6 Simple Steps to Optimise your Health and Performance

Sleep

This isn’t glamorous- but sleep is the most underrated foundational element for health and performance.

If you’re lacking adequate sleep you will be underperforming, and you’ll be so sleep deprived that you might not even be aware of it.

Sleep Tip 1: Build a pre-bed ritual

We’re creatures of habit, try to build a stable pre-bed routine and ritual that winds you down before bedtime. You can’t expect to flick the light switch off and expect your brain to shut down the same way. 

Sleep Tip 2: Avoid blue light from screens

Blue light inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone which regulates your body clock. Laptops, tablets, and phones should be avoided prior to bed. That Mail-On-Line article will still be there in the morning.

Sleep Tip 3: Stick to the schedule at weekends

Wake up at the same time every day. Otherwise, you’ll succumb to a phenomenon known as social jetlag. Get out of bed, grab the coffee and suffer through knowing that you’ll feel better the next day.

Stress

Stress is unavoidable. Our modern lives are so full and we are so hyperstimulated that our adrenals never get any respite.

Try to inject some calm into your day by following these simple tips:

Stress Tip 1: Eat Slowly

This is as simple as it gets. Eating slowly will ensure that you properly digest and assimilate the food you are eating. It will help to put you in a parasympathetic state and ensure proper digestive function.

Stress Tip 2: Breathe deeply   

Try to practice some form of meditative breathing. There are loads of apps which can help out. We like the Wim Hoff Method, Stress Doctor, and Headspace. You don’t have to be a hardcore yogi to benefit from this simple practice. A very simple method that you can try right now is called Square Breathing- inhale for 5 seconds, hold the breath for 5 seconds, Exhale for 5 seconds, hold the exhale for 5 seconds. Try that for a couple of minutes next time you feel overwhelmed.

Stress Tip 3: Float often

This is a little harder to implement. We would recommend that you pay a visit to our friends at Float On. Floating is a fantastic antidote to the stress of the city and can have a life-changing impact.  We would advise trying once per week for 3-4 weeks to really start to feel the benefits.