Peak Health Wellness Insights Issue 34
Op Ed: The New Normal
Written by Rose Davis
A series to discuss new lifestyle changes brought about by the effects of a global pandemic
I am overwhelmed by how quickly a community can be derailed. We are stubborn creatures of habit, routine, and predictability. This is not to say we do not adapt and change as a society, we do. However, when these changes threaten our habits, routines and life's predictability, instability ensues quite quickly. Coronavirus is just one example of this.
What might the impact of this ultimately be? What is going to change and will it cause forever change? This situation currently calls to question how we eat, sleep, socialise, work, interact with others, exercise, and more....
Focus: In with Amazon, out with retail stores?
As lockdown and social distancing measures still pervade the world, one of the hardest hit sectors is retail. With a global pandemic underway, going shopping for anything but pasta and toilet paper rolls dropped very quickly on the priority list. And even if we wanted that new shirt, retail stores have long been closed. However, when we do get the urge for a new book, a puzzle or a cozy jumper, then online retail has transitioned from being a convenience to a necessity. With online marketplaces that sells anything from clothing to food to toys to electronics, what more could you ask for? As we become more and more comfortable with our online options, will there be any desire to return to a retail store when the lockdown measures ease? Will this be the death of retail stores, the 'high street', and shopping for items in a store?
Ultimately this question boils down to one that has greater implications: can we ‘feel’ the same things online as we do in the real world?
Mental Resilience
Creativity triggers rewards signals in the brain
Scientists sought to understand how creativity became a favourable trait evolutionarily (even though it doesn’t aid in survival). They have discovered that creativity activates the brain’s reward system similarly to the way high fat food and addictive substances do. Their research found that specifically an “aha moment” (an example of a creative insight), when trying to figure out a complex problem, results in burst of neural activation in the brain associated with pleasure and our reward systems. In summary, exercising creativity is addictive to the brain and reinforces further creativity.
Sleep
Needing more or less sleep might be down to genetics
A new study on flies has identified specific genes that influence a fly's desire and need to sleep for a long or short duration. Their findings show that long-duration flies slept on average 9.97 hours more per night. However, interestingly, these findings also showed that short and long sleeper flies did not have significantly different lifespans, suggesting that their sleep duration did not have a major physiological consequence.
Nutrition
The foods you eat together might be putting you at greater risk of dementia
An interesting new study finds that there is significant difference between the food groups or networks that those who do and do not have dementia eat. In those with dementia, processed meats (sausages, cured meats) were commonly eaten in combination with starchy foods (potatoes, alcohol, cookies and cakes). However, those that did not have dementia were more likely to combine processed meat with a larger variety of foods and more commonly fruit, vegetables and seafood. Additionally, findings demonstrated that people without dementia ate a greater variety of foods and included more healthy foods. While the scope of this study was fairly narrow, it still suggests the importance of investigating food networks to understand the impact of this on overall health and disease.
Fitness
Exercise is crucial for immunity
This study takes a deep dive into the current research surrounding exercise and immunity. The findings suggest that exercise positively impacts the immune system in both the short and long term, by simultaneously supporting the immune system’s ability to find and eliminate harmful pathogens and also slowing down reductions in immunity commonly seen with normal ageing. They also contested the commonly held belief that long duration high intensity exercise may suppress immunity. They argue there is limited evidence to suggest that is the case and weakened immunity is much more strongly associated with things such as an unhealthy diet, stress, insufficient sleep and travel.
Productivity Tip
Review your week every Friday
Most people hardly take time to process what they’ve worked on and achieved over a week. By reviewing your schedule/diary at the end of each week, you can optimise how you spend your time.
Habit Hack of the week
Out of sight, out of mind
Because we are all working in close proximity to our kitchens, you might find yourself snacking much more than usual. If you are struggling with this, try not to buy unhealthy snacks and instead place a bowl of fruits and cut up vegetables as the first food in sight when you enter the kitchen.