Category: Fit To Fight

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced world, most people recognize the importance of sleep for maintaining optimal health and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, studies show that around 35% of adults in the United States consistently fall short of the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Competing demands such as demanding work schedules, social obligations, and technology distractions like YouTube, Netflix, and social media all contribute to this widespread sleep deficiency.

In light of this, those serious about maximizing their martial arts performance should prioritize sleep, which is critical to recovery and overall progress. After all, the time and effort invested off the mats are just as important—if not more so—than the hours spent on the mats since it directly impacts physical, mental, and emotional readiness for training.

The Old Masters, who were deeply rooted in the principles of balance and harmony, recognized the importance of sleep and the significance of dreams in maintaining one’s overall well-being. To harness the power of dreams and improve their quality of sleep, they developed a set of practices known as “Dream Yoga,” or shuigong (睡功).

The Importance of Sleep For Martial Arts

Mark Rippetoe, a well-known strength coach and author, developed the “stress, recovery, adaptation” training model, a simple yet effective approach to understanding and optimizing athletic performance. We can apply this model to our martial arts training and highlight sleep’s crucial role.

Stress, Recovery, Adaptation

1. Stress refers to the physical and mental demands placed on the body during exercise or martial arts practice. These stresses can include high-intensity workouts, sparring sessions, or skill drills. When the body is subjected to these stresses, it experiences fatigue, muscle damage, and energy depletion.
2. Recovery: After the stress of training, the body needs time to recover and heal. Sleep plays a critical role in this period, as the body undergoes several restorative processes during this rest period. Sleep allows for the repair of damaged tissues, the removal of metabolic waste products, and the replenishment of energy stores. It is also essential for cognitive recovery, as sleep helps consolidate memory and learning, allowing martial artists to retain and refine the techniques and strategies they’ve acquired during training.
3. Adaptation: When the body has adequately recovered from the stress of training, it undergoes a process known as adaptation or “super-compensation.” Super-compensation is the body’s way of preparing itself to handle similar stressors in the future better. Through adaptation, martial artists can experience improvements in strength, endurance, skill, and overall performance. However, without proper recovery, the body may not fully adapt to the training stress, leading to stagnation or even regression in performance.

The stress, recovery, and adaptation model underscores the importance of sleep in our martial arts training. By prioritizing sleep and ensuring adequate recovery, martial artists can maximize the benefits of our training, leading to consistent progress and improved performance over time. This highlights the need to balance training intensity and recovery, as both are essential for achieving optimal martial arts results.

Five Reasons More Sleep Will Improve Your Martial Arts

Sleep is an essential component of exercise recovery and has a direct impact on overall health and well-being.

1. During sleep, the body undergoes restorative processes that aid in physical recovery, including the repair of muscle fibers and the removal of metabolic waste products, reducing inflammation, and preventing injury.
2. Sleep is also critical for cognitive function, including memory consolidation and learning, which is particularly relevant for martial artists who require mental sharpness and focus to execute complex techniques and strategies.
3. Adequate sleep is vital for emotional regulation and stress management, which helps maintain emotional balance, leading to optimal performance on and off the mats.
4. Sleep is critical for maintaining a robust immune system. Chronic sleep deprivation can weaken the immune response, making the body more susceptible to illness and infection. Adequate sleep ensures that martial artists can train consistently without being sidelined by illness.
5. Research has shown that consistent sleep of 7-8 hours per night can lower the risk of developing chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Sleep promotes healthy aging and reduces disease risk; essential for a lifetime of mastery in martial arts.

Four Factors Affecting Your Sleep

In the 21st century, many factors can interfere with our sleep quality, including blue light exposure, eating habits, caffeine, and alcohol. 

1. Blue light exposure from electronic devices after dark can negatively affect sleep by suppressing melatonin production and stimulating the habenula, an area of the brain involved in mood, memory, and sleep regulation. This can lead to disrupted sleep patterns, insomnia, and mood disorders, affecting memory and learning.
2. Eating in sync with our circadian rhythms is essential for optimal sleep quality and overall health. Eating late at night can disrupt these rhythms while maintaining a consistent eating schedule, and practicing time-restricted eating can help optimize circadian rhythms and improve sleep.
3. Caffeine consumption is a widely consumed stimulant in coffee, tea, and various energy drinks that can interfere with sleep, particularly if consumed within 6 hours of bedtime. Excessive caffeine intake can lead to sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and reduced sleep duration.
4. Alcohol, despite being a depressant and initially inducing drowsiness, can harm sleep quality by disrupting the sleep cycle, particularly the REM stage crucial for cognitive function and memory consolidation. To optimize sleep, it is recommended to consume alcohol in moderation and avoid it close to bedtime.

How to Fix a Sleep Schedule

Sunlight Before Screenlight

A good night’s sleep starts first thing in the morning. Exposure to natural light, particularly in the morning and evening, plays the most significant role in regulating our sleep-wake cycles by influencing the production of hormones such as cortisol and melatonin.

According to the CDC, Americans spend an average of 90% of their time indoors. This can make it difficult to have healthy circadian rhythms, our natural sleep-wake cycles. When we spend most of our time indoors, we are exposed to less sunlight, which can disrupt our circadian rhythms. Additionally, artificial light can also interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep at night.

Establishing a routine incorporating natural light exposure can improve sleep hygiene and improve overall sleep quality.

Light As A Sleep Aid

1. Morning light exposure: Exposing yourself to bright morning light, ideally within the first hour of waking, can help stimulate cortisol production, a hormone that increases alertness and energy. Morning light exposure also helps to reset your circadian rhythm, reinforcing a consistent sleep-wake schedule. To reap the benefits, aim for at least 2-10 minutes of outdoor exposure.

2. Evening light exposure: As the sun begins to set, sunlight shifts to the infrared spectrum. The warmer, dimmer light signals the body to prepare for sleep by promoting melatonin production, a hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Spend time outdoors in the evening. Aim for at least 2-10 minutes of exposure to evening sunlight. If outdoor exposure is not possible, create a relaxing evening environment by avoiding blue light from screens and using red light sources.

3. When we maintain a consistent sleep schedule, we help reinforce our body’s natural circadian rhythm. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps set our body clock, allowing us to fall asleep more easily and wake up feeling refreshed. It also promotes deeper, more restorative sleep, leading to improved cognitive function, memory, and overall well-being. In contrast, irregular sleep patterns, such as staying up late on weekends and sleeping in, can disrupt our circadian rhythm.

4. Current research suggests that exposure to near-infrared light before sleep may improve sleep quality and duration, as well as increase the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. However, more studies are needed to fully understand the effects of near-infrared light on sleep.

Use code FLKF to save 10% on cutting-edge red light therapy panels. Near-infrared therapy has been shown to improve sleep, speed recovery, and even increase testosterone levels.

Patterns of Food & Eating

Dr. Satchin Panda’s research on circadian biology emphasizes the importance of being mindful of not only what we eat but also when we eat to optimize our overall health and well-being. We can improve sleep quality, digestion, and metabolic health by aligning our eating patterns with our circadian rhythms. Here are some strategies based on Dr. Panda’s research to help optimize your circadian biology through mindful eating:

Meal Timing For Circadian Balance

1. Time-Restricted Eating (TRE): TRE involves limiting your food intake to a specific window of time each day, typically around 8-12 hours. This approach allows your body to synchronize its metabolic processes with your circadian rhythm. By following TRE, your body’s insulin levels can ebb and flow and provide a fasting period that allows for cellular repair and rejuvenation.
2. Eat most of your calories early in the day: Our bodies tend to metabolize food more efficiently during the daytime when our metabolism is more active. Consuming a larger portion of your daily calories in the morning and afternoon and having a lighter dinner can help improve digestion and regulate your circadian rhythm.
3. Consistent meal times: Eating at consistent times every day helps to reinforce your body’s internal clock, keeping your circadian rhythm in sync. Establish a regular eating schedule by having breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time each day, and avoid late-night snacking.
4. Avoid heavy meals before bedtime: Consuming large or heavy meals close to bedtime can disrupt sleep by causing indigestion and interfering with the natural decrease in body temperature that promotes sleep. Aim to finish your last meal at least 2-3 hours before bedtime to give your body enough time to digest the food and prepare for sleep.
5. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption: Both caffeine and alcohol can interfere with your circadian rhythm and sleep quality. Limit your caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon and evening, and moderate your alcohol consumption to avoid disrupting your sleep-wake cycle.
6. Prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods: Consuming a well-balanced diet that consists of whole, unprocessed foods can help support your circadian rhythm by providing essential nutrients and maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, abundant protein, and healthy fats in your diet.

Mindfulness of Food

By exercising discipline and mindfulness in your eating habits, you can optimize your circadian biology, which can lead to improved sleep quality, better digestion, and overall enhanced health and well-being. This, in turn, will positively impact your martial arts performance and other aspects of your life.

“The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time and teaching them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.”

Though not directly related to eating habits or circadian biology, this quote highlights the importance of integrating and applying the principles of martial arts in all aspects of life, including our approach to nutrition and health. By maintaining balance, discipline, and mindfulness in our eating habits, we can ensure that these principles are useful not only in martial arts training but also in optimizing our overall health and well-being.

Taoist Dream Yoga

Non-sleep Deep Rest: Embracing Taoist Dream Yoga and Yoga Nidra in Martial Arts

In the rigorous world of martial arts, where recovery is as crucial as training, there are times when full sleep isn’t an option, yet the body and mind yearn for rest. This is where the ancient practices of Taoist Dream Yoga, or Shuigong, and Yoga Nidra come into play, offering a unique form of non-sleep deep rest. While these practices share similarities in guiding practitioners into a state of conscious deep relaxation, it’s important to note that they are not identical. Taoist Dream Yoga, deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy, focuses on harnessing the power of dreams for spiritual growth, whereas Yoga Nidra, a practice from the yogic tradition, leads one into a state of deep relaxation while maintaining a thread of consciousness. Both, however, offer martial artists a way to achieve profound rest and recovery during periods when traditional sleep is not feasible, providing an invaluable tool for rejuvenation and enhanced performance.

The Power of Yoga Nidra in Martial Arts

Yoga Nidra, often described as yogic sleep, is a guided meditation that systematically induces complete physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. The practitioner begins with a personal intention or Sankalpa, followed by a journey of body awareness, breath mindfulness, and visualization. This process leads to a state where the body rests deeply, yet the mind stays alert, hovering at the edge of sleep.

The Effects of Yoga Nidra

The impact of Yoga Nidra on martial arts performance is not just anecdotal but is backed by scientific research. A study involving two elite karate athletes, titled “Dreaming while awake: The beneficial effects of yoga Nidra on mental and physical recovery in two elite karate athletes,” revealed significant sport-specific improvements.[1] For the male athlete, the practice led to enhanced recovery in aspects directly related to his karate performance.

This included better management of physical stress and fatigue, which is crucial in a sport that demands high levels of endurance and strength. The female athlete experienced benefits that extended beyond the physical. She reported improvements in emotional well-being and mental clarity, factors that are vital for the strategic and mental challenges faced in karate.

For martial artists, Yoga Nidra offers a unique advantage. It aids in faster recovery, improves focus and mental clarity, and enhances emotional resilience. These benefits are critical in a discipline where mental fortitude is as essential as physical skill. By incorporating Yoga Nidra into their training regimen, martial artists can gain a holistic edge, balancing the rigors of physical training with deep mental rest and recovery.

Yoga Nidra aligns seamlessly with the martial arts philosophy of balance and harmony. It’s more than just a practice; it’s a pathway to deeper self-awareness and inner strength, offering martial artists a way to elevate their performance and overall well-being.

Conclusion

Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining optimal health and well-being, particularly for those seeking to maximize their martial arts performance. Adequate sleep is essential for physical recovery, cognitive function, emotional well-being, immune function, and longevity. However, many factors can interfere with sleep quality, including blue light exposure, eating habits, caffeine, and alcohol.

We can improve our sleep and overall well-being by understanding these factors and implementing strategies to minimize their impact. Additionally, establishing a routine that incorporates exposure to natural light in the morning and evening and implementing mindful eating habits can optimize circadian biology and improve sleep quality. By prioritizing sleep and integrating principles of balance, discipline, and mindfulness in all aspects of life, we can achieve optimal results in martial arts training and overall health and well-being.

The wisdom of the Old Masters teaches us that it is essential to harmonize with the natural cycles and rhythms of the world around us. GM Sam Chin says, “There is no freedom in nature, but to harmonize with nature is to be the most free.” This includes aligning our sleep patterns with the natural cycles of daylight and darkness, as well as aligning our eating habits with our circadian rhythms. By doing so, we can optimize our overall health and well-being and improve our performance in martial arts training.

Harmonizing with nature requires us to be mindful and disciplined in our approach to sleep and nutrition, as well as in other aspects of our lives. It requires us to be attuned to our bodies and the world around us and to adapt and adjust as needed. Ultimately, by harmonizing with nature, we can achieve a sense of balance, freedom, and optimal performance in all aspects of our lives.

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About the Author

Ashe Higgs, I Liq Chuan Master Instructor & L2 Nutrition Coach

Ashe is a highly skilled martial arts instructor and certified nutrition coach with over two decades of experience in the field. He holds a Master Instructor certification in I Liq Chuan under Sam FS Chin, making him one of only several individuals worldwide to hold the title. He has taught classes and workshops worldwide and is passionate about helping others achieve their fitness and wellness goals.

With a background in full-contact fighting and a Level 2 certification from Precision Nutrition in nutrition coaching, Ashe is a well-rounded expert in the fields of martial arts. In addition to his expertise, he has a wealth of experience in teaching and mentoring others. He has a natural ability to connect with his students and inspire them to reach their full potential.

Read more about Ashe here…

References

Selenia di Fronso, Claudio Robazza, Dario Pompa, Maurizio Bertollo,
Dreaming while awake: The beneficial effects of yoga Nidra on mental and physical recovery in two elite karate athletes,
Heliyon,
Volume 10, Issue 1,
2024,
e24180,
ISSN 2405-8440,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24180.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024002111)
Abstract: Yoga Nidra (YN) naturally stimulates a hypnagogic state wherein an individual is physiologically asleep yet maintains a certain awareness to follow a guide’s instructions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this aware sleep state on recovery-stress balance in two elite karate athletes adopting an idiosyncratic and multimodal approach. One male and one female athlete underwent a YN intervention. Before intervention, after intervention and three weeks later, recovery-stress balance specific scales, perceived stress, cognitive and somatic anxiety, subjective and objective sleep quality, and individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF) values were assessed. Perceived quality of recovery was continuously monitored for three months including the period of the investigation. Feelings and arousal levels before and after each YN session were also examined. Our results showed a YN general positive effect; however, the intervention had higher sport specific effects in the male compared to the female athlete. On the other hand, in the female athlete, YN seems to have effects both from an emotional and physical point of view. We also noted the intertwined relationship among interoception, perceived stress and YN effects. Also, findings suggest that iAPF modulation reflected improved recovery skills or a better control of stressful situations, while the acute effects on arousal levels were expression of anxiety or energy reduction. Overall, YN improved both the perceived quality of recovery and sleep quality, shedding light on the importance of YN for recovery-stress balance enhancement in the sport context.
Keywords: Arousal; iAPF; Interoceptive awareness; Recovery-stress balance; Relaxation; Sleep quality; Stress perception

My friend Ryan over at RJB Health Coaching shared this fascinating article about the link between heart rate and overall health on his blog. Turns out, our resting heart rate can tell us a lot about our mortality risk and even provide clues about chronic stress. His article also dives into some helpful tips and tricks for managing stress and improving heart health. I highly recommend giving it a read!

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Welcome to the Weekly Round-Up, where we explore the intersection between ancient practices and modern science as part of a more natural way of living. We aim to help you experience your best physical and mental health by incorporating these practices into your life. In this series, we explore exciting topics that are sure to get you thinking about your fitness and wellness routine in a whole new way.

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Resting Heart Rate: The Best Indicator of Your Health?

Resting heart rate is a simple metric that could be the best indicator of your health. Just like an athlete’s heart rate can predict their performance in a competition, your resting heart rate can predict your risk of death from virtually any cause. Studies have shown that as your resting heart rate increases, so does your risk of dying.[1] However, even if you’re physically active and have a healthy lifestyle, an elevated resting heart rate still increases your risk of death.

An elevated resting heart rate can indicate that something may be wrong with your body. It reflects the amount of stress your body is under, and chronic stress can cause your heart rate to be higher. Therefore, anything you can do to lower chronic stress can help lower your resting heart rate. Good sleep, proper body composition, and cardiovascular exercise are all interventions that can help lower your resting heart rate.

Here are the top five takeaways from the article:

1. Resting heart rate is a simple metric that can predict your risk of death from virtually any cause.
2. An elevated resting heart rate indicates that something may be wrong with your body.
3. Chronic stress can cause your resting heart rate to be higher.
4. Good sleep, proper body composition, and cardiovascular exercise are all interventions that can help lower your resting heart rate.
5. Lifestyle changes such as minimizing long-term chronic stress, eating healthy, and developing conscious oversight for the amount of food you consume are all key to improving your overall health and lowering your resting heart rate.

Track Your Resting Heart Rate

As this article discusses, fitness wearables like the Apple Watch and Garmin offer an easy way to track resting heart rate. With built-in sensors that measure your heart rate continuously throughout the day, these devices provide a fairly accurate and convenient way to monitor your heart rate and assess your overall health. Many wearables even provide insights and analytics on your heart rate data, making it easy to spot trends and identify any changes over time. By tracking your resting heart rate regularly, you can gain a better understanding of your overall health and fitness level, and make any necessary adjustments to your lifestyle or exercise routine. Plus, with the added convenience of these wearable devices, it’s easier than ever to keep tabs on your heart rate and take control of your health.

Ancient Practices for Modern Stress Management

Slow breathing exercises can be a great tool to lower heart rate, improve HRV and manage stress.[2] They have been used for centuries and are a practice handed down by the Old Masters, who figured out centuries ago that the breath was the secret to both power and longevity. When we breathe slowly and deeply, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps calm our body’s response to stress. The Old Masters understood the power of breathing techniques to promote better health, balance, and inner calm. Practicing these exercises regularly can help you feel more relaxed and reduce anxiety, allowing you to better manage stress in your daily life.

Slow breathing is a simple yet effective technique that involves reducing the frequency of your breaths to six breaths per minute. This is typically achieved by inhaling for four seconds and exhaling for six seconds. The reason for the longer exhale is to activate our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which helps to promote relaxation and reduce stress. By consciously slowing down our breathing and focusing on our breath, we can improve our overall mental and physical well-being. It’s a technique that can be practiced anywhere, at any time, and has been shown to be beneficial for a variety of conditions such as anxiety, high blood pressure, and insomnia.

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Summary

In this Weekly Round-Up, we explore the link between heart rate and overall health. Studies have shown that resting heart rate is a simple metric that can predict your risk of death from virtually any cause. Even if you lead a physically active and healthy lifestyle, an elevated resting heart rate still increases your risk of death. An elevated resting heart rate may indicate that something is wrong with your body, and chronic stress can cause your resting heart rate to be higher. Good sleep, proper body composition, and cardiovascular exercise are all interventions that can help lower your resting heart rate.

In addition to lifestyle changes, slow breathing exercises can also be a useful tool for managing stress and lowering your heart rate. These exercises have been used for centuries and were practiced by the Old Masters to promote better health, balance, and inner calm. Practicing these exercises regularly can help you feel more relaxed and reduce anxiety, allowing you to better manage stress in your daily life.

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If you’re ready to embark on your own journey of personal growth through martial arts, here are three ways I can help:

1. Consider our small group or online martial arts classes to start your practice.
2. Explore our other articles to deepen your understanding.
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Read More!

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About Our Instructor

Get to know our instructor Ashe Higgs! Ashe has been teaching martial arts in Tempe, Arizona, since 2005 and is one of the world’s highest-ranking I Liq Chuan students. You can find out more about who he is and how he got started with martial arts by clicking here.

Read More…

References

1. Zhang, Dongfeng, Xiaoli Shen, and Xin Qi. “Resting heart rate and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general population: a meta-analysis.” Cmaj 188.3 (2016): E53-E63.
2. Bernardi, Luciano, et al. “Oxygen-induced impairment in arterial function is corrected by slow breathing in patients with type 1 diabetes.” Scientific reports 7.1 (2017): 6001.

In the modern world, fitness wearables have become increasingly popular for tracking our health and exercise routines. It’s unsurprising that many people wonder, “are fitness trackers accurate?” Regardless of their accuracy, it’s essential to strike a balance between relying on technology and tapping into our innate ability to understand our body’s needs.

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Welcome to another edition of the Weekly Round-Up, where we explore the intersection between ancient practices and modern science as part of a more natural way of living. By aligning our diet and lifestyle in harmony with our nature as human beings, we can experience our best physical and mental health. In this article, we’ll explore a recent study that questions the accuracy of some popular fitness wearables. Then we’ll delve into deeper, more profound reasons to be cautious about relying too much on technology for our well-being.

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A recent study comparing popular wrist-worn fitness devices, such as the Apple Watch 6, Polar Vantage V, and Fitbit Sense, highlights the importance of not becoming overly dependent on these devices. The study found that while the Apple Watch 6 outperformed its competitors in heart rate tracking, all three devices struggled to provide accurate energy expenditure readings. In light of these findings, this article will explore the concept of interoception, or the ability to sense and understand our internal states, and how it can help us achieve a more balanced approach to our health and fitness. By combining the data from fitness wearables with our own intuition and self-awareness, we can ensure these devices serve as useful aids in our pursuit of optimal health and well-being without letting them dictate our entire fitness journey.

Battle of the Fitness Trackers: Apple Watch 6 Takes the Lead in Heart Rate Accuracy

Are fitness trackers accurate for calories burned?

The study highlights that the Apple Watch 6 outperforms its competitors in heart rate tracking. Unfortunately, this particular study didn’t compare my favorite wearable, the Garmin (I wear a Garmin Solar Instinct 2). All three of the devices studied struggled to provide accurate energy expenditure readings. Healthcare professionals, athletes, coaches, and the general population should take these findings into account when considering the use of these devices for exercise training or nutritional programs.

Smart Watches & Sleep Tracking

The Four Stages of Sleep

The four stages of sleep include three non-REM stages and one REM stage. Stage 1 features light sleep with slow theta waves, while stage 2 has sleep spindles and K-complexes. Sleep spindles and K-complexes are distinctive brain activity patterns. Both play roles in memory consolidation and sleep maintenance. Stage 3, or deep sleep, showcases slow delta waves. Lastly, REM sleep involves rapid eye movement and fast, irregular brain waves similar to wakefulness.

Smartwatches track sleep using an onboard accelerometer, which is a sensor that measures movement and acceleration (the same technology they use to track “steps”). Onboard accelerometers in sleep trackers use movement data to estimate sleep stages. By analyzing periods of stillness and motion, they make educated guesses about transitions between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Theoretically, this method provides a rough approximation of sleep patterns.

Unfortunately, the accuracy of smartwatches and sleep tracking doesn’t seem to be any better than for calories burned. Sleep trackers are often marketed as a way to improve sleep quality and overall health. This study reviewed six popular devices: BodyMedia FIT, Fitbit Flex, Jawbone UP, Basis Band, SleepTracker, and Zeo Sleep Manager Pro.[2] Researchers looked at metrics, theories, evaluations, and FDA clearance. Surprisingly, they found that most devices lacked crucial information about sensor and output accuracy. Only three devices had related peer-reviewed articles, but even their wake detection accuracy varied significantly. Ultimately, there was no solid evidence that these trackers can truly help with sleep issues in real life.

My own experience with the accuracy of sleep tracking and smart watches supports the results of the study by Lee et al. I have reviewed the data gathered by my beloved Garmin and compared it to my own objective and subjective experience. Sleep data indicated I was in deep sleep when I know for a fact that I was laying in bed reading, so my opinion is that the data for individual “phases” of sleep is completely useless. However, the accelerometers seem to be accurate in terms of movement. For example, if I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, that movement is accurately recorded.

Unplugged and In Tune: Reconnecting with Your Inner Tracker

As we’ve seen, the data from wearables isn’t always accurate, and depending too much on these devices may lead to frustration. While data from wearables may be hit or miss, nature has already equipped us with an incredibly precise tool – self-awareness. By reconnecting with our innate ability to look within and understand how external behaviors affect our state, we can make adjustments that lead to a healthier lifestyle. This inner guide can help us find balance and harmony without solely relying on technology. Instead of fixating on data, let’s explore how tapping into our natural instincts can guide us toward a healthier lifestyle.

Unplugged: Evolve from Technology to Upgrade Your Fitness, Performance, & Consciousness” is a book by Brian MacKenzie, Dr. Andy Galpin, and Phil White that focuses on balancing the use of technology with a more intuitive approach to health, fitness, and overall well-being. The authors argue that our overreliance on technology can hamper our ability to truly understand our bodies and can create a disconnect between our physical and mental states.

In the book”Unplugged,” the authors emphasize the importance of interoception rather than relying on technology. Interoception is the ability to sense and understand our internal states and needs from moment to moment., like feeling hungry, thirsty or noticing our heart rate increase. It’s like having an inner GPS that helps us navigate our physical and emotional needs by tuning in to our body’s signals.

The most important lesson of the Old Masters was this: look within. The Old Masters focused on the harmonious connection between mind, body, and spirit. They taught that understanding one’s internal states and mastering self-awareness were key to unlocking both power and longevity. Through practices such as meditation, deep breathing, and mindful movement, they have passed on to us the methods to cultivate the ability to be in tune with our body’s internal state and to adjust it at will.

Over-optimizing our health and fitness routines with unreliable data can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety. Constantly monitoring every detail can make us fixate on minor fluctuations rather than focusing on overall well-being. Relying too much on inaccurate data from wearables can cause frustration and confusion, potentially derailing our progress and causing more harm than good. It’s essential to find balance, trust our intuition, and not let imperfect technology dictate our entire fitness journey.

Beyond Smart Watches: The Best Fitness Tracker for a Holistic Approach to Health

There are two very important data points that we can use technology to track on our own, but not available (yet) as smartwatches.

The first is a CGM, or Continuous Glucose Monitor, which is technically a wearable. Monitoring blood sugar can provide valuable insights into how our food choices affect energy levels and mood throughout the day. This study found that adherence to a healthy diet that keeps our insulin levels low is associated with a lower risk of major chronic diseases.[3] CGMs can help us better understand how our food choices influence blood sugar levels, which in turn can impact our risk of developing conditions like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

By monitoring blood sugar levels with a CGM, we can identify which food choices keep our blood sugar (and thus insulin) levels and inflammatory markers low, as well as reduce diabetes risk.[4] This information allows us to make more informed decisions about our diet, ultimately contributing to the kind of robust health we’re all after.

The study by Wang et al. highlights the importance of considering dietary patterns that minimize high insulin levels and inflammation for chronic disease prevention. By using a CGM to track our blood sugar levels and adjust our food choices accordingly, we can follow a diet that aligns with these guidelines, reducing our risk for major chronic diseases.

Monitoring blood pressure is also essential. High blood pressure is frequently called “the silent killer” as it has no symptoms for decades until enough damage has been done. Monitoring our blood pressure regularly helps identify potential cardiovascular risks, like hypertension or heart disease. Tracking our blood pressure can give us useful, actionable insight into how our lifestyle choices, like diet, exercise, or breathwork, impact our overall heart health. To track our blood pressure, there are plenty of blood pressure monitors for home use available on Amazon or at your local pharmacy. Most fitness wearables integrate with a smartphone app that allows you to record your blood pressure manually to track it over time. Many new blood pressure monitors even use Bluetooth to connect to an app, ensuring accuracy and preventing you from ever forgetting to record a measurement.

Conclusion

As we have seen throughout this article, fitness trackers can provide a few valuable insights into our daily activity and heart rate. However, it’s important to remember that these devices are not infallible and often struggle with providing accurate data in certain areas, such as energy expenditure and sleep stage detection. Therefore, it’s crucial to balance our reliance on technology with a more intuitive, self-aware approach to health and fitness.

By combining the data from wearables with our own innate ability to sense and understand our internal states, we can ensure that these devices serve as helpful aids in our pursuit of optimal health and well-being without becoming overly dependent on them. Furthermore, exploring additional monitoring options, like continuous glucose monitors and blood pressure trackers, can provide a more comprehensive understanding of our health, allowing us to make more informed decisions about our lifestyle choices.

Ultimately, the key to a healthier lifestyle is finding balance and harmony between the judicious use of appropriate technology and tapping into our natural ability to sense inward. By doing so, we can not only optimize our fitness routines but also develop a deeper connection with our bodies and a more mindful approach to overall well-being.

If you found this article useful and want to support my work, please consider making a purchase using one of the affiliate links above or by visiting our Amazon storefront. Your support helps me continue to provide valuable content and insights on martial arts, health, and fitness.

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of the Old Masters for yourself? Consider joining one of our programs, where you’ll learn the timeless techniques that help balance technology and intuition in the pursuit of health and well-being. Embark on a journey to a more mindful and self-aware approach to your fitness journey today.

Read More!

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  The Surprising Ways Dogs Protect Us
• 
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• 
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  Warrior’s Diet: The Omega-3 Hack That Makes You Nearly Invincible in the Cold

References

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