How to Get More Energy as a Tired Parent

It’s 3pm, the school run is in half an hour, and you’re on your third coffee and still feel like you could lie down on the kitchen floor. If you’re wondering how to get more energy as a tired parent, you’re not alone. Almost every mum and dad I train tells me the same thing in their first session: “I’m just tired all the time.”

I can’t make your toddler sleep through. But after more than 10 years coaching busy parents in Archway and Highgate, I’ve seen a few small, boring habits make a real difference by mid-afternoon.

First, rule out the things a trainer can’t fix

Being tired when you have young kids is normal. Being exhausted for weeks with no clear reason is something to get checked. The NHS page on tiredness and fatigue lists caring for a new baby, stress and poor sleep as common causes, but also medical ones like iron deficiency anaemia and thyroid problems. It suggests seeing a GP if you’ve been tired for a few weeks and can’t work out why, if it’s affecting your daily life, or if it comes with other symptoms such as weight loss or mood changes.

So if that sounds like you, book the GP appointment first. Everything below is general advice for the everyday kind of parent tiredness, not a replacement for that.

How to get more energy as a tired parent: 7 things to try

None of these need a gym, special kit or a free hour. Pick two to start with, not all seven.

1. Take a 15-minute walk, even when you don’t feel like it

This sounds backwards when you’re shattered, but movement usually gives energy back. The NHS self-help tips to fight fatigue say that even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost. Walk the long way back from drop-off, push the buggy round the block after lunch, or get off the bus a stop early on Holloway Road. Daylight helps too.

2. Stop running on leftovers and coffee

A lot of tired parents skip breakfast, pick at fish fingers off the kids’ plates, then crash. The same NHS page recommends regular meals and healthy snacks every few hours rather than a few big meals. In practice that means a proper breakfast with some protein (eggs on toast, Greek yoghurt and fruit, overnight oats), a real lunch you sit down for, and a planned snack for the 3pm dip. If breakfast is your weak spot, my post on high-protein breakfasts for busy parents has quick ideas.

3. Drink water before you reach for caffeine

Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, according to the NHS. Keep a bottle where you’ll see it: by the kettle, in the buggy, on your desk. Have a glass when you get up and another before your second coffee. Caffeine isn’t the enemy, but the NHS suggests avoiding it in the evening because it can disrupt sleep, and poor sleep makes tomorrow worse.

4. Protect the sleep you can control

You can’t control night feeds or a poorly child. You can control what happens around them. Go to bed at a similar time each night, put your phone on the other side of the room, and resist the “revenge scrolling” at 11pm. If your sleep is broken, read my post on how to exercise when sleep deprived, because the rules change a bit when you’re running on very little.

5. Get stronger, not just fitter

Parenting is physical. You lift car seats, carry a sleeping five-year-old up the stairs and haul shopping bags up the hill from Archway station. When your legs, back and arms are stronger, all of that costs you less energy. The NHS physical activity guidelines recommend strengthening activities on at least 2 days a week, alongside 150 minutes of moderate activity spread through the week. Two short strength sessions a week is a realistic place to start.

6. Watch the “wine o’clock” habit

The NHS points out that alcohol may help you fall asleep yet reduces the quality of your sleep. If you’re relying on it most nights, try a few alcohol-free evenings a week and notice how you feel the next morning.

7. Find 10 minutes that are just yours

Stress uses up energy. The NHS lists exercise, yoga, music, reading and time with friends as things that help you relax. Ten minutes of anything that isn’t for someone else counts.

A realistic “more energy” week

Here’s what this could look like if you’re starting from zero:

• Every day: a 15-minute walk, a glass of water before coffee, a proper breakfast.
• Two days a week: one strength session of 20 to 45 minutes.
• Three evenings a week: phone away and lights out at a set time.

Give it three or four weeks before you judge it. Energy tends to creep up rather than arrive overnight.

Where a small-group bootcamp fits

For a lot of parents, the hardest part isn’t knowing what to do, it’s actually doing it when you’re tired. That’s why I set up SYP Bootcamp: 45-minute classes for busy mums and dads in a warm indoor hall in Archway, with a maximum of 10 people so I can coach everyone properly. Sessions mix strength and conditioning, every exercise has an easier and harder option, and you don’t need to be fit to start.

Having a set time and a small group expecting you takes the decision out of it. You can see this week’s class times on the SYP Bootcamp booking page.

FAQs

Why am I so tired all the time as a parent?

Usually it’s a mix of broken sleep, stress, irregular meals and not much movement. But tiredness can also have medical causes, so if it’s lasted a few weeks with no clear reason or is affecting daily life, the NHS advises seeing your GP.

Will exercising make me more tired?

A very hard session on no sleep can leave you flat. Moderate exercise, like a brisk walk or a well-coached strength session, usually leaves people feeling more awake. Start easy and build up.

What’s the quickest way to get an energy boost?

A short walk outside, a glass of water and a snack with some protein will often do more than another coffee. They’re simple, free and you can do them with the kids in tow.

Ready to feel less wiped out?

If you’d like a set time each week that gets you moving, with a coach who understands parent life, book a class. It’s £15, 45 minutes, and beginners are very welcome. Book my £15 class or message me on WhatsApp on 07301 512215 if you have questions first. If you’d rather start one-to-one, you can see how 1-1 coaching with SYP Fitness works.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.