What these
five patterns have in common is a pattern of chronic energy expenditure
and an absence of intermittent recovery.
Physical
energy is the fundamental source of fuel in life. Physical energy is
derived from the interaction between oxygen and glucose. The two most
important regulators of physical activity are breathing and eating. The
physical fundamentals are water, sleep and exercise (in that order).
Water:
Drinking sixty-four
ounces of water daily is a key factor in the effective management of
physical energy. Drinking water, we have found, is perhaps the most
undervalued source of physical energy renewal. Unlike hunger, thirst is an
inadequate barometer of need. By the time we feel thirsty, we may be long
since dehydrated. A growing body of research suggests that drinking at
least sixty-four ounces of water at intervals throughout the day serves
performance in a range of important ways. Dehydrate a muscle by as little
as 3 percent, for example, and it will lose 10 percent of its strength and
8 percent of its speed. Inadequate hydration also compromises
concentration and coordination.
Drinking more
water may even have health and longevity benefits. In a study of 20,000
people, Australian researchers found that those who drank five eight-ounce
glasses of water a day were significantly less likely to die of coronary
heart disease as those who drank two glasses of water or less. One
possible reason is that dehydration may elevate risk factors such as blood
viscosity. By contrast, the consumption of coffee and caffeinated sodas
provided no statistically significant heart benefits. Like high-sugar
foods, caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and diet colas provide
temporary spikes of energy. Because caffeine is a diuretic, however, it
prompts dehydration and fatigue in the long run.
Sleep:
In a study published in
the medical journal “Lancet”, researchers looked at the effects of bed
rest on some 16,000 patients with fifteen different medical problems. It
turned out that prolonged bed rest provided no significant beneficial
effect, regardless of their medical condition. To the contrary, bed rest
tended to delay recovery and in some cases cause further damage to the
patient. These conclusions even applied to condition for which bed rest
has long been recommended, including low back pain, recovery after a heart
attack and acute infectious hepatitis.
On the other
hand, there is ample evidence for the dangers of lack of sleep. Sleep
debt, frequently imposed by modern lifestyles, can result in profound
metabolic alterations. Researchers found that just one week of sleep
deprivation altered subjects’ hormone levels, their capacity to metabolise
carbohydrates and may have adverse cardiovascular consequences. The
metabolic and endocrine changes resulting from a significant sleep debt
mimic many of the hallmarks of ageing. Chronic sleep loss may not only
hasten the onset but could also increase the severity of age-related
ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and memory loss. Most
human beings require seven to eight hours of sleep per night to function
optimally. Going to bed early and waking up early help to optimize
performance.
Exercise:
Lack of exercise can
create low stress tolerance – a tendency to become easily frustrated and
harsh with others when under pressure. Exercise is essential and the best
way to create an exercise habit is to build regular exercise into every
day. Three or even four times a week too quickly deteriorates into twice,
then once, then never. A daily routine is the most effective method –
however, some days it can be 10 or 15 minutes and other days half an hour.
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