It’s not just physical activity that consumes our energy.
You don’t have to go on a 5 mile run or take a 30 minute yoga session to be fatigued. The body can be exhausted, stressed, or excited from thoughts alone. That’s because our brain literally consumes energy.
“Even though your brain constitutes only 2 percent of your body’s weight, it consumes about 20-25% of your body’s resting energy budget, regardless of whether you are sleeping, watching TV, or puzzling over this sentence. In absolute numbers, your brain costs 280 to 420 calories per day …”*
That’s powerful data to ignite a desire for us to truly allow our bodies and minds time to rest. As people, we can sometimes spend time and energy thinking about what we could have done, should have done or will do. While planning and analyzing is important, it’s also imperative for us to recognize when our thoughts may become consuming. Even learning a new skill or working on extremely difficult tasks, can consume more energy than a typical redundant activity.
Here’s a few tips that we can all continue to practice when we’re super excited or a bit down because of our thoughts.
Go for a walk and allow time to focus on your surroundings and nature around you
Remove yourself from potential triggers
Deep breaths
Take a nap
Keep in mind every situation is unique and our bodies respond to different things. The brain is mighty and has a grand job to perform. Let's give it the rest, and delicious, nutritious food it needs to keep our bodies moving.
Source: *(1) Lieberman, D.E.(2013). The Story of The Human Body. Vintage Books, a division of Random House LLC. (2) Scientific American: Does the Brain Use More Energy During Particular Activities?