Timing is everything.On Tony Robbin’s Podcast they interviewed Daniel Pink, author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing. Daniel describes 3 phases of productivity that we all experience throughout a day:
Peak, Trough and Recover.
Peak – Do analytic work.
Trough – Do administrative work.
Recovery – Do creative work.
Besides walking through when to have lunch, benefits of a 20 min nap, and when students should take standardized test the other most interesting info to me was figuring out your chronotype (Lark, Owl, or Third-bird). I’m a Third-bird (or Intermediate), you can figure out your chronotype HERE with a questionnaire that takes about 10 min.
If you’re like me, you don’t always (okay, usually) don’t get anywhere near the ideal amount of sleep through the week. I would consider myself more of a night owl and tend to burn the candle at both ends and so when Sunday morning comes around – let me sleep in. Insert kids – and this usually means maybe an extra hour or two longer than usual but I take it when I can. Some recent research looked at whether catching up on sleep during the weekend offset a deficit that most of us get during the week. Spoiler Alert – sleeping in on Sat and Sun doesn’t help (enough).
The researchers divided people into 3 groups over a week long period:
Control Group – 9 hours of sleep per night for the whole time.
Sleep Deprived – 5 hours of sleep per night for the whole time.
Weekend Recovery – 5 hours of sleep Mon – Fri, as much as the wanted on the weekend (could even nap)
My idea when I started reading would be that the recovery group would actually make up for some of the lost time and that would make a significant health improvement. Wrong!
Weight gain was almost identical for the people that stayed sleep deprived and those that tried to catch up.- Both were higher than group that got enough sleep.
In some ways, weekend recovery sleep resulted in worse outcomes than continued sleep loss. For example, weekend recovery sleep led to greater deterioration in insulin sensitivity.
Melatonin rhythms in the weekend recovery group were disrupted by over 1.4 hours the following Monday – which means you’re going to have trouble falling asleep and not get great sleep.
We’re all going to have periods through the year that we have big project and deadlines which results in less sleep. It’s just gonna happen. This also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make up for periods of lost sleep but does show that it’s going to be a process and sleep deprivation (in this study was 5 hours of sleep vs 9 hours which was optimal) is really bad for your health long term. I’m more of a 6 hours per night and this was a real wake up call that I can’t catch up on the weekend to make up for staying up late during the week working. I’m a lot more dedicated to making sure I get more sleep and the sleep I get is the most kick-ass sleep I can get. Here’s what I’m doing to help:
Not wearing shades in the morning. I’m stuck inside most of the day so when I do get outside I want my eyes and brain to see that time of day it is so the right circadian hormones will get released when they’re supposed to.
I’ve been wearing blue light blockers almost every day during the day and definitely in the evening if I’m on a screen. I’ve actually noticed a significant change in eye strain due to this.
Keeping the house cool at night, 65-67 degrees.
Totally dark in the room. This was a game changer for me; we got black out curtains and once I got a taste of the darkness I became obsessed with making sure our room was totally dark. This also means limiting clock lights, night lights, everything.
I’m only drinking coffee first thing in the morning and not in the afternoon anymore. In fact, I’ve been trying to cut back on caffeine and have been doing more MudWtr in the mornings than coffee- the reason being- coffee has a half life of 12 hours (if you’re lucky) which means if you have that 3pm espresso, you’ve still got half the caffeine in your system at 3am.
Supplement with a good quality methylated B vit through the day, 4-500 mgs magnesium through the day, 50 mgs 5HTP before bed. This is a common example of what I would recommend to someone but each person is different so consult with your health care provider before starting any new health regimen/ supplement.
After your typical long and frigid Ohio winter, my motivation and energy was at an all-time low by the end of February! As someone who is typically a get-up-and go/early bird, I suddenly found myself staying in bed and hitting “snooze” on the alarm clock unusually more and more often and that turning into a domino effect of no motivation throughout my entire day! Luckily, at the start of March I was driven to implement some sort of new mission in my daily routine that boosts my energy and kick-starts my day, because as the saying goes, “nothing changes, if nothing changes.”
I listened to an awesome TED Talk by Matt Cuttswho discusses his effort to try something new for 30 days every single month. It can be a new skill/hobby, diet, exercise, book series…or in Matt’s case, something unique, like a new instrument or meditating. Something to feed your creative side, achieve a goal, and in return have something to look forward to day to day or month to month…just for you! I decided this would be my strategy to beat the winter rut I was in.
AM CELERY JUICING – Celery Juicing is the latest craze that I’ve been hearing about that’s been recently taking over social media…it peaked my curiosity!
Benefits: gut healer, acid reflux support, promotes hydration, concentrated essential vitamins, lowers cholesterol/blood sugar, fights inflammation/calcification, promotes weight loss, skin clearing benefits (acne, rosacea, etc.), migraine relief, and so many others!
Tools: Electric Juicer (Purchased from Amazon: AICOOK Juice Extractor – Model GS-336…affordable & easy to use) OR Blender (if you’re using a blender, a nut –milk bag would be required for draining juice).
Instructions: Prepare morning of / No advance prepping Wash celery Run celery through juicer – 1 Head of Celery / 16 oz. (You may gradually work your way up from 8 oz to 16 oz from after week one). Drink on empty stomach To save time I quickly rinse/clean equipment immediately after use and let the pieces air dry on a towel for the day.
MY EXPERIENCE – I’m now starting week #3 of consistent AM Celery Juicing and can report the following: 1 – WEIGHT: I’ve lost 4 lbs. and have consistently noticed loss of bloat everyday/all day. 2 – SKIN: I struggle with sensitive skin and have recently become prone to redness & breakouts. I experienced a major skin flare-up during the end of week #1 of celery juicing, which is a sign of detoxing! Now, at week three I see a little bit more balanced tone on my face, less dryness, and my forehead has cleared up! 3 – CRAVINGS/HANGRY: Dinner is always at the forefront of my thoughts and day. You can count on my sweet tooth convincing me to have a late night snack too, however, since starting the celery juicing I’ve found a huge curb in cravings and being much less adamant about what I want to eat and when. 4 – ROUTINE/ACCOUNTABILITY: I think how you start your day determines your entire day. To wake up every day with a specific intention and task boosts productivity and your spirit! Seeing such immediate results in my energy levels and bloat made me feel even more committed to continue celery juicing every morning with no complaints. It officially feels like a normal part of my morning routine! 5- ENERGY: I’m waking up more energized and alert in the morning! Typically, I drink one cup of coffee in the morning and one in the afternoon after my lunch. Within the first two days of my morning celery juicing I stopped thinking about that PM caffeine pick-me-up and gradually noticed the afternoon slump/wall was no longer. I’m now happily sipping my one cup of coffee a day thirty minutes – hour after my AM celery juice!
Let me know if you’ve tried celery juice in the morning or what your favorite juice is?
MYOFASCIAL MASSAGE
Myofascial release helps reduce muscular tightness and tension. It can help you improve your flexibility when recovering from an injury or dealing with chronic pain. Myofascial release massage therapy improves mobility and reduces discomfort.
CRANIAL SACRAL MASSAGE
This type of massage can reduce stress in the head, neck, and back and improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing. It can also increase mobility in these areas of the body.
REFLEXOLOGY
During a reflexology massage, our massage therapist will apply pressure to specific parts of your hands and feet. These points can affect multiple different areas of your body allowing the therapist to address issues without working directly on the area. This massage is great for reducing pain and stress caused by a variety of factors.
LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE/ POST-SURGERY
Lymphatic drainage massage is crucial post-surgery to help your body rid itself of toxic fluids and reduce swelling. Our lymphatic drainage massage can keep your skin looking more youthful and help your body heal itself as well.
DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
Our deep tissue massage applies various levels of pressure slowly and strategically to reach deeper levels of muscle. It’s known to help with injury recovery, persistent muscle pain, and posture issues.
SPORTS MASSAGE
Sports massages are a great way to heal parts of your body that are overused or stressed and improve overall athletic performance. Our massage therapist will cater your massage based on your sport or activity of choice.
PRENATAL MASSAGE
We offer prenatal massages for expectant mothers, specially designed to alleviate uncomfortable side effects like back pain and swollen joints. By sharing your pregnancy symptoms, we can tailor the experience to your needs.
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE
Therapeutic massage is a general discipline that helps alleviate pain, stress, and heal specific issues.
RELAXATION MASSAGE
Our relaxation massage helps with increasing relaxation, reducing tension, and improving your range of motion. This type of massage is a great option if you’re looking for a little rest and relaxation from a hectic schedule.
