Get More Energy by Doing What Makes You Grin

Aches and pains. Tired all the time. Can’t think clearly. No energy, no motivation.

Something is off.

Your diet, perhaps? Maybe it’s a nutritional imbalance. Maybe you need a visit to the supplements aisle of your local health food store.

Or maybe it’s something more ominous, like an autoimmune condition. That would be the last thing you need right now.

More than three quarters of us wake up feeling tired on a weekly basis.^[1] In part, the culprit is the way we live.

Less than 3% of Americans live a healthy lifestyle, according to the Mayo Clinic.^[2] That means eating well, exercising, not smoking, and having a BMI below 30 (for women).

But when you’re already tired and worn out, the thought of putting in all that extra effort can bring you to tears.

Aren’t you doing enough already? Where would you get the time? Can’t someone just invent a “health pill” instead?

It turns out there is something you can do to boost your health right now. Something that’s absolutely free.

It doesn’t require diet, exercise, or 20 minutes on a meditation cushion.

And it makes your entire body work better.

Before I tell you what it is, let me tell you how it works.

It works by boosting levels of nitric oxide in the body.

“Nitric oxide is like the very breath of life,” Dr. Christiane Northrup explains. “It’s even what lights up a firefly.”^[3]

It’s a gas that relaxes blood vessel walls. That doesn’t sound very impressive, until you think about what that means…

Better blood flow and circulation. (No wonder it’s behind the success of prescription medication Viagra!)

Yes, it helps white blood cells fight infection, reduces inflammation, and balances levels of neurotransmitters…

But what it does best of all is give you a wonderful—albeit fleeting—sense of relaxation. It’s Nature’s perfect high.

Most of us don’t produce enough of it, especially as we get older. Our bodies can’t store it up, so we need regular bursts of it.

The more, the better!

The more frequently you get those nitric oxide hits, the better your body works all around and the better you feel.

So how do you get the nitric oxide you need? Is there a supplement? An injection?

Actually, it’s easier than that.

The simplest way to boost your levels of nitric oxide is to feel good.

Whatever makes you feel good works, whether that’s thinking positive, uplifting thoughts…

Laughing out loud or listening to music that makes you happy…

Or enjoying massages, hot baths, sex, yoga, whatever makes your body feel good.

Your pleasure is a sign you’re getting the nitric oxide you need.

Crazy, isn’t it?

Doctors will tell you to practice stress management, eat better and exercise, but they won’t hand you a pleasure prescription…

Even though pleasure can give you the energy, motivation, and optimism you need to embark on a healthier lifestyle.

Your pleasure makes your body work better. So don’t write it off.

It’s not an indulgence to get a massage. It’s not a waste of time to watch a cute cat video that makes you giggle. Pleasure is good for you, and it’s great for your health.

Unfortunately, doing what feels good isn’t always easy.

Pleasure is often one of the first things to go when life gets busy. We don’t have time for fun. We’ve got too much to do.

No wonder our health starts to slide. The busier we get, the more stressed we get. The less energy we have and the worse we feel.

That’s why I decided to embark on a little experiment.

What would happen if I changed my attitude and made pleasure a priority?

Doing what I wanted to do for a change. Spending my leisure time feeling leisurely rather than productive. Sneaking in bits of happiness, even when I was busy.

I wrote about the results in my book The Pleasure Principle. You can read a free chapter here.

[1] https://today.yougov.com/news/2015/06/02/sleep-and-dreams/
[2] http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(16)00043-4/abstract
[3] https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17336/the-real-secret-to-being-an-ageless-healthy-goddess.html