The secret to becoming successful in life and business starts with how healthy you are. And that means that you’re eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily.
Health is wealth. Why food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success?
You Are What You Eat
When it comes to your productivity, you are what you eat!
Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Ron Friedman states, “Food has a direct impact on our cognitive performance, which is why a poor decision at lunch can derail an entire afternoon.”
“Just about everything we eat is converted by our body into glucose, which provides the energy our brains need to stay alert,” Fredman continues. “When we’re running low on glucose, we have a tough time staying focused and our attention drifts. This explains why it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach.”
Certain foods like pasta, bread, cereal and soda, “release their glucose quickly, leading to a burst of energy followed by a slump.” High fat meals, however, “(think cheeseburgers and BLTs) provide more sustained energy, but require our digestive system to work harder, reducing oxygen levels in the brain and making us groggy.”
Replace that junk food with options like kale, blueberries, fish, walnuts, and green tea if you want to give your cognitive functions a boost.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Adequate, quality rest each night is essential for good health. Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact our mood as well as our ability to focus on daily tasks and activities.
The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School reiterates how essential a good night’s sleep is. “Lack of sleep exacts a toll on perception and judgment. In the workplace, its effects can be seen in reduced efficiency and productivity, errors, and accidents. Sometimes the effects can even be deadly, as in the case of drowsy driving fatalities.”
While sleep is important, it doesn’t have to be eight hours. In fact, only 27% of highly successful people sleep between 7-8 hours. Another 27% get 6-7 hours, while 32% only sleep for 5-6 hours. Most of these individuals sleep from the hours of 11pm to 5am as well.
To get a good night’s sleep, create a schedule and stick to it. You should also avoid drinking alcohol and regular coffee, keep you room dark and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal), have a comfortable mattress, and have a relaxing ritual before you go to bed, such as reading or meditating.
Exercise – Get Your Sweat On
One highly effective habit of successful individuals is daily exercise. Besides keeping off unwanted pounds, exercising daily can help with;
- Decreasing stress,
- Boosting your immune system,
- Keeping you productive, and
- Helping you sleep better at night.
Even if you can’t go to the gym for an hour everyday, you can always start taking baby steps. For example, you could start using a standing desk, taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
These small actions add-up and ensure that you stay at your best physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success. Thus, it’s important that you make your health a priority.
References:
- https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/the-importance-of-food-sleep-and-exercise-and-how-it-impacts-your-success.html
- https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/sleep-is-the-foundation-for-healthy-habits