Easy 3 Steps to a guaranteed better day!

First off, if you’ve decided to read this blog you already know your maximum energy and performance throughout the day is going to require some actual movement.  Get sunlight, get stretched, get your heart rate slightly elevated and you’ll be getting a cocktail much more potent that the passive list i’ve assembled.   For now, lets keep things simple and focus on the points from the post.  

Step 1:  Hydrate

Coming off a full night's sleep is more than just an unconscious fasting window.  You also haven’t had water for a long duration of time.  While you were sleeping your body was repairing itself:  removing inflammation, removing toxins, etc.  This requires energy and…water!   This might be the lowest hanging fruit on the ‘make my life better’ check-list.  90% of people just don’t drink enough water.  The recommended amounts vary depending on your source but a good rule of thumb is to get 10 ounces each hour after you wake up for 10 hours.  Scale accordingly based on body size, climate you live in, and types of foods you eat.  Your body can live for long periods of time without food but it absolutely cannot live without water.  That alone should underscore how important this is.   

I am willing to concede this isn’t glamorous.  There isn’t any special product you need to buy.  Nobody will follow you on instagram for drinking water.  But that does nothing to diminish how useful this is.  

Step 2:  Caffeinate

This is much more of a personal decision.  Caffeine is a widely studied compound and it has been proven that people respond to caffeine in vastly different ways.  The measurable dose of caffeine to generate a sports performance improvement has varied from 300mg to 900mg based on the individual. That’s a massive number!   Caffeine works much more efficiently after cortisol has been removed from your system.  So, wait 90 minutes (on average) before having your first cup for maximum effect!   For a mental boost or a normal work day you can start with something as small as 50mg (1 cup of coffee). If you don’t believe me try drinking a cup of coffee right when you wake up then the next day wait 90 minutes (drink water during that 90 minutes) and drink the same cup of coffee. Guarnateed you will notice a difference. As a natural diuretic you’ll find this effect is again amplified if you hydrate beforehand.  It extends beyond the scope of this brief blog post but there is fascinating biochemistry that is well documented regarding caffeine’s effects.  For a very well put together summary I would recommend checking out Huberman Lab’s episode on caffeine for more detail.   

Step 3:  Dominate 

Ok this is mainly intended to underscore how much better you’ll feel if you complete steps 1 and 2 BUT…this is also an action based concept.  While steps 1 and 2 are passively preparing your body and mind for optimum function you need to willfully engage in pursuit of your goals once you have your body primed.  Routine by its very nature breeds a sense of complacency.  It has been inspiring to me personally to quickly glance at my 1 or 5 year goals list to remember why I’m getting up and going to work today.  Some of you may need zero additional inspiration but for the others; move forward with intention!  Even if you aren’t immediately successful in your daily goals (generating more income, completing a job, or making a connection) you will have taken a big picture step forward towards your long term goals!

How to defeat Jet Lag

Traveling has a number of positive health benefits:  maintaining a sense of adventure, taking you out of your comfort zone, appreciating new cultures/people to name a few.  But, it’s not without its downsides.  The chief downside of travel is the jetlag that comes with it.  I’ll focus specifically on air travel for the purposes of this blog post but many of the concepts apply to road trip travel as well.   

A few unavoidable things happen as a consequence of air travel. 

1.  Air Pressure is lower at high altitude which means your body takes in less oxygen.  In turn, this causes fatigue to a greater degree than if you were completing a road trip of identical duration.  It is one reason people feel so sleepy during and after a plane flight

   1. Try nasal breathing during the flight.  This creates more dilation of the airways in addition to being a natural filter for the air (more germs floating around with so many people in close proximity)

   2. To bring more oxygen to all body tissues…bring more blood flow

   3. Try a movement routine in flight, get up and walk the aisles when you can, or spend as much time standing as you can before a flight attendant tells you to sit down because you’re making other passengers nervous.  

2. These same pressure differences can cause the gas in your stomach and intestines to expand creating a feeling of bloatedness.  

1. There is no solution but to avoid, even more diligently, foods that make you gassy and bloated. 

3. Low humidity is another byproduct of traveling at high altitude.  Simply put, this will dehydrate you.  However it is often amplified by eating salty airplane snacks, drinking alcohol or soda, and stressing out about the plane crashing (thanks Final Destination). 

1. Drink more water than you normally do and consume foods high in water context (vegetables).   

4. Last and biggest variable; Jet lag.  Jet lag is a major issue when traveling across more than 1 time zone.  The main impact is on your circadian rhythm.  The driver of your circadian rhythm is sunlight.  

1. “Undoing” the effects of jet lag include exposing yourself to sunlight as soon as you wake up (when traveling east) and late in the day (when traveling west) in your new timezone to start recalibrating as quickly as possible. 

2. Your gut is the second piece of the puzzle you can control.  Timing your normal meal rhythm with the new timezone alongside your sunlight exposure is the fastest way to resume your normal energy levels. 

3. One thing that directly addresses every negative effect long duration flights has on your body…exercise.  When you get back home (or even to your destination) get in a long morning workout to speed up the resetting process.   
   

Exercise List to try in your seat during the flight.  Repeat each exercise twice and complete the whole circuit 1x/hour.   

1. Heel Raises x30 seconds

2. Cat/Camel x30 seconds

3. Shoulder Round and Squeeze x30 seconds 

4. Candy Canes x30 seconds 

5. Floor Separators x10 (hold each 2 seconds)