Anyone who as ever paid attention will realize that there is a rhythm to life. Seasons come and go, animals migrate, and the tides oscillate regularly. The most well known rhythm is the transfer of night to day and vice versa. In order to maximize our energy levels, we need to find the natural rhythm of energy and go with it, not against it. If we try to cancel out these rhythms Mother Nature has instituted, we do it at a our own peril.
Look at our energy rhythms. We need to work and expend energy but then we also need to completely disconnect and recover as much energy as possible. This is one of the rhythms of energy and life of which I speak. When we try to go against this cycle, our body begins to break down and we find ourselves completely devoid of the most important assets we possess, our heath and our energy.
In order to maximize our energy levels, we as a society need to get better at listening to our bodies and work with them instead of trying to go against them.
For instance, think about the most well known rhythm called the Circadian rhythm. It’s a 24 hour cycle that controls sleep and wake. Although it varies slightly from person to person, this cycle usually has an 8 hour sleep cycle to 16 hours of being awake.
What’s interesting is that we have another rhythm called our Ultradian rhythm. This rhythm is much more subtle, but likely you’ve felt its affect on you. Every 90 to 120 minutes your body completes one of these cycles. You probably have the experience regularly where after about 90 minutes or so you start to feel a little tired. It might be as subtle as it starts to get difficult to concentrate or focus. You also might feel a little thirsty or want a little snack. This is the Ultradian rhythm in action.
Our body is asking for rest. The course of action we should take is to get up and walk away from our desk. Go somewhere to completely disconnect for 10-15 minutes. Walking over to a friend’s cubicle to talk about work related things does not count as completely disconnecting. We should also try to drink some water during this break and eat a very light snack such as a piece of fruit or even better a vegetable. This takes a little planning I know, but it will be well worth it.
What we should do and what we actually do is quite a contrast. Most of the time we try to get our bodies past this energy valley and push ourselves either by not stopping what we are doing, or by trying to stimulate ourselves (literally to death) by ingesting sugars and caffeine.
Donuts, coffee, sodas, or energy drinks are the worst things you should put into your body at that point because of the energy consequences. You are guaranteeing that you will feel dead tired in an hour or two once the sugar rush is over.
So the next time you are working for an extended period of time, plan out your breaks. Remember these breaks should be a time to completely disconnect and shift focus to something entirely unrelated. A quick tip that many have found helpful is to set an alarm on your watch or cell phone to remind you to take these breaks. Also, bring healthy snacks to work so that you are not tempted by that vending machine. And finally invest in a refillable water bottle and carry that around with you. You will immediately feel healthier and stronger, and consequently have much more energy!
Gerry Geneva is a personal energy coach and expert. He has worked with high school and collegiate athletes training them how to better manage sleep, work outs, food intake, and the emotional and mental stress brought on my a busy high school and college life. He also trains working parents, instructing and teaching how to manage energy levels and avoid or recover from exhaustion. He specializes in managing and beating the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
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