Riding the Energy Wave

Take a look at this little guy, who I’ll call Gerald.

Gerald consciously doesn’t know what time it is, but it’s very clear if you observe him that his output varies significantly at different times. He’s harvesting like crazy when nuts are available, and of course, he’s using his stores in the cold winters. But he’s also not expending too much energy when it’s hot outside. As a biological system, Gerald has figured out that trying to do the same amount all the time is less efficient than figuring out when to conserve energy and when to expend it.

As humans, we used to do much the same thing, all the way up to the Industrial Revolution. Back in the day, there was a generalized understanding that there would be times to expend energy and times to conserve it. This was even reflected in biphasic sleep and significant fluctuations in weight across the seasons.

You might think that our sedentary jobs mean we don’t have to think about energy levels, but today – much of what we know about energy consumption is being questioned.

For example, here’s a guy who, when he is competing, isn’t cycling over mountains…

That’s Magnus Carlson – probably the greatest chess player of all time. Magnus and his grandmaster colleagues will, during a major chess tournament, have heart rates sustained at 160 bpm or above – similar to a Tour De France rider. These people are putting a tremendous amount of energy into their work – just sitting at a table, figuring out the next move.

And the energy story gets more confusing.

Today, with a few exceptions, the same person with the same body composition will burn the same number of calories per week – whether sitting at their desk every day or running a marathon. Yes, you heard that right – sitting at your desk, you burn about the same number of calories each day as the Hadza hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. It’s something scientists call the exercise paradox, and it’s one of the reasons that activity level has such a minimal effect on weight. (To be clear, this isn’t saying exercise is not good for us, in fact, it’s amazingly beneficial, it just doesn’t really help us lose weight).So, what does all of this mean for those of us just trying to get our job done.

Well, one thing is clear: For centuries, humans have understood that there are times to do more and times to do less. These humans took their signals on what to do based on external cues from nature and internal cues from their own bodies. They intrinsically understood how to “ride the wave of energy”—doing more at the right time and less at the right time.Just like Gerald.

But since the Industrial Revolution, when the lightbulb, television, and smartphone were invented, we’ve been increasingly drowning out those signals.

That’s probably not just making us sick; it’s probably also making us less effective. Many of us are acutely tired at times and chronically tired most of the time. If you do unstructured work, that’s incredibly counterproductive. Sleep for 15 minutes more a night, and suddenly,you may find that a complex task that usually takes two hours is now only taking one.

Knowing how to manage your energy isn’t just for Olympic athletes. It’s for anyone who wants to get the best out of themselves. So here are five steps you can take to start to read your energy signals better. All have been tested with people in our BillionMinds programs.

Use wearables wisely. Wearables don’t have to be about setting unrealistic goals that you will never meet; they can help you read the signals your body is sending. I’m a particular fan of the Oura Ring for this. A daily check helps me understand if I need to slow down and pick up the signals I might miss on a busy day.

Go for a brisk early morning walk. This has many benefits, but one appears to be that it helps your body pick up environmental signals better. It reminds you that it IS the morning and will help you sleep better at the back end of the day.

Set a sleep alarm, not a wake one. This involves going to bed at a particular time (ideally a certain number of hours after it gets dark outside), letting sleep take its course, and then waking up naturally in the morning. It can take some guts, particularly if you are on the school run each morning, but it will work reliably once you dial in how you feel.

Reconnect with nature. You will completely miss environmental signals if you are never around nature. Ideally, that means getting out of town, but we’ve even seen positive results from people who regularly work in their gardens or hang out with their pets.

Exercise regularly. Even though it does not help you lose weight, emerging evidence suggests that it creates a virtuous cycle – the energy you burn is no longer available to waste, giving you stress and inflammation. It makes you tired at the end of the day – giving you better sleep and more pep the following morning.

So, in summary – be like Gerald.