Becoming a Master of Recovery
And How to Escape the Monday Blues Once and For All
And How to Escape the Monday Blues Once and For AllBlog written by: Shane Jenne
Monday comes around every week. A few months ago I was like Garfield – I hated Mondays. I found myself generally more tired and lethargic on Mondays compared to any other day of the week. But why?
It’s because we throw our circadian rhythm off when we decide to stay up late and sleep in on the weekends.
The following are my 5 steps to become a master of recovery and the tools to help you escape the Monday blues.
Step 1: Take a warm shower
Ah, what a way to relax. Imagine how great it would feel after a hard workout and long day at work to just let the warm water run over your body. You step out of the shower, the mirror is fogged and your pores wide open. Here comes Step #2.
Step 2: Rub a magnesium supplement all over your body
Most humans have a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is crucial to more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. This means that without it, your body fumbles over 300 different processes. It supports a healthy immune system, strengthens bones, and aids in the production of energy and protein. Not to mention that Magnesium is also a very powerful relaxation mineral.
Step 3: Strap the Marc Pro on
For 45-90 minutes, set your Marc Pro at a low intensity of 5-7. Between heavy lifting days and just being on my feet all day, my legs always seem to be sore. I enjoy globally flushing my legs at the end of the day. The Marc Pro really helps to alleviate any and all stiffness in your body.
Step 4: Stay away from the blue light
The artificial light from electronics closely mimics the spectrum of light that comes from the sun. This light tricks our body into thinking that it is daytime. When your body is tricked in this way, cortisol is released, shifting you into a sympathetic nervous system response and stresses you out. Instead, you need to focus on boosting your melatonin levels.
Picture cortisol and melatonin on a seesaw. If cortisol is up, melatonin is down, and vice versa. Melatonin is known as the “get good sleep” hormone. More on this in Step #5!
What can you do instead of browsing through your phone or watching TV before bed? In today’s society, this isn’t an uncommon question. Let’s think of things to do instead…
● Do some light reading
● Talk to a friend or loved one
● Prep your meals for the next day
● Send your children to bed
● Do some light cleaning and rearranging while being careful not to raise your heart rate too much
That wasn’t too hard.
Step 5: Make it to bed before 10pm every night, not just the weekdays
Remember cortisol and melatonin from Step #4? Well, they orchestrate what we call the body clock or circadian rhythm. In the morning, cortisol peaks, causing you to wake up. Adversely, melatonin peaks in the evening, causing you to fall asleep.
The “money time” to sleep is between roughly 10pm-2am (depending on season, daylight savings, etc.) During this period of sleep, human growth hormone (HGH) is released to help repair your body from the stresses of the day. When you skip this period, you are missing out on something special.
Think about it. Almost nothing you do past 10pm has to be done then. Instead, you can wake up a little earlier, prioritize your day (including your sleep) and go forth to reap the benefits of this energy boost.
Conclusion
When you prioritize sleep and take ownership of your circadian rhythm, you unleash a tremendous amount of potential. In physical wellness, I believe that recovery and sleep play a 50% role in achieving your goals while fitness and nutrition play a 20% and 30% role, respectively.
I encourage you to get your calendar out, schedule your sleep/wake times, and then plan your day around them!