A client recently told me this revealing story about the power of routine.
While in college she knew a young man whom every one admired. He just seemed to do everything right. He excelled at his schoolwork, was liked by everyone, had a pleasing and peaceful energy, had many accomplishments and many connections. She asked him what his secret was. He said he had only one secret to his seemingly boundless and balanced energy ? he went to bed every night at the same time and got up every morning at the same time.
As I write that I can just hear some of your cries of I can?t do that ? it is impossible. And I have too much to do. And all the other assertions about impracticability.
But it is not practical to oppose your biology.
Our bodies are regulated by consistent internal rhythms ? our circadian rhythms. Sleepiness, dreaming, body temperature, hormone secretion, digestion, heart functioning and more are all regulated according to our consistent daily biological rhythms.
Regular wake sleep cycles are key to maintaining your biological rhythms. The single most important thing that you can do to regulate high, clean and balanced energy levels is to have a consistent wake and sleep time.
The key regulator for your circadian rhythms is to go to bed and get up the same time every day.
If you go to bed and get up at odd times your circadian rhythms will become desynchronized and you will feel all kinds of malaise ? fatigue, nausea, irritability, confusion, lack of drive and inspiration- in short low, poor mood and energy.
When you sleep in on the week- ends (or other mornings) to make up a sleep deficit, you let your body slip into what is called free running. Free running is a disruption pattern- your biological clock gets confused and your energy plummets. Essentially, it is like you are living in jet lag. Every extra hour that you sleep in confuses your biological clock by one hour. Resetting your biological clock ? and regaining your energy potential ? takes one day for each hour that you sleep in.
Even if you have gone to bed late the night before it is best to get up at the regular time. Eat breakfast, do some work and then - when your energy levels begin to dip naturally later in the day - take a nap.
The number one rule for maintaining your biological clock- and therefore the quantity and quality of your energy - is rising at the exact same time every morning.
Mary Ann Copson is the creator of the Evenstar Mood and Energy Management System for Women. With Master's Degrees in Human Development and in Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist, a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, a Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician, a Professional Life Coach and Human Development Consultant. For resources about reconnecting to your natural rhythms through better management of your physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual energy visit http://evenstaronline.com