3 ways to beat the afternoon slump

Hello from the Atlantic,

I landed in my hometown 48 hours ago, and wow, it’s really a different planet, rain, wind, and cold, so different from the humid sandpit of Dubai.

One of the first things I did was reconnect with nature. I come from a small town bathed by the Atlantic Ocean.

So, I took a walk with my kids and dived right in.

That swim re-energized me more than an injection of caffeine, reminding me of the importance of understanding physiology to optimize the ultimate currency, energy, in a world that lives depleted of it.

_{According to the APA’s 2021 Work and Well-being Survey of 1,501 U.S. adult workers, 36% reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported emotional exhaustion, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue—a 38% increase since 2019.}

The Strategy: Use your environment to reclaim our energy

We aim to use sunlight, circadian rhythms, food, and environment to boost your stamina. Simply adjusting your temperature at home and at work can fix your energy levels.

Home: 68°F during winter and 78°F during summer.

Office: studies show 72°F/22°C is a perfect environment for energy and productivity.

The Tactic: Sunlight management

It’s time to re-energize yourself. For this, you want to go to bed and wake up at the same time, and immediately expose yourself to sunlight. If you don’t have sun available, expose your eyes to bright light.

Studies show that exposing yourself to sunlight at midday helps suppress melatonin (the sleep hormone) that naturally peaks around that time.

So next time you feel tired around midday, before you wash down another espresso, go outside and face the sun for 5 minutes.

TL;DR

1. Look out the window for 5 minutes as soon as you wake up

2. Face the sun around midday during your work break to suppress melatonin

3. Dim the lights in your home 3 hours before bedtime

The Habit: Replacement therapy

Instead of eliminating habits, focus on replacing them. Bob Proctor talked about replacing NPAs with PAs (Non-Productive Activities with Productive Activities) in the exercise “The Knowing-Doing Gap”

These are the 3 NPAs and 3 PAs to double your energy in 72 hours or less:

1. NPA: Sugary breakfast
   PA: High protein/high fat breakfast
   
   This will lead to more stable energy levels avoiding spikes in blood sugar and ultimately contribute to an afternoon slump.
   

2. NPA: Early morning coffee
   PA: Half a liter of water, and only after 60 minutes, have your coffee.
   

   If cortisol is already at its peak when waking up, drinking coffee as soon as your eyes open may make you immune to caffeine.
   

3. NPA: Hot temperature
   PA: 72°F/22°C

   
   When the environment is too warm, the body works harder to maintain a stable internal temperature through processes like vasodilation and sweating. These processes increase the metabolic rate and heart rate, which can eventually make you feel tired or sleepy.

Executive of the week, Fred, CEO

That's it for today.

Until next time,

Become an asset, not a liability, to those around you.

Ps. When you are ready, there are 2 ways I can help:

1. My 2-minute science-based quiz that will give you clear guidance on the dos and don'ts for your body type, including what workout split to follow and which food groups to avoid Access it here for free

2. Are you an executive who wants to increase energy, decrease pain and take back control of your health? Click this link to apply to work 1-1 with me