By Frank Lipman, MD on January 12, 2010
First, a confession. I love music and have been obsessed with rhythm from an early age. I grew up in South Africa, where music and its ritual use are a very important part of the way of life in traditional African cultures. In my home, music was always playing from the time I woke up to the time I went to sleep. What I did not know then, was that my love for music and rhythm, would be a portal into understanding the way I see health today.
In 1984, a few years after finishing my medical training in South Africa, my wife and I emigrated to the USA and settled in New York City – we could no longer continue living under Apartheid. I completed a 3 year residency in Internal Medicine and for a number of years after that, immersed myself in the study of Chinese Medicine, Functional Medicine, Nutrition, Yoga and Meditation. When I opened my own clinic, the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in Manhattan in 1992, I had a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of my Western training and of all the other systems I had been studying.
Over the years, I started seeing more and more patients coming in complaining of feeling exhausted, depressed, overwhelmed, achy, run down and older than their years. They weren’t sleeping well, had no sex drive and were running on empty. I labeled this “syndrome” SPENT because that’s how these patients were feeling. It is a modern day stress syndrome and has become epidemic. Western Medicine does not have any solutions for it and in fact, does not even recognize that it exists despite so many people feeling this way.
When I started thinking about why this was happening, I realized that the only time I never saw patients who had these symptoms was when I was working as a doctor 28 years ago in KwaNdebele, a rural area in South Africa. I saw diseases symptomatic of physical hardship, of poverty and malnutrition, very different to what I see today in my practice. There was no electricity, indoor heating or refrigeration in KwaNdebele. Folks went to bed when it got dark, arose with the sun and ate whatever foods were available in season. They lived in accordance with the cycles and rhythms of nature, they had to.
I thought about what I had learned in Chinese medicine, that humans are part of the natural world and governed by the universal forces of nature. Human bodies do not exist in isolation; we are creatures of our environment and are subject to the powerful dictates of cyclic rhythm. This rhythm is an integral part of the self-organizing dynamic of nature and so I looked to see if there was scientific research on what I thought was happening. Sure enough there was a field called chronobiology, the science that examines cyclical phenomena in living organisms. Your body has more than 100 Circadian rhythms. They are based roughly on nature’s 24-hour cycle, influencing different aspects of your body’s function, including sleep & wake cycles, body temperature, hormone levels, brain wave activity, heart rate, blood pressure and even pain threshold. These rhythms are part of every aspect of our body’s inner working. Although most of us know that such rhythms exist, we fail to appreciate their power in determining our health. Even in medical circles, chronobiology, the study of physiological rhythm is consistently underrated.
We have internal body clocks set precisely to these rhythms and cycles of nature. The “master clock” is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a distinct group of cells located in the hypothalamus, which uses signals like light and darkness to know when to release certain hormones and neurotransmitters, which tell us when to wake or go to sleep. Destruction of the SCN results in the complete absence of a regular sleep/wake rhythm. Light is the drummer in our physiological band or orchestra, it keeps the beat, our body clocks try to harmonize themselves with nature.
Then I looked into the field of genomics, the study of genes and I had my Aha! experience on why this was happening.
We evolved over millennia as people who lived in harmony with day and night and the seasons. These cycles and rhythms became imprinted in our genes, which are almost identical to our ancient ancestors. So in our genes we are still our ancient ancestors, but we have outpaced our biology and are living at a pace that is foreign to it. Our modern lives are out of sync with these rhythms and we land up feeling Spent.
For most of us, the only time we become aware of body rhythms and their importance is if we have jet lag. This is probably the easiest way to recognize our internal body clock. Anyone who has flown over a few time zones, for instance New York to London, knows what I am talking about. You get tired easily, feel sluggish, you have trouble concentrating or thinking clearly, your body aches, you have trouble sleeping and you may even have digestive problems. But unlike when you are Spent, after a few days your body clock adjusts to the new time zone and you feel better.
Our lifestyle today simply makes it harder to stay in tune with the rhythms of nature. While no doubt beneficial in many ways, we have created artificial environments that insulate us from the cycles of the seasons and of daylight and darkness. We use artificial light to extend our activities well into the night and even during the day, we spend most of our time under artificial lights, getting very little natural light. It becomes difficult to hear the ticking of our body’s internal clock. The result is that many of us pay a price as our natural body clock gets thrown out of it’s natural rhythm. Our poorly synchronized lifestyles extract a significant toll.
The good news is that when prompted correctly our genetic clocks can reset themselves. The body will move naturally towards healing if we give it a chance. When our rhythms are in sync, we have more energy, everyday tasks are easier to perform, things just seem to flow better. Athletes call this “being in the zone” or having their game on. Finding your “groove” is not just psychological, it is physiological too. By making small changes in your lifestyle, you can feel remarkably more energetic, start sleeping better and reclaim your rightful vitality.
Here are just a few tips taken from my new book, Spent: End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again that will help you to reset your body clock and rediscover your natural rhythm.
* Get some natural light during the day by going for a walk, preferably in nature.
* Keep a consistent daily schedule. Get up at the same time every day, regardless of what time you go to bed.
* Have an “electronic sundown.” At around 10 pm, turn off your computer, TV and all electronic equipment.
* Darken your room completely. That means covering or turning off any of the blinking or glowing lights from the alarm clock, the cell phone charger, the DVD clock and timer, etc. Each little bit of light can stop your melatonin levels from rising, which you need to induce sleep and to reach the deep restorative sleep your body requires. If you can’t darken your room, wear an eye mask.
* Eat in accordance to your body’s rhythms. Since your metabolism peaks at about noon, it is better for your body to have a bigger breakfast and lunch and smaller dinner. Eat good fats and protein for breakfast because that is what your body needs for fuel during the day. Healthy smoothies are a great way to get both of these into your diet. The typical sugar and carb-laden breakfast of a bagel, muffin, toast or sugary cereal are just about the worst things you can have; so avoid those at all costs.
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By Sharon Gannon on September 18, 2009
Photo Credit: Guzman
CSL: If someone only has 10 minutes each morning for a yoga routine, what poses would you suggest and can ten to fifteen minutes a day really make a difference?
SHARON: YES, most definitely. Practicing asana for ten to fifteen minutes a day can make a huge difference! Five minutes a day can make a huge difference…doing anything on purpose for even one minute a day can make a huge difference.
Here is a simple yoga asana routine which I do every morning (it takes a little more than five minutes):
“The Magic Ten”:
1. Downward dog—10 breaths
2. Standing forward bend—10 breaths
3. Squat—10 breaths
4. Teepee twist—5 breaths each side
5. Half seated spinal twist—5 breaths each side
6. Table top—10 breaths
7. Handstand—25 breaths
8. Standing Posture alignment—5 breaths
9. Standing side bends—1 breath each side 4X
10. Standing spinal roll—16 breaths
CSL: What advice do you give work-a-holics for integrating mindfulness and spirituality into their day?
SHARON: Every morning before you get out of bed ask God (or if the god word is not to your liking, ask your own “higher power”—what you feel is your best guide—be it intuition, love, higher intelligence, nature, what is good and beautiful, etc.) to make you an instrument. Personally, what I say is: “Make me an instrument for Thy will –not mine but Thine be done, free me from anger, jealousy and fear—fill my heart with joy and compassion.” I try to remember to say that, silently, often during the day, especially when I feel overwhelmed, under pressure or in a time crunch.
CSL: How is spinal flexibility directly linked to our youth and vitality? How can we make sure that we care for this integral part of our anatomy?
SHARON: Suppleness of our bodies is associated with youth and vitality. As children we naturally explore all kinds of ways to move our bodies, but when we become adults, we tend to limit our movements to what is culturally accepted. The definition, after all, of an adult means one who has stopped growing. Clothes can affect our physical movement. Fashion can influence the actual shape of our body as we fall victim to high-heeled shoes or tight jeans, skirts or dresses or even baggy clothes. Over time the clothes we wear can actually altar the physical shape of our bodies. As young children we aren’t so much interested in the status quo or judging ourselves and others by our clothes. But as we get older our outer appearance becomes more and more important and we can get stuck in the syndrome of “never having a thing to wear.” Often we try to remedy this dilemma through shopping (if we have the money for shopping). And those who don’t have the money for shopping often wish they did or envy those who do.
When we practice asana, however, we have the opportunity to uninhibitedly explore our bodies much like we did as children—we get back to exploring the many varieties of shapes and movements that our spines, and in fact, our whole bodies, are capable of. In a typical yoga session one might: curl up like a ball, roll around on the floor, touch their toes to their ears or nose, bend backward, bend forward, and/or stick out their tongue. This physical playfulness can be very freeing psychologically as it provides us with a direct experience of the mind/body connection.
The best way to care for our spines, or any part of our anatomy for that matter, is to use it for higher purposes: for service. Flexibility—physical, as well as mental, emotional and spiritual—enables you to be of more benefit to others and the world around you, and that ultimately brings profound happiness. An inflexible spine reflects an inflexible mind—a mind that is stuck, stubborn, set in its ways.
CSL: Can you help us understand more about the importance of inversions?
SHARON: Of all yoga asanas, inversions are the most potent, because they bring about the most transformational results for us physically, energetically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. A regular inversion practice can yield youthfulness and increase mental capacity, performance, endurance, energy, beauty, and overall well-being, confidence and calmness.
Turning upside down stimulates the master glands—the pineal, pituitary, thyroid and parathyroid. Ordinarily these glands operate sort of like on a thermostat set on a feast or famine trigger. So when the hormonal level gets low, a signal is sent and the gland is flooded with a new chemical dose. The problem with that is that at times when the levels are very low or very high, there can be all kinds of behavioral changes, including mood swings, PMS and even compulsive behaviors like binging on chocolate or junk food. When you do inversions regularly, you provide the glands with regular stimulation, so the hormonal levels are kept more at a balanced state of equilibrium. This helps prevent mood swings and other undesirable effects.
Inversions reverse the effects of gravity on all the systems of the body. They give the internal organs, the skin and the muscles a lift (as we all know, with age everything starts to drop down toward the earth). Inversions can provide a natural face-lift! They invigorate our circulation, helping revive our legs and feet where blood can pool, so the tendency toward varicose veins is diminished.
Inversions also have a mind-expanding effect. When we turn upside down, we can access our own pharmaceutical laboratory, stimulating the release of certain chemicals in the brain that generate feelings of calm, creativity, well-being and expansiveness which allow you to let go of the “small stuff.”
The length of time you spend upside down is important. Spending at least 5 minutes a day in a position in which your heart is above your head is necessary in order to get the benefits of inversions, but the longer the better. The most effective inversions are headstand and shoulderstand (because they involve direct contact between the ground and the head), but other alternatives are good as well, like handstand, bending over from a standing position, downward dog or any other passive inversion.
CSL: For those struggling with insomnia, are there certain lifestyle practices that would be especially helpful?
SHARON:
1. Sleep in a dark room
In order for your brain to be able to make adequate amounts of melatonin, your body has to be in the dark—light must not be present. Sleep in a completely dark room. Do whatever it takes to block out all of the light that might come in during the morning. Use heavy drapes or black-out shades over the windows. Never sleep with a night light on in the room. Make sure that there isn’t a light emanating from an alarm clock, computer, television etc. If you find yourself in a situation where you are unable to block out the light, then wear an eye mask as the next best thing, because when light enters into your body via your eyes (left, right and third) it is the most direct route into the pineal gland. But also keep in mind that light can be absorbed into your body via your skin.
2. Don’t drink coffee (or any caffeinated beverage), or at least try to cut down your intake to only one cup per day and drink it only in the morning.
3. Prepare yourself for bed as if you were embarking on a peaceful journey:
*Take a bath
*Put on a comfortable nightgown or pajamas
4. Quiet your mind
*Accept that you will never be able to complete all of the projects you have going on or think through all the thoughts or resolve all the issues you are dealing with in your life and the best thing to do is to take a break once a day and go to sleep for several hours.
*Do not sit in front of a computer before bed and definitely don’t work on emails before bed
*Reserve your bed for horizontal activities like sleeping–Don’t read in bed and don’t watch television in bed.
*Do not watch television before bed. Definitely do not subject your mind to violent movies or television shows and expect to be able to sleep well at night.
*Don’t leave a radio or television on
* Be a vegan—do not eat any food that has been obtained through violent means, because you will absorb the intense fear and degradation that was experienced by the animal whose flesh or milk or eggs you are eating, and over time, that will cause deep unsettledness inside of you.
*Meditate for at least 5 minutes everyday—in the morning or at night or whenever you can find the time. The practice of meditation will help you to begin to come to terms with your thinking mind so that it doesn’t keep coming at you when you want to go to sleep.
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