When you keep slamming the snooze button when the alarm goes off or hit a slump in the middle of the afternoon every day, it might be time to realize that your habits may not be helping you get more energy -- and keep it. "Most people have at least a few bad habits that make them feel tired and run-down", says psychologist Robert Thayer, author of Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood With Food and Exercise. "The problem is they usually don't recognise what they're doing wrong."

Here, Thayer and other experts identify the five most common energy vampires -- and how to escape them so you can get more energy.

1. Energy Vampire: Checking email obsessively
Admit it: What is email really but an endless stream of interruptions? If you're constantly stopping your work to respond to messages, you'll feel worn out without accomplishing much at all, says Leo Babauta, author of The Power of Less: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential … in Business and in Life. Worse still, you might have to stay late at the office to finish the projects you didn't get done because you were on your email all day.

Energy Cure: Set two or three times each day when you're going to empty out your inbox -- and then be done, suggests Babauta. "Don't even have your email program on your screen for the rest of the day so you won't be tempted", he says. Let your boss know about your change (say you want to be more productive) and ask him to just call you if he needs anything stat. Remember that old relic, the telephone?

2. Energy Vampire: Sugary treats
Doughnuts, cupcakes, chocolate bars -- yep, they’ll give you a sugar rush. But about 45 minutes later, you'll crash big-time, says Thayer.

Energy Cure: If that mid-afternoon energy drain is all too familiar, Thayer suggests taking a 5- to 10-minute walk. In one of his studies, he analysed how eating a chocolate bar affects mood in comparison to taking a brisk 10-minute walk. Two hours later, participants who took a walk were still more energetic. The chocolate bar eaters, however, felt worse than they did before they had the snack.

If you're hungry, opt for snacks like a savoury muffin with grated carrot and zucchini, or crispy slices of pita bread with low-fat dip suggests the Dieticians Association of Australia. Such snacks will release slowly into your blood sugar, giving you steady energy. Bonus: They're better for your teeth too.

3. Energy Vampire: Staying up late
Sure, it's hard to squeeze in eight hours of sleep. By the time the kids are in bed and dinner is cleaned up, you want a little time for yourself before you hit the sack. And even if you're ready to catch some z's, your body may have other plans. Around one in three people have at least mild insomnia according to the Australasian Sleep Health Foundation. Still, getting less than seven to eight hours of shut-eye is a guaranteed way to run yourself down. "Your brain retains more information from the previous day if you've had a good night's sleep", says Thayer. Sleep also improves your concentration so you can get your tasks done faster.

Energy Cure: If you're staying up late to watch the news, you've just got to switch it off and get some rest. But if you're there in bed counting sheep, try putting on some relaxing music. In one study, in the British Journal of Advanced Nursing, participants improved their sleep quality by 35 percent by listening to soothing music at bedtime. And once you get into a routine, stick with it. It helps reinforce your body's sleep-wake schedule, so you'll doze off faster.

4. Energy Vampire: Negative people
You know those people who are constantly complaining or who never have a nice word to say? "They can drain the energy out of you without you knowing it", says Babauta. Sure, you're sweet to listen to their rants once in a while. But daily, even weekly, is way too much.

Energy Cure: You might not be able to rid your life of these people entirely (maybe they're relatives). But you can cut right back on your interactions with them, says Babauta. For instance, if your sister starts on another one of her tirades about how terrible her life is, tell her you understand, you sympathise, but you simply don't have time to talk right now. Suggest a phone call next week or the week after. Maybe in the meantime, she'll find someone else to unload her problems on.

5. Energy Vampire: Drinking coffee 24/7
Don't worry: Experts say it's OK to have a cup of coffee or two in the morning. "In fact, the caffeine boosts your energy and helps you get going", says Blatner. But grabbing another cup in the afternoon will definitely interfere with sleep. In fact, half the caffeine from a 3 p.m. brew is still in your body at 9.

Energy Cure: Make sure your meals have staying power, and you'll be less inclined to reach for caffeine-induced energy, says Blatner. Imagine dividing your lunch and dinner plates into four equal parts. Create your power meal by filling one part of the plate with whole grains (like brown rice or whole-wheat bread), one part with lean protein (chicken breast, hard-boiled egg or turkey) and the other two with fruits and veggies. Then, it's off the races for the rest of the day!

What are your energy vampires? Share your energy tips below...

Karen Cicero is a health and nutrition writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has written health articles for Prevention, and her articles frequently appear in Oral Care and Health Daily (Australia & New Zealand).