Energy Efficiency
Are you struggling to gather enough energy to give it your all in class? Do you feel exhaustion setting in halfway through a performance? Are you dragging yourself through the day? Do you find yourself craving sugar or caffeine or a nap just to get through the next activity? Or perhaps you are hoping to get that next level of power in your dancing, or more “edge” in your skill training? Believe it or not, developing ENERGY EFFICIENCY happens at a cellular level, and there are some scientifically proven methods to improve it. Here is a list!
Expose yourself to natural light for a few minutes each day within one hour of waking to stimulate your hormones that help with alertness (yes, this impacts our cellular function greatly!). 15 minutes of sunshine per day has a powerful “re-charging” effect.
Keep your “eating window” to within 8-10 hours (i.e. 8am-6pm, or 10am-8pm). Studies show that this is overwhelmingly helpful in increasing mitochondrial efficiency!
Eat your last bite about 2-3 hours before bedtime to ensure your body can focus on repair (vs digestion) during sleep.
Avoid screens (or wear blue light-blocking glasses) after dark to ensure your body is able to produce sufficient melatonin for deep sleep.
Eat sufficient protein (eggs, fish, legumes, chicken, beef), and consume most of it earlier in the day, when your body can digest it more efficiently. (yes, we can actually metabolize proteins best when the light is strongest!)
Ensure you are getting regular cardio challenges most days. Fifteen minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) is sufficient. This actually helps to increase the number of mitochondria you have in each cell! Think of more cylinders in the engine of each cell…
Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins and improve your cells’ ability to do their job. A dehydrated cell is sluggish at moving waste out and bringing in nutrients.
Isn’t it absolutely amazing how our bodies work? I am ever astounded at how beautifully and wonderfully we are made!
Have you tried any of these suggestions? How did it go? I would love to hear from you!
Reference:
Know, L. (2018). Mitochondria and the future of medicine : the key to understanding disease, chronic illness, aging, and life itself. Chelsea Green Publishing.
