In our last few +1s, we’ve explored some of the wisdom from Dr. Satchin Panda’s The Circadian Code on the science of circadian biology.
To recap: IT’S POWERFUL.
As Dr. Panda says: “The longer your circadian rhythm is out of sync, the greater the risk of developing a serious disease.”
And, I’ll add this one: “If you are experiencing any physical discomfort, or changes to the way you think, don’t ignore them: They are early warning signs of chronic illness.”
Now…
As we discussed, there are THREE core rhythms we need to optimize. These three rhythms are connected to our three core fundies: Eating, Moving, and Sleeping.
We talked about Eating and Sleeping.
Today we’re going to talk about Moving.
Dr. Panda tells us: “Physical activity is just as important as sleep and good nutrition when it comes to good health. Daily movement improves muscle mass, muscle strength, bone health, motor coordination, metabolism, gut function, heart health, lung capacity, and even enhances how your brain functions.”
He continues by saying: “What’s more, exercise has a circadian effect, improving sleep and mood. Exercise literally relaxes the brain, reducing depression and anxiety and increasing our ability to experience happiness. Exercise is one of the best medicines. ... Whatever you choose, stick with it: Make physical activity part of your routine so it becomes a habit. Exercise’s mood-boosting effect is critical to keeping you calm and integral to productivity.”
Exercise.
We know it does a Hero’s mind, body and soul good.
So...
How’s yours?
Check out Movement 101 and our Notes on Spark by John Ratey, The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal, and Movement Matters by Katy Bowman for tons of wisdom that Dr. Panda confirms and his research supports.
For now, know this...
Exercising earlier in the day gives you a mood boost. 10,000 steps a day is a great target. Strength training in the afternoons is great but make sure you give yourself enough time to get your core body temperature back down so you’re not disrupting your sleep.
And, as Tal Ben-Shahar puts it in Happier (and echoed in our Heroic Chats with Masters), NOT exercising is like taking a depressant!
Eating. Moving. Sleeping.
← What’s one little/big thing you KNOW you could do to Optimize?
Here’s to optimizing our fundamentals as we get in alignment with our natural circadian rhythms so we can get Heroically Energized, Heroically Productive, and Heroically Connected…
TODAY!
Day 1. All in.
Let’s go, Hero!
P.S. Are you concerned that fasting for 14-16 hours a day (/restricting your eating to 8-10 hours a day) will make you weaker and less muscular?
Well…
Dr. Panda tells us: “We assumed that fasting for 14 to 16 hours would break down muscles and we would see a reduction in muscle mass. Actually, we found the exact opposite.”
He also tells us: “When mice ate for only 12 hours, we never saw a reduction in muscle mass. In fact, only fat mass was reduced. If the mice ate a healthy diet within 8 to 10 hours, they gradually increased their muscle mass, and after 36 weeks, they have 10 to 15 percent more muscle mass than mice that ate whenever they wanted.”
And…
It’s not just mice. Dr. Panda tells us that Hugh Jackman’s famous Wolverine diet is actually an 8-hour time-restricted diet.
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