.
Elevate your energy, transform your life
By acknowledging and addressing your emotional set point you unlock the potential for a newfound energy. Embrace the change, clear those rocks blocking your energy stream river, and witness the surge of vitality that follows—an energy to envy.
This might be the innovative approach needed to break free from the cycle of persistent low energy. It certainly reshaped my perspective when grappling with my energy challenges. It clicked, resonating as the missing piece of my puzzle. That's what I recommend to my readers, take what resonates and leave the rest behind. The key to discovering your unique energy remedy begins with curiosity — explore what works for you!
Stay connected by hitting the button below and grabbing your FREE GUIDE —Five Simple Ways to Revitalise Your Energy. Enter your details and from time to time, I’ll share tips, articles and stories, along with carefully selected products, books and resources for living a more energised life.
Take charge of your energy today with my FREE guide!
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Thoughts play a significant role in influencing our energy levels. Thoughts and emotions are intrinsically linked and certain types of thoughts can lead to uplifting and energising emotions, while others thoughts lead to lower vibe emotions that can drain our energy. When we dwell on negative thoughts or worry excessively, it can lead to feelings of fatigue and lethargy. Therefore, cultivating positive thinking habits can help boost energy levels and overall well-being.
To learn more, along with tips to manage your emotions, read the full article above.
-
Absolutely. Negative thoughts have a profound impact on our energy levels. When we entertain pessimistic or self-critical thoughts, it can create stress responses in the body, leading to the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. This prolonged stress response can deplete our energy reserves, leaving us feeling tired and depleted. Acknowledging the unhelpful thought patterns and finding techniques to help change them can help preserve energy and promote vitality.
One of my favourite techniques for interrupting negative thought patterns is EFT tapping. To discover more, read my article ‘Tired to Revitalised: How EFT Tapping Can Help Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy.’
-
Mental health and energy levels are closely intertwined. Conditions like anxiety, depression, and chronic stress can significantly impact our energy levels, often leaving us feeling drained and fatigued. Managing mental health effectively through therapy, nutrition, medication (if necessary), exercise, and stress-reduction techniques can help restore energy levels and improve overall well-being.
Discover more about how emotions and energy is connected by reading the full article above.
-
Yes, emotions can consume energy, particularly high-intensity or prolonged ones. When we experience strong emotions, both negative or positive like anger, excitement, or anxiety, it activates the body's stress response, leading to increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and heightened tension. For short periods of time the body can cope with this however, over time, this can deplete our energy reserves, leaving us feeling exhausted.
Learning to regulate emotions through practices like mindfulness and emotional expression can help conserve energy and promote better energy management. One of my favourite techniques for interrupting negative thought patterns is EFT tapping. To discover more, read my article ‘Tired to Revitalised: How EFT Tapping Can Help Reduce Stress and Boost Your Energy.’
-
There could be various reasons why you're feeling tired and lacking energy. It could be due to poor sleep quality, inadequate nutrition, lack of physical activity, or underlying health issues. Additionally, emotional factors such as stress, anxiety, or depression can also significantly contribute to feelings of fatigue. Consulting with a health coach, holistic doctor or taking part in self-reflection activities can help identify the underlying causes and develop a plan to address them effectively.
-
Yes, mood can definitely impact energy levels. When we're in a low or negative mood, it can drain our energy and motivation to engage in activities. Low-vibe emotions like sadness, frustration, or anxiety can be particularly draining, affecting our ability to function optimally. Practising self-care, seeking social support, and engaging in activities that uplift your mood can help combat tiredness and boost energy levels.
-
Alzman CD, Fusi S. Emotion, cognition, and mental state representation in amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2010;33:173-202. doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.051508.135256. PMID: 20331363; PMCID: PMC3108339.
Dispenza, J. (2012). Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. Hay House UK.
Lipton, B. (2011) The Biology of Belief. Hay House UK.
Tianjun Liu. The scientific hypothesis of an "energy system" in the human body.Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences.Volume 5, Issue 1.2018. Pages 29-34. Doi: /10.1016/j.jtcms.2018.02.003.
Sepala, E. (2017) The Happiness Track. Piaktus.
Aleksandra Basinska, B., Wiciak, I. and Maria Dåderman, A. (2014), "Fatigue and burnout in police officers: the mediating role of emotions", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 665-680. Doi: 10.1108/PIJPSM-10-2013-0105
Garland EL, Fredrickson B, Kring AM, Johnson DP, Meyer PS, Penn DL. Upward spirals of positive emotions counter downward spirals of negativity: insights from the broaden-and-build theory and affective neuroscience on the treatment of emotion dysfunctions and deficits in psychopathology. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Nov;30(7):849-64. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.002. Epub 2010 Mar 12. PMID: 20363063; PMCID: PMC2908186.
Granneman, J.(2017) Are You an Introvert, a Highly Sensitive Person, or Both? Psychology Today. Accessed 1st Jan 2024
Hicks, A. (2004). Ask and It Is Given. Hay House.
-
