I haven’t decided on a new 30 day challenge yet, but I’d like to keep my writing everyday going. So I thought I’d do a write-up on the changes I’ve experimented with that have had the biggest impact on my life so far.
These are roughly in the order of difficulty from easiest to most difficult.
Getting Hydrated
Next to quitting drinking for (almost) 30 days straight – this is probably the single biggest thing that’s helped me feel good physically.
Waking up and consuming some electrolytes with 16oz of water has helped clear mental fog out of my head not to mention when I do drink I don’t feel nearly as fogged up/hung over the next morning.
Add drinking at least 64oz of water throughout the rest of the day – although I’ve been pushing 128oz lately and I can feel it when I don’t get enough water now.
Taking a Probiotic Regularly
I didn’t include this in a 30 day challenge, but it definitely helps with getting things going in the morning.
Being able to take a satisfying “Sir Harrington” is something you can’t underestimate. Being well hydrated will help facilitate this process, but the probiotic will help your body process your food and waste more easily.
If you’re feeling backed up try a fiber supplement with a probiotic and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel after you “take the browns to the super bowl.”
Taking a Hot Shower Before Bed
Getting your core body temp up a little bit, tells your hypothalamus you need to cool off which is actually what starts to make you tired.
This isn’t something I’ve been doing a lot lately as not drinking has helped my sleep quality immensely. But if you’ve been having trouble sleeping this can help immensely.
Setting a Caffeine Curfew
Caffeine is an amazing substance, it helps wake you up – physically, and can get you through a rough afternoon. The problem is that it can disrupt your ability to fall asleep.
A simple trick is to set a curfew past which you don’t consume caffeine – I’ve had the best luck with at least 6 hours before bed. But depending on your individual genetics, it could be as high as 12 hours.
Don’t Drink Coffee First Thing
The old stereotype with coffee drinkers is that we get up and need a cup to get moving. While the stereotype is accurate – it’s a terrible way to start your morning.
When you wake up, you’ve still got a bunch of Adenosine ripping through your system. Caffeine blocks Adenosine absorption – it’s how it makes you feel more awake. But without letting the Adenosine be absorbed by your system after waking up you’ll create a rebound effect that will result in a crash during the afternoon after the caffeine wears off.
If you wait for at least an hour after waking up (90+ minutes is even better) you don’t get the crash.
Relieve Stress Through Exercise
The human body evolved to deal with stress through physical exertion – but – that majority of stressors we deal with in the developed world are entirely mental or emotional. Thus we don’t have a physical outlet to give ourselves the release we need – i.e. fight or flight (or procreating).
Your body builds up stress hormones that need a physical outlet. Fight or flight (or sex) are prefect outlets. Get a punching bag and just go to town until you’re tired or go for a run – again until you’re tired.
You’ll feel better mentally, physically, and you’ll be able to sleep better without your body being amped up for a fight.
Journaling Every Day
Simply writing about what’s going on in your head will help you start to figure things out. You’ll be able to order things better and thus figure out solutions to them – as well you can keep track of your progress. Your stress level will decrease and your productivity level will increase – as will your creativity.
Wake Up Early
For most people productivity is hampered because of competition for your attention. So if you wake up early you’ll give yourself some isolation to focus on what you want to do.
Taking a Cold Shower
Taking a cold shower – forcing yourself to stand in front of the stream of ice cold water takes will. Cold water is uncomfortable – but your body will wake up with a nice jolt of adrenaline as well it will shock your body into resetting your dopamine levels.
This is a hack I’ve used when I’m feeling low motivation.
There are other benefits like increased insulin sensitivity, and you’re doing something difficult which will help your mental attitude in general.
Quit Drinking
This is simply the best thing you can do for yourself – again I don’t have a moral vendetta against drinking or anything. But if you haven’t gone without alcohol for a couple of weeks – try it out and see how you feel.
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