Here are five hacks you can try today
1) Drink yourself to sleep
Conditioning your mind for rest at the end of the day is challenging, particularly after the stress of a work day and with the distractions of the TV and our mobile devices. To assist, author and lifestyle biohacker Tim Ferriss advocates drinking decaffeinated tea with apple cider and a spoonful of honey an hour before bed.
2) Wake up slowly
We all know sleep is important, 6 to 9 hours is the recommended dose, but what you may not know is that sleep is cyclical, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes according to research-based app Sleep Cycle. The app uses motion detection to monitor your sleep patterns, so it can wake you up gradually and get rid of that groggy feeling we experience first thing.
3) Meditate don’t hibernate
In the midst of winter, we typically find ourselves indoors a lot more and chances are that Netflix and other streaming services are the go to sources to beat the winter blues. Whilst this may feel comforting, research from Harvard University shows you would be happier doing a short meditation. The study shows that a regular meditation practice is linked to better brain function and to slowing down the aging process.
4) Fast
Research suggests that eating within a specific window of time each day has a range of preventative and enhancement health benefits. For example, recent studies have shown that eating within an 11-hour window was associated with a decreased breast cancer risk and reduction in recurrence by as much as 36%, while eating within a 12-hour window improved sleep and increased weight loss in people with a normal weight.
5) Eat broccoli sprouts
Research has identified that broccoli sprouts contain 50 to 100-times more of a compound called sulforaphane than mature broccoli. Sulforaphane activates a special genetic pathway in our cells known as Nrf2. Nrf2, a master regulator, controls other genes that affect our anti-inflammatory and antioxidant processes, and even has the ability to deactivate potentially harmful compounds we’re exposed to each day like benzene from air pollution.
Making changes to the way we live can seem daunting, particularly when we have comfortable habits and routines. However, it is never too late to take control. Start with one sustainable behavior that improves how you live. The path to super-heroism begins with one small hack.
Source: Zurich