If you’re like most people, you want more energy. You want to perform to the best of your abilities, to create a feeling of satisfaction, self-esteem and purpose. You want to be someone who contributes. You want to strive to learn and be better in at your profession. You want to have an element of excitement. You want a feeling of moving forward.
The key to maintaining your energy is balance, harmony between work and play, social time and time alone; everything in moderation, nothing in excess. The perfect balance of diet, exercise and relaxation is different for everyone. You have to experiment to find the lifestyle that will enhance your energy and help you maintain peak-performance levels.
The only way to way to find the perfect balance for you is to experiment with various energy sources to discover what works for you. For example, when it comes to exercise, some people enjoy activities such as aerobics or weight lifting, where they go to the gym and work out with others. Whereas, other people prefer to an hour of free dancing at home with the blinds closed. You have to do what feels good for you.
While you need to try different techniques to find out what your body needs, some techniques are common basic energy needs that we all have, such as sleep. Sleep is a time when our bodies, especially our brains, rejuvenate themselves. Health studies conducted by the National Sleep Foundation have found that 80 percent of people are sleep deprived. People’s sleep needs differ, but seven to seven-and-a-half hours of sleep in a 24 hour period seems to be about the average person’s requirement.
Naps are a good way to regenerate your body. Studies by the National Sleep Foundation also found that sleeping six hours a night, then taking a one-hour nap in the afternoon helps to compensate for lack of sleep at night. If you have access to one, lie on a reclining board with your feet up for about 15 minutes to get the blood flowing to your head.
The best time to take a nap is in the middle of the time when you wake up and go to bed, usually about 2:00 or 3:00 p.m. The nap should be no longer than one hour, or it will interfere with your night’s sleep.
How many times at mid-afternoon have you gone to the nearest vending machine looking for a candy bar to give you a quick kick, or sugar high? Well forget it. Sugar can produce stress on the body.
Simple carbohydrates, such as soda pop and foods containing refined sugar, eaten without protein can make you drowsy. They help to increase the amount of serotonin in your body, a substance that enters your brain and has a sedating effect.
Water is a key ingredient to performance success. Your muscles are about 75 percent water, and water is essential in keeping muscle development gained through exercise. Water supplies minerals, such as calcium and magnesium and carries them to vital organs through the bloodstream and allows the body to absorb those nutrients. Water also helps digest food and eliminate waste products. It moistens mucous membranes lubricates the joints and cools the body through perspiration. There is no down side to water. The problem is that most people don’t drink enough water. Tea, coffee and soft drinks aren’t the same. You need eight to ten glasses water every day.
Here are a few suggestions to help your eating habits:
• Don’t overeat at lunchtime. That full felling works against you by making you tired and unproductive. Think of food as a fuel, not a luxury.
• Try cutting back on meat. Meat is a great source or protein, but so are nuts and beans.
• When you diet, don’t eat less than 1,500 calories per day. You won’t get all the nutrients you need. Also consider a diet that is 50 percent fruits and vegetables.
Put simply, exercise increases your blood flow and your energy. Even a brisk ten minute walk can boost your energy and relieve tension for an average of two hours, according to a recent study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles.
When you’re physically fit, your muscles are stronger, and your heart and lungs deliver oxygen more efficiently. This means you become less fatigued and can accomplish more.
If you have to, do several types of exercise over the course of the day. For example, rather than a one-hour exercise session, try to get some short-term activity two or three times per day. Health studies have show that several short sessions are just as effective as one long session. This might actually be more convenient for you, too.
You can also do stretching exercises at work. If you have a job where you sit down all day, it’s important to take exercise breaks to improve your blood flow. Stand up and swing your arms, do waist twists, or touch your toes. If you can take a short walk, that’s even better.
Everybody feels stress. Actually, some stress is good for performance and alertness. It’s the bad stress that needs to be countered. If there’s too much tension, something’s going to snap.
There are many ways to control stress it’s just a matter of finding it. Yoga is great for managing stress. The movements are good for toning the body and the organs, and it encompasses breathing exercises, so it’s very relaxing. Then, there are basic breathing exercises that you can do anywhere you go. For example, inhale to the count of four; hold to the count of 16; exhale for eight. Repeating this ten times in a row will really make you feel better.
Massage is another great way to relieve stress and tension. Receiving a massage has become more acceptable today as a viable health-care therapy. Some type of massage on a weekly basis is a great way to control stress.”
Here are some other ways to help you manage stress:
• Take breaks. Don’t work long stretches; break up your work load with breaks every five or ten minutes at one-hour intervals. You’ll be refreshed and ready for more.
• If you have a problem, talk to someone. Get another point of view from a trusted friend or colleague.
• Make time for your own needs. Some people devote all their energies to the needs and concerns of others. Sometimes you have to be selfish and claim some time for yourself.
• Focus on the present. Don’t dwell on the past or fear events of the future.
The most obvious way to stay in tune with the needs of your body is to listen to it. Your body is an intelligent machine that’s constantly talking to you. One of the ways your body communicates is through pain. For example, when you feel bloated, that’s your body saying you ate too much of the wrong thing.
There are reasons why the body does what it does. You need to listen to it when it sends you these signals and change your habits
Listening to your body costs nothing and teaches you a lot. If you listen closely enough, you can hear your body tell you exactly how to use these signals better so you’re more alert and energized.
