For More Energy, Invest In Your Body (energy management series 2/8)

May 16, 2023 Regina Zafonte

A crucial part of maintaining your energy is taking care of your physicality. Simply, there is a mind-body connection, when you are in good shape, you feel great, and it takes intentionality and discipline to establish practices for maintaining your physical health. How do you maximize your physical wellness first so you are able to contribute more effectively and easily?

Here are some components to consider:

1. Eating healthy. Some people may not be aware of the types of foods they put into their bodies and the specific impacts on their energy levels. Do you know which foods weigh you down and make you lethargic and which foods help you feel good and alert? If you are unsure, you can work with a nutritionist to discover ways to eat healthy and maintain a balanced diet to be at the top of your game. Simple changes like making sure you drink enough water throughout the day and a glass before a meal so you feel full quicker can alter how you show up.

2. Exercising regularly. Having a regular exercise routine will keep your energy levels high and maintain your longevity. The University of Vermont found that just 20 minutes of exercise can boost someone’s mood up to 12 hours. You can do many things to promote movement and get your heart rate up.

2A Gym routine. Having a strength-building practice or taking classes can give you a great workout, introduce you to many kinds of exercises that help with cross-bodying training, and provide possible seeds for a new hobby to flourish. It has the added benefit of being a social experience and can be incredibly motivating when you find the accountability to exercise together.

2B. Walking. Walking is a great and simple exercise that keeps you active and sharp. Many excellent leaders knew and incorporated the copious benefits into their daily routines. Thomas Jefferson talked about how walking helped with clearing his mind and being the object of his relaxation. Similarly, Ernest Hemingway mentioned walking as a way to develop his best thoughts. Because the nervous system only has a certain amount of bandwidth, walking is a great way to calm it down, even for 10 minutes. A recent study shows that walking for 1 hour daily reduces the risk of major depression. Doing it in nature is especially helpful because it reduces stress while increasing the ability to be more creative and have playful thoughts. Attention Restoration Theory (ATR) “suggests that mental fatigue and concentration can be improved by time spent in or looking at nature.” ART proposes that exposure to natural environments encourages more effortless brain function, thereby allowing it to recover and replenish its directed attention capacity. Because you are in an environment with lower cognitive abilities, you slow down your brain, retrain it, use different parts, create more connections, and have better reflections.

2C. Practicing Yoga. This exercise yields some of the best mental and physical benefits, such as relieving stress and tension, improving focus, managing difficult emotions, and unlocking creativity. Physically, by practicing various poses, it builds strength, flexibility, and balance. There is also the mental component of paying attention to what is happening in your mind when you are holding a challenging pose for too long. With each position, your mind will react and it is good practice to choose how you want to work with that reaction. It is about this beautiful balance of knowing when to strive with the right amount of struggle to be at your best and when to be at peace with where you are at any given moment.

3. Sleeping restoratively. Having excellent quality sleep is one of the most significant differences you can make in your energy levels and performing at your best. It is essential for your cognitive performance because when you sleep, you consolidate and retain all new information and learnings from the day, connect disparate pieces of information, and unleash creative problem-solving. The toxins accumulated throughout the day get cleaned when you can rest. This process is essential to keep your brain healthy and reduce Alzheimer’s. Many people disrupt their sleep by having their phones next to them. There are many things you can do to have better quality sleep. For more on this topic, you can read my sleep series.

3A Napping. Napping for a short time can boost your mood and productivity and give you mental clarity, increasing your productivity. Many people may feel like they do not have time for a nap in their day, but if 15-20 minutes can mean a supercharged next 2+ hours, it could be worth it to slow down to go faster.

4. Breathing deeply. It is a great way to calm your nervous system and restore energy. There are methods of breathing that can nourish your brain. In Breath, James Nestor argues how we breathe matters and that there is a right and wrong way to do it. The right way to breathe can boost blood pressure, athletic performance, and balance our nervous system. Nasal breathing (or inhaling and exhaling through your nose) is more proper and efficient than mouth breathing, which can be harmful because it causes the body to lose 40% more water. Your breathing pace also matters; slow and deep are essential. He mentions how 5.5 breaths per minute are optimal. The most critical element is ensuring you take your time exhaling to get the stale air out of your system. Many people like the Box Breathing method, where you inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4, and repeat. Many Navy Seals use it to stay calm and focused during intense situations. Buddhist monks use proper breathing techniques to lengthen their lives and reach higher levels of consciousness.

5. Partaking in regular self-care body rituals. There are various things we can do to prioritize ourselves and take care of our body for a shift in energy and mood. Going for a massage can be a relaxing feeling that calms our nerves, reduces stress, and restores our body, especially after any intense strain on it, such as prolonged exercise. It creates peace and calm and sets us up for what’s next. Taking the time to get a haircut, or going for a manicure or pedicure for our hands and feet can keep our bodies looking and feeling great. Bubble baths with candles and music, saunas, and hot tubs can offer unique relaxing experiences.

Taking time to care for your body matters. It will contribute to your mental fortitude and keep you moving through life with higher energy levels.

Quote of the day: “No [persons] have the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a person to grow old without seeing their beauty and strength for which their body is capable.” -Socrates

Q: What is your favorite form of movement, and how does it impact your life? Comment and share below; we would love to hear from you!

The next blog in this series 3/8 will focus on cultivating a healthy mind for greater energy.

As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to create effective personal energy management systems for themselves and their teams, contact me to explore this topic further.

For Quality Sleep, Make Better Daytime Decisions (sleep series 3/4)

June 2, 2020 Regina Zafonte

Getting good quality sleep does not just happen when your head hits the pillow, but from the moment you wake up. Our behavior throughout the day and the choices we make, especially in the last few hours of our day can significantly impact our ability to get great rest.

Here are some practical things to do during the day to improve your sleep:

1. Control Stimulants. As a general rule, it is best to cut off caffeine by 2 pm. Try to give yourself at least eight caffeine-free hours before bedtime. Nightly alcohol also disrupts your sleep quality. Some people may believe a couple of glasses of wine can help them fall asleep quickly, which may be true, but the problem is that sleep hinders the REM stage, which is the most restorative. That’s why even when getting many hours of sleep after a night of drinking, we wake up exhausted because alcohol has gotten in the way. The rule is if we are going to have a drink, make it at least three hours before bed; for two drinks, at least four hours before sleep.

2. Get Sunlight Exposure. The more daylight you soak up, the happier and the more alert you will be, which will allow you to sleep better at night since some of that energy has been expended earlier. Even if you may not be able to get outside, sitting near a window can also help. Studies show that on average, employees whose offices have windows get 46 min more sleep every night.

3. Exercise. Even as little as 10 minutes of exercise per day can dramatically improve the quality and consistency of your sleep. For one thing, it is because movement tires the body, which increases the chances that you’ll be sleepy when it is time for rest. Sleep specialist Matthew Walker recommends visiting the gym after work rather than before because it is a great way to reduce stress after a day at the office. The movement helps burn off any tension, which enables you to wind down more easily and relax when you get to bed. Taking more walks can help boost your energy so the next time you need to make a phone call or have a meeting, why not combine it with walking?

4. Eat Well. The food we consume throughout the day has a surprisingly strong impact on our sleep. In particular, eating saturated fats and sugar is associated with a harder time falling asleep. Fat requires the body to work overtime, which makes it more difficult for us to feel comfortable. Regularly eating a cheeseburger and french fries – especially for dinner – causes your sleep quality to suffer, and frequent sugar intake raises energy arousal. Accordingly to an Australian study, spicy food may also disrupt your sleep. In addition to the higher fat levels, it can increase your internal body temperature, which needs to lower for you to have restful sleep. If you eat these foods too close to bedtime, your body expends energy in digestion rather than helping your brain fall asleep. Many studies would advise not eating at least 3 hours before bed.

The choices you make during the day can have a major impact on the quality of sleep you have. When you are eating healthy, exercising, getting appropriate sunlight, and avoiding stimulates like caffeine or alcohol late in the day, you are creating the conditions for the best sleep of your life.

Quote of the day: “Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night.” ― Charles Fisher

Q: What are some productive daytime activities that help you sleep better at night? Comment and share with us, we would love to hear!

The next blog in this sleep series 4/4 will focus on optimizing your nighttime routine.

Are you inspired by the way you lead yourself? As a Leadership Coach, I partner with people to grow their leadership ability so they can live their best life and develop others more effectively. Contact me to learn more.

Make healthy eating choices for better sleep

Tips for Being a Super Sleeper (Sleep Series 2/4)

May 15, 2020 Regina Zafonte

When was the last time you thought about the quality of your sleep? Given that it is one of the most important factors that can greatly impact our health, happiness, productivity, and relationships, it seems like it would be pivotal to invest our time to be super sleepers.

The National Sleep Foundation and the Center for Disease Control recommend 7-9 hours. Because every person is different, how much sleep you need depends on your genetics and how you are spending your waking hours. Some people may believe they fall into the category of needing only a few hours of sleep, but their underslept brain may be tricking them. Arianna Huffington, Author of the Sleep Revolution notes, “Unless you have a genetic mutation and can function on three to four hours of sleep which is 1.5% of the population, the rest of us need 8-9 hours to have fully restorative sleep.”

If you are not sure how many hours you need to feel refreshed, you can run an experiment over a holiday or long weekend to find out. Allow yourself to wake up whenever you want without setting an alarm. Needless to say, if you are backed up on sleep, the first night of doing this will not tell you much because you will be making up for lost sleep. But after one to two nights, you will start noticing how many hours you are getting when you wake up naturally.

Why Are We Sleep Deprived? Here Are Some Common Culprits:

1. Incompatible work schedules. Your work schedule may not be conducive to your natural tendencies. You may be a night owl who can do your best work in the evenings but those creative insights sparked at midnight will take a toll on your job when you have to report to the office at 9:00 am or even earlier.

2. Technology disruptions. Researchers have known for years that the blue-ish light that smartphone screens emit can make it harder to fall asleep. A new study from Deloitte found that one-third of adults check their phones if they wake up in the middle of the night, as do nearly half of those under the age of 35. This smartphone addiction is impacting our ability to fall asleep and to remain so.

3. Coffee consumption. Caffeine is a stimulant that raises alertness and blocks our bodies from getting tired. What most people may not realize is that coffee has a half-life of 5-6 hours, meaning that if you drink a cup of coffee at 6 pm, 50% of that caffeine will still be in your system at 11 pm. So while your body may be tired later in the day, your mind is still racing, preventing you from winding down.

Now that we laid out key sleep disruptors, let’s turn our attention to tips for getting the best sleep of your life:

1. Minimize technology. Curtail technology use about an hour before bed; if you must consume, read a book. To avoid distractions, use the iPhone bedtime app or an equivalent. By setting an alarm for when you want to fall asleep, the “do not disturb” function switches on, and your phone will not continuously lure you with dings and vibrations.

2. Set the right temperature. Being a little chilly will help you fall asleep more easily. The ideal temperature is around 68 degrees but adjust according to personal preference.

3. Control the light. Light tells our brain it is time to wake up so keeping them dimmed leading up to bedtime can help. When you are ready to sleep, make your room as dark as possible. You can even cover up any blinking lights from your laptop, cable box, or tv with stickers called lightdims.

4. Be Consistent with your sleep routine. A mistake that a lot of us make is that we stay up late on Friday and Saturday, and sleep later the following mornings. That leads to a phenomenon that psychologists call “social jet lag” because it’s what happens when our social life throws off our bodily rhythms. Sleeping in on the weekends after a late night with friends or binge-watching Netflix is what causes Sunday night insomnia. Going to bed and waking up roughly the same time will prime your body for nighty rest.

5. Create a sleep runway. If you are aiming to sleep at 10:00 pm, you should create a sleep runway of at least 10-20 minutes, depending on how long it takes you to fall asleep after you close your eyes. Most people falsely assume that if they are in bed at 10 and up at 6, they have met their quota, but being in bed is not the same as being asleep.

Sleep deprivation is a pervasive problem and if left unaddressed, it can have devastating consequences. Creating the ideal conditions can help you get the best sleep of your life and have you perform at your best in all your important arenas.

Quote of the day: “Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.” -Walter Reisch

Q: When you are having trouble sleeping, what is usually the main reason? What trick do you use to help you fall asleep? Comment and share below; we would love to hear from you!

The next blog in this sleep series 3/4 will focus on making better daytime decisions for sounder sleep.

How do your habits contribute to your lack of sleep?