Research shows 10 a.m. is the healthiest time for dayside workers to start work.
This gives people time for health maintenance, which prevents illness.
Time to meditate, stretch, exercise, have breakfast, read a bit, shower and go.
Instead, society has the masses rushing in sleep-deprived to clock in at 7 a.m. or 9 a.m.
Instead of promoting health –the typical American schedule, activates cortisol levels.
As mentioned, cortisol is bad, and it’s highest when you rise.
Cortisol continues to rise as you rush to get to work on time fearing you’ll be late, fearing you didn’t have time to eat right or exercise, fearing all the bad news you hear or read from mass media on your way into work. It’s no wonder road rage is highest then.
Cortisol causes inflammation in your body and keeps you in this chronic state of fear.
It’s a breeding ground for cancer. Good news is you CAN reverse cortisol release in your body. Anyone who boasts about “being up all night” is a walking time bomb for illness .
If you stay up all night –you should not be boasting about it. You need to get to sleep to reduce levels of cortisol.
The bad news is cortisol is addicting, which is why people in the rat race are perpetually on the go-go-go.
But where are they going is the question, as cortisol has been called the death hormone.
If you can’t count on your employer to care about your health, then you HAVE to take it upon yourself to schedule decompressing.
Take breaks. Walk around office. Go to a park during lunch. Eat nutritious foods.
One hour before bed, turn off all electronics, pour a hot bath with Epson salt, put on soothing music, close eyes, breathe deeply, think of nothing but all you are grateful for.
Then, set your alarm to sleep for at least 9 hours.
This may be easier said than done when you have kids needing your attention.
But kids need healthy parents, so try to think of a way to make time for your own mental, physical and spiritual health, so everyone else is safe in your presence. Don’t do it when the kids are in water. You need to keep an eye on them then.
Remember, if you haven’t slept, you’re the equivalent of a drunk while driving. So, if one of your responsibilities is getting kids to practice or play dates, you need your sleep.
If your kids turn in at 8 p.m. then make 9 to 10 p.m. your decompressing time. Watching TV or scrolling through social media doesn’t count. You need to turn it all off. Again, take a warm shower, bubble bath, listen to music, go outside for a walk and breathe deeply.
This will prime you to sleep like a baby.
Of course, many people who commute don’t get home until 9 p.m. so they need to scarf down food and crash and that’s after sorting through mail, cleaning, and the list goes on.
It can be a struggle to get to bed in time to get enough sleep to do it all again next day.
Again, this process all activates cortisol levels in people. So any company that says they care about a healthy workforce and subscribes to this formula are clueless about health.
Some companies think having a gym at work equates to good health. Most are empty.
When you’re trying to do it all, nothing gets your full attention. It simply piles up.
It leads to staying up late and not getting enough sleep to be productive and healthy the next day. It’s a continual cortisol fest with no life balance.
The solution for corporate America may be to start in times at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. for commuters — giving people enough time to rise and shine early, meditate, have a nutritious breakfast, get some exercise, spend time with family. Happy employees are loyal employees that have the energy to go the extra mile.
People’s productivity will rise as a result, unlike their cortisol levels.
Too many success articles focus on making money or achieving titles, status, fame or material possessions. It’s none of that. It’s HEALTH. Before. During. After.
When you are healthy in mind, body and spirit you make good life decisions and have balance, which means if things beyond your control change –you will be OK.
Money, title, status, fame and material possessions can change in the blink of an eye. Don’t be defined by that. Be defined by who you are as a person. Spend time with those that matter, help as many people as you can, and don’t take yourself to seriously.
Success includes character traits, such as kindness, honesty & thoughtfulness. And those traits are most likely to exhibit themselves when you are healthy and combat cortisol.
Colleagues, family members, friends and your company benefits when you’re healthy.
Making lots of money is wonderful, but if you don’t make health a priority, by the time you reach your professional or financial goals, you will not be able to enjoy it.
Time to make health a priority before you run out of time.
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contact: maria.dorfner@yahoo.com
