Coming off of knee surgery I had to think about every step I took: how my foot was landing, the position of my knee, what surface I was on, should I make a wide turn to go left down the hallway so that I wasn’t pivoting too quickly, if I blinked when my left foot hit the ground and my right elbow was at a 62 degree angle would I trip (maybe not that last one)…. It was exhausting. And that was just to go to the bathroom.
Sometimes we take for granted all that things we can do that we don’t have to think about. A big part of that is that over time we do things a lot (like crawling, then walking, then running, lifting, performing a complex lift, going up on rings, rowing) and the more we do them (oftentimes) they start become second nature and we don’t really have to think (as much). This is because our body gives us proprioreceptive responses that lets our bodies know where we are in space and relation to our body parts and their position.
In English? When we practice movement we drill patterns until they are, well, second nature and create more efficiency in our movement patterns (hopefully!)
But why don’t we practice this same level of awareness in other areas of our lives? What about with sleep? As an example getting the appropriate amount of sleep keeps a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry or full. Research has shown when you don’t get enough sleep the level of gherlin (feeling hungry) goes up and your level of leptin (hormone that makes you feel full) goes down. There are also studies of higher blood sugar implications with a lack of sleep. What if we were more aware of how we deal with sleep (how we eat, when we go to bed, caffeine consumption)?
What about with stress? We know we are stressed, especially in these days. We are certainly aware of the stress but have we practiced managing stress? The implications on one’s well being, relationships and health are massive. Can we practice unplugging from work? Can we practice consistency in exercise, not as an added mental stress, but as a stress release?
We practice movements a lot in the gym. But what about the practice of balancing sleeping, eating, moving AND mindset? Think of those four points that create a circle. We all have strengths in certain areas but can we start to create a more rounded, balanced wheel?
You want something to do this week? Sit down and give yourself an honest grade in each of those areas. Which one is most out of wack for you? Find it and start the consistent discipline and practice of bringing that piece into alignment. See if it doesn’t start to create a bit of a more balanced (and healthier) life!