Want Faster Results? Slow Down

I have great friends who all have children close to the ages of my own. We do our best to get together regularly and let the kids play, but there are very few times when we are all available. When we start exchanging emails about getting together, it’s exhausting reading about everything we are all doing: volunteering in classrooms, work, taking care of someone else’s children, cooking, cleaning, and all the other errands that go along with daily life.

Some people have the exercise component figured out. They realize they need to actually schedule the workout into their day. With all the chaos of our lives, work, kids, relationships, finances, and even exercise, how many of you have figured out that you also need to SLOW DOWN?

You are probably chuckling right now, thinking, “Sure. I’ll slow down. Just not right now. I have too much to do!”  If the thought of giving yourself permission to pause and do nothing stresses you out, trust me, you need to slow down.

Most of the time I am placing emphasis on getting moving, which I still feel needs to be a priority for most people. We must take care of our physical conditioning, but we should also place just as much importance on rest and recovery. Often we wait until something bad happens to our health before we actually do something. We are so busy moving at top speeds and taking care of everyone else that we don’t notice damage to our bodies until it is already done.

While this is a topic that could probably go on for several weeks, I will try to consolidate the Slow Down concept to a few key points. First of all, let’s focus on sleep. I am a firm believer that most people need seven or eight good, high-quality hours of sleep. I know there are many who feel like they function just fine on four, five or six hours, but my guess is that this lack of rest has not caught up with them yet.

When you sleep, your body and brain have a chance to recover and refresh. After a great night’s sleep, think about how much better you feel, how much cheerier you are and how much more energy you have. If I have a night when I don’t sleep enough or I am restless most of the night, I wake up cranky. This foul mood will creep into every facet of my day, affecting everyone around me. It will also affect my ability to bring energy to my workouts, if I even make it to the gym at all.

Studies have shown that those who are sleep-deprived have a greater tendency to be overweight. Inadequate amounts of sleep can elevate certain hormones that make it difficult to lose weight. These hormones can also increase your appetite, leading to overeating habits.

Beyond sleep, there are other ways to help your body recover. Doing activities such as yoga and pilates can help reduce tension and muscle tightness. Being stiff and sore is not necessarily to be expected after a workout. The soreness can come from lack of flexibility, lack of proper nutrition, and poor hydration.

With stress comes a shortness of breath, which results in decreased oxygen flow to all your muscles. By taking a few moments to stop, breathe deep, and listen to your breath, you will be able to calm yourself and immediately relax more.

Massage, foam rolling, and other forms of bodywork can be extremely beneficial in your quest for better self-care. These techniques require you to take a break and relax. They are things that need to be scheduled into your day, which is what most of us need. When it is not scheduled, it is easy to forget and pass things off as unimportant.

The bottom line is that this world moves too darn fast. Stop what you are doing right now. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Take a few moments to be grateful for what you have and avoid any negative thoughts. Understand the need for this “me time” on a daily basis. It is not selfish; in fact, it may be just the thing your body needs!