LIVE! UPDATE BY DR. ROB KRAMER
Got Rhythm? Every cell in our body moves in rhythmic paƩerns. These rhythms syn- chronize within our body and, many Ɵmes with our external environment, forming regular cycles. These cycles influence behavior, mood and health. When you become aware of your cycles, you can work to keep them on track and use them to your advantage. They are all controlled by the SCN, an area in the brain the size of a mustard seed! Here are just a few examples of cycles and how you can influence them: 24 - hour Sleep/Wake Cycle (Cercadian) Your sleep cycle is influenced by the sun and by consistent rouƟne. To maximize this cycle: · Go to bed and get up at the same Ɵme every day · Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning to help reset your cycle · Prepare yourself for sleep at least an hour before bed by dimming lights, engage in calming, soothing acƟvity, meditate or journal, write your graƟtude statements · Make sure your sleep area is cool, dark and comfortable · Get plenty of exercise and sunshine each day & become sedentary about an hour before bed Your dayƟme cycles (Ultradian) – note these are averages – your cycle may vary · Perform challenging projects around Ɵmes when your energy, focus, and aƩenƟon peak: from 9 - 10 am, 12 - 1 pm, 4 - 5 pm · Limit acƟons that require a lot of brain work to 90 minutes. You have a cycle of high energy that eventually plummets aŌer about 90 minutes (this applies to everything cogniƟve, from taking a class to pracƟcing an instrument) · Take a break (ideally for 20 minutes but at least 5 minutes) to rest your brain. During this Ɵme, take a walk, talk to a friend, watch funny cat videos Seasonal Landmarks (Temporal Infradian) On benchmark dates (birthdays, holidays, anniversaries) our processing of informaƟon in the cortex slows down. This is our brain’s prompt for us to become more introspecƟve and evaluaƟve. It prompts us to assess our current path and determine if our acƟons are consistent with our values and goals. It is an opportunity to iniƟate change and growth By maintaining healthy rouƟnes in sleep, exercise, diet and cogniƟve challenges, you can stabilize these cycles and make them work for you instead of against you!
11 LIFELONG LEARNING
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