We Don’t Have an Energy Problem. We Have an Energy Efficiency Problem.

We Don't Have an Energy Problem. We Have an Energy Efficiency Problem.

By Christine Sagan, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

When people feel tired, the instinct is often to look for more: more caffeine, more sleep, more calories, more supplements.

But what if the problem isn't simply that we aren't producing enough energy? What if we're spending too much of it?

Dr. Martin Picard, a mitochondrial researcher at Columbia University, studies how our cells produce, allocate, and respond to energy demands. One helpful way to think about his work is through energy efficiency: the more energy the body spends managing ongoing stress and metabolic demands, the less it has left for repair, adaptation, creativity, and growth.

Think of your body like a business. If most of the budget goes to putting out fires, there isn't much left to invest in the future.

Where Are You Spending Your Energy?

Chronic stress has a biological cost. When the brain perceives a threat, the body gathers resources to respond. That's useful when danger is real and short-lived, but exhausting when the alarm never turns off.

Rumination, conflict, resentment, constant notifications, multitasking, and information overload can keep us in a state of ongoing reactivity. Alcohol adds another demand, since the body prioritizes processing it over other work.

The lesson isn't to eliminate all stress. We need periods of challenge followed by periods of recovery:

Stress → recovery → adaptation.

Without recovery, we gradually lose efficiency.

Exercise Builds Your Energy Machinery

Exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have for supporting mitochondrial health. Regular movement signals the body to build and improve mitochondria, supports insulin sensitivity, and strengthens metabolic resilience.

Here’s the interesting part: the workout provides the signal, but much of the positive change happens afterward, while your body recovers. Recovery is when the body repairs, rebuilds and adapts to the demands you’ve placed on it.

That’s why sleep, rest, meditation, time in nature, prayer, meaningful relationships, and practices such as yoga or Yoga Nidra are more than indulgences. They’re part of how exercise does its work. Recovery is productive biology.

Purpose May Matter More Than We Realize

One of the most fascinating areas of mitochondrial research looks at the connection between our psychological lives, including our sense of well-being and purpose, and our cells. A 2024 study from Dr. Picard’s team found that people who reported greater well-being had more of the mitochondrial proteins the brain uses to transform energy. The study shows a link, not cause and effect, and researchers are still learning what it means.

That doesn’t mean greater well-being alone “fixes” mitochondria, or that fatigue and depression are simply mindset problems. Both are complex and deserve appropriate medical evaluation.

But it raises an important question: does our biology work differently when our lives feel meaningful and coherent?

When our behaviors, relationships, priorities, and values pull us in different directions, we spend tremendous energy. When they align, our energy becomes more focused.

Protect Your Energy

One practical strategy is simple: each morning, name the three to five things that matter most in the next 18 hours.

Not everything deserves equal attention.

Move your body. Prioritize sleep. Eat nourishing food. Reduce excess alcohol. Create quiet. Address chronic stress. Protect your attention. Invest in meaningful relationships. And every so often, ask whether the way you spend your days reflects what actually matters to you.

A Different Question

At Vitae, we often look for ways to add something to improve health: a medication, supplement, treatment, or intervention. Sometimes those are exactly what's needed.

But sometimes the better question is: Where am I spending energy I don't need to?

Health isn't only about creating more energy. It's about using the energy we have wisely.

When body, mind, relationships, and purpose come into alignment, we create more room for what we're really seeking: healing, resilience, vitality, and a life that feels worth having energy for.

If fatigue has been sticking around, it deserves a closer look, and our team can help you get to the root of it. Call 907-929-2222 to schedule..