Wellness
CMW Wellness is powered by Caesars Entertainment
Staying one step ahead of fatigue
JOHN TOOMEY , CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT WELLNESS SPEAKER AND GLOBAL CHAIR OF THE GLOBAL WELLNESS INSTITUTE ’ S WORKPLACE WELLBEING INITIATIVE , GIVES A QUICK LESSON IN LOOKING AFTER OUR BODIES ’ HYDRATION NEEDS TO STAY ALERT FOR EVENTS
T here is a little-known fatigue prevention strategy that impacts your life on many levels that most people are not aware of .
Do you ever find yourself yawning while trying hard to pay attention in the middle of a morning session , or fighting off drowsiness in the post lunch keynote ? It is so common , yet for many it seems to be a lone and somewhat internal struggle .
Well , the good news is that it is not because you are tired . Here ’ s what is
happening : During the day , one of your blood ’ s important tasks is to remove heat from the core of your body . Your organs and muscles are metabolising glucose and fat for energy continuously , and one of the byproducts of this metabolism is heat .
Your blood traps this heat in molecules of water and carries them to the sweat glands and lungs . The water going to the sweat glands carries the heat out through the skin and evaporates into the air , unless you ’ re in a humid environment where much of it will accumulate on your skin as sweat .
The water going to your lungs leaves your body as water vapour in your expired air . This is what you may use to huff onto your spectacles before polishing them clean .
This water is leaving your bloodstream , so it must replenish , and it does so by drawing water from your large intestine , your body ’ s water tank . If there isn ’ t adequate water stored there , your blood will not
John Toomey
replenish adequately , so blood volume will drop and your blood will thicken , which reduces the efficiency of your circulation .
Soon , you are not getting enough blood flow to your brain , which means your brain isn ’ t getting enough oxygen , and it will activate a reflex to blow off carbon dioxide and draw in a fresh load of oxygen . This reflex is called a yawn .
Some people say a yawn is a silent scream for coffee , but it is really the first sign of dehydration . If you allow it to prolong , and many do by choosing things to give them a pep up like a soda , coffee , energy drink or even nicotine , your brain will eventually seek to slow your metabolism to reduce heat production and induce an inclination to lay down to allow better blood flow to the brain . This is where the sleepiness hits you .
Every human being requires about one litre of filtered water per 25kg of body weight per day ( 1 pint per 25 pounds ). Once you figure out your daily need , drink 25 % as soon as you wake , and about 15 % every 2 hours after that .
But start slowly – about half the recommended amount , and build up over four to six weeks , otherwise your body , not being used to the change , will send most of it to your bladder , and you don ’ t want that .
If you can make this a habit , your energy levels will be amazing , and many of your disease risks will markedly decline . n
ISSUE 134 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 27