Stamina refers to a feeling of energy, strength and endurance. It's more than a feeling of mental alertness or being physically in shape---it is the combination of both. Unless you eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep, your body will spend too much time expending energy in unnecessary ways.
Exercise
According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the best ways to improve your stamina is with aerobic exercises such as biking, running or taking a class at your local gym. The reasoning behind this is that when you're engaged in vigorous exercise, you're forced to breathe faster and more deeply, which increases the amount of oxygen in your blood.
At the same time, your heart beats faster and maximizes the amount of blood and oxygen delivered to your muscles, brain, lungs and other organs. Blood vessels widen, which allows even more oxygen to circulate. The body can more quickly flush the system of unwanted waste like carbon dioxide and lactic acid. While all this is happening, the brain releases endorphins---a chemical that acts like a natural painkiller in the body and makes you feel good. Other activities to promote stamina are swimming, basketball, tennis and rowing.
Diet
Food and nutrients are essential for improving your stamina. The George Mateljan Foundation, a non-profit, food-research organization, stresses the importance of dietary proteins, carbohydrates, fibers, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals for maximizing energy and endurance.
Some of the most important nutrient groups for improving circulation and heart health are foods rich in antioxidants, B-complex vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. These include vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and fatty fish such as salmon.
Consuming protein will support muscle growth and maintenance. And to sustain your stamina throughout the day, electrolytes will replace the much-needed fluids, sodium and potassium that your body normally flushes through sweat and perspiration.
Lifestyle
In addition to a healthy diet and exercise, your stamina is affected by when you eat and how much you sleep. It is recommended that you eat a large, yet healthy, breakfast each morning. It is just as important to give your body the chance to fully digest the meal.
"Catch-up eating," or gorging after a workout or several hours after waking up, may be emotionally satisfying, but it doesn't help increase stamina. Meals that are high in fat or sugar take longer to digest, or they sap stamina, because energy gets released from the system too quickly. In other words, the body is forced to work harder to process foods with fats and sugars, compared to healthier foods such as vegetables and lean meat like grilled chicken.
Sleep improves stamina by releasing three essential hormones, according to Dr. Ben Kim, a natural health-care practitioner. Erythropoietin stimulates the production of red blood cells, which delivers oxygen to the other cells in the body. Growth hormones work by reproducing cells. And small amounts of testosterone increase energy.
Tags: your stamina, your body, diet exercise, healthy diet, healthy diet exercise