The scoring formula (simple, explainable)

Each slider is 1–10. Stress is inverted (because higher stress typically lowers energy). We compute a weighted average and scale it to 0–100, so the result is easy to interpret and track over time.

• Sleep quality: 24%
• Stress (inverted → calm): 18%
• Nutrition quality: 14%
• Hydration: 12%
• Recovery breaks: 12%
• Movement: 10%
• Caffeine timing: 6%
• Sunlight / daylight: 4%

• Sleep is the primary “charger,” so it gets the most weight.
• Stress can drain energy even when you “do everything right.”
• Food + water + breaks are the most common fixable leaks.
• Movement supports alertness and mood with minimal time.
• Caffeine + sunlight are smaller, but often the difference between “okay” and “sharp.”

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this medical advice?

  No. This is an educational self‑reflection tool. If fatigue is severe or persistent, consider medical guidance.

• How often should I use it?

  Weekly is ideal. Daily can help you see cause‑and‑effect, but don’t obsess over single‑day scores.

• Why invert stress?

  We convert stress into a “calm score,” so the math is intuitive: higher calm generally supports higher energy.

• What’s the fastest way to raise my score?

  Almost always: improve sleep quality (even slightly), add breaks, and tighten caffeine timing.

• What if my score is low but I’m “doing everything”?

  That can happen. Stress load, health issues, medication effects, or burnout can overwhelm lifestyle tweaks. Use the guide for clarity, and seek support when needed.

How to use this guide (in 3 minutes)

The goal isn’t to “maximize” every slider. It’s to find the one or two levers that will give you the biggest payoff. Use this guide like a compass:

• Use “Last 7 days” to smooth out one‑off bad nights.
• Move sliders based on reality, not intention.

• Your plan will highlight the two lowest areas (with stress treated as calm).
• Pick one lever to improve by just 1 point this week.

• Choose a 2–10 minute action you can repeat daily.
• Re‑score in 7 days and look for direction, not perfection.

Energy optimization: the “battery + leaks” model

Most energy advice fails because it treats energy like a personality trait: “some people are energetic.” In real life, energy behaves more like a rechargeable battery with predictable drains. You can have high motivation and still feel exhausted if your battery isn’t charging well or if energy is leaking faster than it recharges. This guide is built around two questions:

• What charges you? (sleep quality, hydration, nutrition, daylight)
• What drains you? (stress load, poor breaks, chaotic caffeine, too little movement)

The point of a score is not to judge you. It’s to simplify decisions. When you’re tired, everything feels like it needs fixing. A single number and a ranked list of levers helps you stop guessing. You can say, “Okay, my sleep and breaks are my weakest points. That’s my focus.” And when you focus on one lever at a time, you actually build momentum instead of cycling through random hacks.

Sleep hours matter, but quality often determines whether you wake up refreshed or groggy. Quality includes how quickly you fall asleep, how often you wake, whether you feel restored, and whether your schedule is consistent. Two people can both sleep 7 hours and have very different energy: one has steady sleep, the other has fragmented sleep after late caffeine and a scrolling habit. This is why the slider asks for quality. If your sleep quality is low, the fastest non‑medical improvements are usually about routines: a consistent wind‑down, fewer late screens, and caffeine that doesn’t creep into the afternoon.

Many people experience “tired” as brain fog. Hydration affects alertness and perceived effort. The goal here isn’t to force a gallon of water—it’s to remove the easy drag. If your hydration slider is low, your action can be simple: a water bottle on your desk, a glass of water before coffee, or pairing water with meals. Small, consistent changes often show up as better morning clarity and fewer mid‑afternoon crashes.

This slider is about how stable your energy feels after eating. A “high” nutrition score doesn’t require a perfect diet. It usually means: you get enough protein, you don’t skip meals and then binge, and you avoid huge sugar swings that create quick spikes followed by dips. If your nutrition score is low, you don’t need a complicated plan. Start with one anchor: a protein‑forward breakfast, or a consistent lunch. Energy optimization is often about reducing extremes, not micromanaging macros.

Movement feels like it costs energy, but it often creates energy. Even light movement can increase alertness, improve mood, and reduce stiffness that makes you feel “heavy.” The slider doesn’t assume workouts. It can mean walking, stretching, taking stairs, or a short mobility routine. If movement is low, your smallest fix might be a 5‑minute walk after lunch or a 60‑second stretch between tasks. The rule is “tiny but daily.”

Daylight exposure influences circadian rhythm—your internal timing system that impacts sleep and alertness. The slider asks for daylight exposure, not sunburn. A simple practice many people find useful is stepping outside for a few minutes in the morning. If your daylight slider is low, your best move may be surprisingly small: open blinds early, walk around the block, or take calls near a window.

Caffeine isn’t “bad.” It’s a lever. The problem is when caffeine props up a tired system and then damages sleep later, creating a loop: tired → caffeine → sleep worse → more tired. “Clean” caffeine timing usually means: not too late, not too random, and not used as the only strategy. If your caffeine timing slider is low, try a single rule: no caffeine after a certain hour, or avoid stacking coffee late morning + afternoon. Your goal is less dependency, more stability.

Stress consumes attention and creates physiological load. You can have great sleep and still feel drained if you’re carrying constant pressure. That’s why stress is inverted in the formula: high stress lowers the score. But here’s the good news: stress relief doesn’t always require a life change. Many people gain energy by adding small “pressure releases” throughout the day: a short walk, a tidy sprint, a 2‑minute breathing reset, or a quick plan. Similarly, breaks are recovery micro‑cycles. Without them, your brain runs hot and then crashes. If your breaks score is low, try a timer: 25 minutes focused + 3 minutes reset. It’s not about being rigid; it’s about giving your nervous system permission to recover.

Imagine you score your last 7 days like this: Sleep 4, Hydration 6, Nutrition 6, Movement 5, Sunlight 3, Caffeine 7, Stress 8, Breaks 4. The guide will likely show a modest score, with your lowest levers being daylight, sleep, breaks, and calm (because stress is high). If you try to fix everything at once, you’ll burn out. Instead, pick one “highest payoff” lever. A realistic week could be:

• Daylight: 5 minutes outside within 2 hours of waking, daily.
• Breaks: 2 short resets during work (walk + water).
• Stress: one daily pressure release (write a 3‑item plan).

After a week, you re‑score. Even a small shift—daylight from 3→5, breaks 4→6, stress 8→7—can raise your score meaningfully and make days feel lighter. That’s the vibe: small inputs, repeatable actions, noticeable energy.

Action menu: raise your score with tiny habits

Below are “small enough to do on a bad day” actions. Pick one per low slider and run it for 7 days. The goal is to make the action so easy you can keep it even when life gets messy.

• Pick a consistent bedtime window (e.g., 11:00–11:30pm) and protect it 5 nights this week.
• 30‑minute wind‑down: dim lights + no doomscrolling. Replace with music, stretching, or a short read.
• If you wake up groggy, get daylight early and avoid late caffeine.

• Drink a glass of water before your first coffee/tea.
• Keep a bottle visible. “Out of sight” becomes “out of mind.”
• Pair water with meals: breakfast + lunch + dinner.

• Make one meal “stable fuel”: protein + fiber (e.g., eggs + fruit, yogurt + nuts, chicken + veggies).
• Don’t skip lunch. Skipping often creates a late‑day crash.
• Reduce the rollercoaster: add protein to snacks (cheese, nuts, Greek yogurt).

• 5–10 minute walk after lunch (or after your biggest meeting).
• 1 minute stretch every hour (neck, shoulders, hips).
• When you feel foggy: stand up, move, then return.

• Morning: step outside for 2–10 minutes (even if cloudy).
• Work near a window when possible. Light matters.
• Combine with movement: “walk + daylight” is a two‑for‑one.

• Set a caffeine cutoff time (common choices: 12pm or 2pm).
• Try coffee after water and a little food—less jitter, more stable energy.
• If sleep quality is low, reduce caffeine first before adding more.

• 2‑minute “brain dump”: write the top 3 priorities and one next step for each.
• Use a simple cycle: 25 minutes focus + 3 minutes reset.
• Micro‑break rule: if you feel stuck, stand up and move for 60 seconds.

Reminder: If fatigue is severe, sudden, or accompanied by concerning symptoms, consider professional medical evaluation.