Frequently Asked Questions (Part 3)
Every few months we like to dedicate a week to answering some of our most frequently asked questions. We received a number of amazing questions from our community in our recent fall survey so we thought we’d share a few of them this week. Read below to learn more!
How do I fall asleep when I’m stressed?
In previous newsletters we’ve discussed the importance of putting away devices one hour before you’d like to be asleep. This is because the blue light emitted from screens disrupts the production of melatonin, the sleepy hormone. We call this defending your last hour. However, putting away your devices is just one piece of the puzzle. You also need to make sure that you’re filling that last hour before bed with activities that will calm your body and mind down. This is not the time to do work, read the news, or have emotional conversations. Instead, do activities that will calm you down - take a warm bath, read fiction, do a meditation practice, or do some light stretching. Craft a sleep routine that you can follow every night that will set you up for a deep and restful sleep.
Even when we follow our sleep routine, we can have nights where we are overwhelmed, stressed, and unable to sleep because of it. One tip is to keep a notebook beside your bed and on nights you’re lying awake stressed about things you need to do, write them down. That way your thoughts get onto a piece of paper and out of your head. Then trust that you’ll deal with them tomorrow, so you can stop thinking about them at 3 a.m.
How can I eat healthy when on the go?
For at least one meal per day, you should try to give yourself time to sit down and eat while not running around the house, on your way to work, or while prepping for a meeting. Focusing on your food and only your food (mindful eating) helps you eat slower, enjoy it more, and helps with portion control. Also if you focus on relaxing before you eat, you will activate your parasympathetic nervous system which actually helps with nutrient absorption!
That being said, we realize that with work, family, and other responsibilities, sometimes you have no choice but to eat on the go. Here are some tips for how to do that in a healthy way:
1. Plan ahead. Don’t wait until you’re stressed, hungry, and running out the door to decide what you’ll eat. That’s when you’ll make poor food choices! Make a plan the night before so you can just grab some already prepared snacks or meal from the fridge.
2. Have ready-to-go snacks on hand.
Handful of nuts/seeds
Hummus with fresh veggies
Cottage cheese with fresh fruit
Rice crackers with peanut butter
Smoothie with your choice of frozen fruit, plain Greek yogurt, protein powder, nut milk, almond butter, and spinach.
On a day you have more time, make a big batch of homemade protein balls that you can eat throughout the week:
Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
2 tbsp all natural almond butter
4 tbsp almond milk (unsweetened) 2 tbsp maple syrup
Directions:
Stir ingredients together, roll into balls, and freeze overnight.
*Optional - roll balls in unsweetened coconut flakes before freezing.
Check out our meal plan for busy families for some more ideas!
Do all sugars have the same effect on our bodies? Are there healthier sweet options?
As a society, we eat far too much added sugars for optimal health and functioning. In addition to being associated with a number of chronic diseases, a diet full of sugar also affects our energy levels, sleep, and makes it harder to concentrate throughout the day. This is because simple carbohydrates (high glycemic index foods) are very quick to digest, causing a big spike and then drop in blood sugar. As much as you can, try to avoid processed foods and foods full of refined sugars such as breakfast cereals, white bread, pastries (such as cakes, cupcakes, muffins), candy, sweet drinks (including fruit juices), sugars, and syrups.
That being said, if you’re craving something sweet, there are ~healthier~ options. For example, some sweeteners have a lower glycemic index so don’t spike your blood sugar in the same way. Choose stevia, cinnamon, and monk fruit more often. Raw honey and maple syrup are also better options when it comes to sweeteners.
If you’re going to have something sweet, it's also a good idea to pair it with some protein, fat, or fibre to keep your blood sugar balanced. For example, have dark chocolate almonds or Greek yogurt with your granola.
How do I avoid the afternoon crash?
Energy levels fluctuate throughout the day so it is normal to feel tired and sluggish mid-afternoon. However, there are ways we can minimize and manage this crash:
1. Be aware of what you’re eating for lunch. A carb-heavy meal is going to make you want to take a nap at your desk after lunch. Prioritize healthy proteins, healthy fats, and vegetables for lunch to stay alert and focused for the remainder of the day. E.g. A spinach salad with grilled chicken, avocado, and pumpkin seeds.
2. Be aware of your caffeine consumption. Caffeine from regular coffee or espresso causes a spike and then an energy crash, which might be contributing to the afternoon slump. Choose slow-releasing caffeine sources more often such as green tea. This will keep your energy levels more stable throughout the day. Learn more about how to optimize your caffeine consumption here.
3. Exercise. When you’re feeling sluggish, force yourself to get outside and go for a walk. This small dose of physical activity will actually increase your energy levels and you might even feel energized enough to do a workout after!
4. Power nap. If you’ve had a particularly stressful day or had a bad sleep the night before, having a 20-minute power nap might be enough to rejuvenate you for the rest of the day. Just be aware of how long you’re sleeping so you don’t wake up in a deeper stage of sleep! Read more about naps here.
What do I do about muscle tightness/pain I get from sitting too long?
The first step is to try to decrease how much you’re sitting in the first place. Here are a few ideas:
1. Follow the 20/20 rule: for every 20 minutes of sitting, stand and stretch for 20 seconds. If you are in a space that doesn’t disturb others, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do this.
2. If you take public transportation to work, stand up instead of sitting down.
3. Stand when making a phone call that doesn’t require you to be at your computer.
You should then try to incorporate stretching, yoga, or some sort of mobility practice into your day. Even just five minutes of stretching each day will help alleviate pain, improve posture, and decrease tightness and muscle tension. The great thing about stretching is you can actually do it while you’re doing other activities so it’s easier to implement into your daily life. For example, you can take 5-10 minutes to stretch while watching TV, listening to the news, or listening to a podcast. If you’re cooking, while waiting for water to boil or your oven to preheat, take that time to stretch instead of scrolling through your phone. Click here to learn more about the benefits of stretching!
How do I motivate myself to get outside if I’m in a rut?
Just like boosting your energy when you have an afternoon crash, forcing yourself to get outside will boost your mood. Instead of waiting until you feel good to get outside, get outside and then you will feel good. By just doing something (even if it’s going outside for 5 minutes), you will feel better and be more motivated to continue to do it, causing a positive feed-forward cycle. Dr. Gina Di Giulio refers to this as action preceding motivation. Learn more about this and other tips to boost your mental health in this podcast episode!
