The ski season is just around the corner and with it the need to be prepared to be able to enjoy our passion to the fullest.
Go for an early morning walk. Exposing yourself to the morning light will stop the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, and awake your body to get ready for the day. Sunlight can improve your mood, lower your blood pressure, and strengthen your bones, muscles, and immune system. Starting your body clock with an early morning walk will help you sleep better.
Drink coffee. Drinking coffee is part of my daily routine. Coffee contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation improve mood, and is linked to healthier hearts. Research has shown that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day, can boost your exercise performance, and endurance, and help you burn more calories during your workout.
Improve your balance. Better balance means better core strength posture, coordination, and fewer injuries from falling. Improving your balance involves your brain performing a remarkable feat of coordination between your muscles your inner ear and your eyes. Balance is what enables you to ski confidently and powerfully. Improving your balance really can't have a life-changing impact in the way you ski.
Lift Weights. Lifting weights is obviously great for your strength, but it can also boost your brain power, improve your immune system, and even reverse signs of cellular aging. Strength exercises are one of the best ways to improve your muscle tone and heart.
Have a cold shower. Cold showers can transform your body and mind. There is growing evidence that people who take daily cold showers are more resistant to certain illnesses and infections, experiencing them less frequently and more mildly. Research found that having 30-second cold showers every day for 60 days could decrease the number of sick days by 30%. After cold water showers, there have been reports of increased dopamine, serotonin, and B-endorphin levels.
Eat nuts and dark chocolate. Like coffee, both nuts and dark chocolate are high in polyphenols and have beneficial cognitive effects, boosting your fluency and attention. Nuts have been shown to improve energy levels and slow the aging process. Meanwhile, dark chocolate could improve the elasticity of blood vessels.
Eat Bacteria and fermented food. Eating bacteria could be the key to lowering inflammation, and improving heart health. Gut microbes release the precursor of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter for wellbeing, which boosts mood. It’s long been known that fermented foods like kefir, and sauerkraut – a type of fermented cabbage – are good for you.
Take a daily nap. Research suggests that a quick daytime nap can unlock a wealth of positive health benefits, from lowering blood pressure to enhancing mood and boosting your memory. Recent research reveals that it could even help stave off heart disease.
Meditate. Mindfulness meditation has become really popular in recent years and many people swear by its benefits. Just a little bit of practice a day has been shown to improve sleep, and mood, boost your immune system, and improve your response to stress and pain. Research has found that taking some time each day to focus on your breath and check in with your body can improve your health and well-being. Focusing on your breath improves your concentration a key factor to better skiing.
Sleep Well. And last but not least sleeping is pilar to enjoy a wonderful winter season. Increased quantity and quality of sleep will help you to improve your performance in many areas related to the demands of skiing. Mentally, sleep deprivation reduces your ability to think clearly and decreases reaction time. A chronic lack of sleep is linked with increased rates of injury and faster exhaustion.
Basically, the 10 things above are related to the well-known "Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat".
Comments