How to Build Up Your Stamina ,How can I increase my stamina naturally?

How to Build Up Your Stamina

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., R.N., CRNA — Written by Emily Cronkleton — Updated on February 12, 2020

Takeaway

What is stamina?

Stamina is the strength and energy that allow you to sustain physical or mental effort for long periods of time. Increasing your stamina helps you endure discomfort or stress when you’re doing an activity. It also reduces fatigue and exhaustion. Having high stamina allows you to perform your daily activities at a higher level while using less energy.

5 ways to increase stamina

Try these tips to build stamina:

1. Exercise

Exercise may be the last thing on your mind when you’re feeling low on energy, but consistent exercise will help build your stamina.

Results of a 2017 studyTrusted Source showed that the participants who were experiencing work-related fatigue improved their energy levels after six weeks of exercise intervention. They improved their work ability, sleep quality, and cognitive functioning.

2. Yoga and meditation

Yoga and meditation can greatly increase your stamina and ability to handle stress.

As part of a study from 2016Trusted Source, 27 medical students attended yoga and meditation classes for six weeks. They saw significant improvements in stress levels and sense of well-being. They also reported more endurance and less fatigue.

3.  Maintain Balance

Cutting your recovery time and pushing yourself during a workout are great steps toward having more stamina, but don't forget that your body still deserves some R&R. “You want to train hard, but if you end up training hard every day, you might find that the intensity you put out gets lower and lower,” says Erica Giovinazzo, registered dietitian and CrossFit coach at Brick New York. If you find your marathon gym sessions are adversely affecting your performance, take it easy for a day. “Rest, go for a light run, bike ride, swim or take a yoga class instead of going all out,” suggests Giovinazzo.

4. Caffeine

In a 2017 studyTrusted Source, nine male swimmers took a 3-milligram (mg) dose of caffeine one hour before freestyle sprints. These swimmers improved their sprint time without increasing their heart rates. Caffeine may give you a boost on days you are feeling too tired to exercise.

Try not to rely on caffeine too much, since you can build up a tolerance. You should also stay away from caffeine sources that have a lot of sugar or artificial flavorings.

5. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is an herb that is used for overall health and vitality. It can also be used to boost cognitive function and to reduce stress. Ashwagandha is also shown to boost energy levels. In a 2015 studyTrusted Source, 50 athletic adults took 300 mg capsules of Ashwagandha for 12 weeks. They increased their cardiorespiratory endurance and overall quality of life more than those in the placebo group.

Takeaway

As you focus on increasing your energy levels, bear in mind that it’s natural to experience energy ebbs and flows. Don’t expect to be operating at your maximum potential at all times. Remember to listen to your body and rest as needed. Avoid pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion.

If you feel that you’re making changes to increase your stamina without getting any results, you may wish to see a doctor. Your doctor can determine if you have any underlying health issues that are affecting your performance. Stay focused on your ideal plan for overall well-being.

How can I increase my stamina naturally?

Natural ways to help increase your stamina

Don't skip breakfast. Make sure you start your day on a healthy note. 

Make way for magnesium. If you are into sports or into any kind of physical activity, it's important that you make magnesium a part of your daily diet. ...

Include carbs in your diet. ...

Exercise regularly. ...

Get a good night's sleep. ...

Eat wisely. ...

Go easy on salt.

For many, stamina is simply about being physically active. That’s not true. This is because in order to work out and perform exercises effectively, your body needs its fuel, that is, nutrition. Go for low-fat, high protein and more raw foods.

Make sure to include carbs

Never skip on carbs. They are essential for muscle building. Also, they increase starch and sugar in your body, boosting your stamina and endurance in turn. So, it is good to have grains, pastas, brown breads and cereals.

Start with things you love

Are you a dance person or a yoga person? Well, pick what you love. Be it Zumba, aerobics, badminton, tennis, cricket, or gyming, if you love what you do, you will not need any other motivation to get at it.

Be regular with your work out

Experts say that to maintain a minimal level of fitness, you must work out for at least 30 minutes a day and 5 days a week. You have to be determined as stamina building will take time and you don’t have to lose patience till you are there.

Limit your ‘rest’ time

Though resting is essential and is called the repair time for your body, start decreasing it gradually. If, let’s say, you take rest for two minutes after three sets of an exercise, reduce the duration to one minute, 30 seconds. Then after a few weeks, reduce it to a minute and so on.

However, take proper rest

Limiting your rest time in between sets doesn’t mean that you don’t have to rest your body. You should never strain your body beyond the limit it can go to. If you think you can’t take as much stress, it is better to halt. Also, always make sure that you get a good night’s sleep. Sleeping enough is the most essential step towards a healthier living but often people disregard it. If you want to build stamina, you should never do that.

Eat multiple times a day

Try to have a five-meal policy with smaller portions rather than a three-meal policy with bigger portions. This will improve your body’s metabolism as there will be a continuous supply of energy. Also, if you eat big portions, your body is likely to get sluggish post that.

Eat protein

Protein is essential for the health of the muscles. Make sure you never skip on good sources of protein such as eggs, dairy products, chicken and pulses.

Eat good fat

Though you should limit your fat intake but do have good fat. You must know the difference between good fat and bad fat. Good fat comes from healthier sources such as fish oil, flax seeds, dark chocolate, nuts, chia seeds and avocados.

Know your sodium intake

When you follow a regular fitness regime, your body loses a lot of sodium in the form of sweat. So, it is important that you don’t let the levels drop too much by maintaining an optimal intake of salt intake. This is because low sodium levels can lead to a situation called electrolyte imbalance. This can make you dizzy and light-headed.

Never skip on breakfast

You must understand the importance of breakfast in your diet. It is the most essential meal of the day. You should have a combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the morning.

Walk after your meals

Walk slowly after you eat and try to maintain a gap of 20 minutes between eating and walking. This helps your body digest the food that you have eaten and helps it stay free of toxins. This is an essential part of building stamina.

Can excessive sweating cause weight loss?

'I joined a gym in March. Summer season is the ideal time to hit the gym because I sweat a lot in hot days which helps me reduce weight quickly,' shares Khushboo Shinde, an IT engineer. She is not the only one who believes that excessive sweating is the key to acquiring a svelte figure. But, sadly it's just a myth.  Also Read - Natural remedies to prevent excessive sweating during the sultry summer days

Whether young or not so young, all believe in hitting the gym in summer season, considering it the best season to burn calories because the body generates a lot of sweat during sunny days. 'It's a common belief that extreme sweating will help you get rid of toxins and therefore lose weight faster. This happens because a high percentage (75%) of our body weight is water, losing some of that weight through sweating will help dieters slim down. But, the results are superficial and only temporary,' claims Pratichi Thakare, owner and fitness trainer at Eva Care Gym.  Also Read - Researchers develop wearable sensors that can detect sweat rate