For those of us in North America who live with daylight savings time, the first Sunday in November means we gain back the hour we lost last spring. Many of us are familiar with the idea “There is a time for everything….” and now it seems this is more than just a religious metaphor—it might just be a scientific fact.
According to Sue Shellenbarger (Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, September 26, 2012), you can pack more in a day by matching tasks to the body’s energy. Although every person is an individual, and you find what works for you, here are a few highlights from the article that might just surprise you:
- Sleepiness peaks around 2:00 p.m.
- Email messages sent around 6:00 a.m. are most likely to be read
- Risk of injury is less and physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 p.m.
- Creative solutions are more likely to come later in the day when a person is tired
See “The Peak Time for Everything“
According to Satchidananda Panda of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, one of the reasons for this might be that “every organ has a clock.”
That means there are times that our livers, intestines, muscles, and other organs will work at peak efficiency and other times when they are—more or less—sleeping.
For sure, there does seem to be a peak time for eating. Those who do not eat a nutritious breakfast tend to eat more the rest of the day. When you do eat a good breakfast, you seem to make better food choices all day long. Part of this may come because dinner menus tend to be less healthy. Without being aware of making good choices, weekend eating often can be less healthy. Check out this cool graphic report: When We Eat Matters.
This week, you might use that hour you gain to start your day with a healthy breakfast and do your workout on the way home. And, if you, like me, love your weekends, they can become a time when you focus on choices that are really good for you. Find the right rhythm of well-being that allows you to enjoy good health benefits all day and all week long.
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Rev. Debra Basham
Voice: (269) 921-2217 Small Changes … Infinite Results™ “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~Mother Teresa Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips |
