Need Afternoon Energy, anyone? THE PROBLEM: By 3 p.m., youre nodding off at your desk. THE FIX: Simply standing up gets more blood — and energizing oxygen — pumping to your brain; after walking briskly for a few minutes, your whole body (including your sluggish mind) becomes more engaged. You dont even have to work up a sweat, says Robert E. Thayer, professor of psychology at California State University Long Beach and author of Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise. In one of Thayers studies, subjects either went for a brisk 10-minute walk or ate a candy bar. The walkers had increased energy for up to two hours, while the snackers saw their immediate energy boost drop off within an hour — and after two hours were even more lethargic than before. TRY THIS: When you have time for more than a couple of laps through your cubicle maze, count to 10 jumping rope, then do 8 push-ups, then 12 crunches. Next, graduate to 20 seconds jumping rope, 10 push-ups, 15 crunches. Keep upping the ante until youve been active for at least 15 minutes. (Dont push yourself for more than 30, though — the idea is to get energized, not exhausted.) BONUS: Whatever workout you choose, do it outside when possible. Research has shown that an identical workout will yield a more substantial energy payoff when its done outdoors — even when the sun isnt shining, says Thomas Plante, professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, who has published several dozen studies on exercise and mood.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 22:28:02 +0000
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