With millions of people across the UK continuing to spend the majority of their time indoors juggling work and family life, a new survey reveals a third of women are “not feeling very energetic” at the moment, compared to one in five men.

Feroglobin by Vitabiotics commissioned the study to see how Brits are faring, as recent Office for National Statistics reports that women’s well-being was more negatively affected than men’s during the first year of the pandemic.

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According to the ONS, women consistently spent more time on additional childcare duties and unpaid work than men between March last year and February 2021.

Researchers found that a quarter of people right across the UK are “not feeling very energetic” at the moment (30% women, 19% men), with fewer than one in 10 (just 7%) stating they feel “very energetic” (6% women, 9% men).

While nearly half of those surveyed said they grab a caffeine fix and almost a third will take a power nap, the survey showed many are turning to exercise instead, with 67% of people opting to get out in fresh air to boost their energy levels.

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Boost your energy level with a walk outdoors.

According to registered nutritionist, Alice Godfrey: “There are many reasons why there is a lack of energy amongst the nation at the moment, which could include eating more processed foods and snacks, taking less exercise and raised anxiety and stress levels.

“When we’re in a heightened and stressed state, our bodies don’t function as well. Digestive function suffers and this can affect iron absorption from foods,” she explains.

“Essentially, less iron means less oxygen getting to our tissues and muscles which means we can’t make as much energy. In addition, women need more iron than men due to menstruation.”

Top tips for boosting your iron levels

“It might sound unrelated but actually creating some relaxation time in your day is likely to increase the amount of iron you are absorbing as well as giving you some time out to rest,” says Alice.

Here are her five tips for maintaining healthy iron levels.

  1. Include good levels of dark leafy greens, seeds and grass-fed meat if you eat meat
  2. For vegetarians, don’t rely on cheese as the main source of protein. Include tofu, pulses, nuts and seeds
  3. Avoid drinking tea or coffee alongside (non-meat) sources of iron as this can impair absorption
  4. Try to avoid too much sugar
  5. Address gastrointestinal problems including IBS symptoms, which can interfere with iron absorption

Discover more on the requirements of iron depending on age and gender here.

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