Two weeks ago I introduced you to the Gremlins in the “Let’s Talk Gremlins” post.
“Mojo” represents another facet of life requiring our awareness and attention: our physical well-being.
Working shift work in a stressful occupation is not good for human bodies. The overnight shift has been shown to increase cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol helps us to store fat. Many of my clients work in emergency communications, where they are tethered to the console and motion is restricted. Any kind of shift work can interfere with your circadian rhythm.
With these factors at play, it’s not your fault that your body is deteriorating. And, doing something to protect your health is your responsibility.
What to Do?
The Gremlins are a tool to help you pay attention to your well-being.
When you check in with Mojo, it is helpful to notice four different areas of life.
Nourishment
You are what you eat. The saying has been around a long time. I often heard it when I was eating something I knew I should not be eating.
Your nutrition matters to your health.
If you are a healthy weight, it’s important to stay there. Donuts, cookies, chips, pizza, and other treats are not conducive to robust health.
Lots of fresh vegetables, a moderate amount of protein for most meals, and simple fruits keep you nourished and strong.
Ask yourself, “How is this food impacting my health?”, every time you eat anything. If you keep doing this, it will lead to positive changes.
Motion
How much do you move your body? I don’t like the word exercise. Moving around is much more fun to me. What about you?
People in sedentary positions fare much better when they develop a habit of intentional motion throughout the day. I like 5 minute dance parties sprinkled in my day.
Weight-bearing workouts help keep you strong. Aerobic exercise helps stress hormones to leave your body. Which do you like best?
It doesn’t matter as much how you move as it does that you move. Every bit of motion is a plus.
Hydration
When my son was little, he had chronic ear infections. His doctor sat me down and lectured me on all the reasons that adequate hydration is a life-saver. The child needed to drink more water to keep his ears healthy.
I don’t remember the details, but half a century later, I still remember the message.
Drink plenty of water. Dehydration can make your life far less comfortable.
The most often repeated common wisdom is 8-8oz glasses per day. One hack is to drink several glasses of water as soon as you get up from sleep. Replenishing after sleep sets a good tone for the day. What will you do to make sure you’re hydrated?
Sleep
“Sleep, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Midnights. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
That was my mantra on the midnight shift. I spent several years with my one desire being just two more hours of sleep.
The overnight shift has its particular challenges. You are going against your own circadian rhythms. Sleep masks, ear plugs, and white noise were all necessary for me when I was sleeping during the day. What about you?
And it doesn’t matter which shift you are currently working. Sleep is a big deal.
It is worth doing the necessary thing to get quality sleep.
Your Mojo wants to be healthy and strong. It won’t get there without your attention and effort. The few minutes a day you spend in paying attention to your current state coupled with some micro-habit changes can make a big difference in your life.
Attention
The Gremlins are a tool to help you pay attention to all of the different aspects of your life. Mojo is one of the five.
