3 Steps to Increase Workplace Productivity AND Health

1) Food as fuel.

There are several foods and food components that can help keep you mentally sharp throughout the workday. It is important to incorporate these foods into your meal routine. Cruciferous vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, and folic acid are all extremely crucial towards promoting brain health. Aim to include cruciferous vegetables and other nutrient dense vegetables on a daily basis. These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, kale, collard greens, and Brussels sprouts (to name a few!). When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, consumers are most familiar with fish oil supplements; but, what about all of the great food sources? Fatty fish, such as wild salmon and tuna, walnuts, chia seed, flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, and vegetable oils are ways to obtain omega-3 fatty acids through food rather than spending money on supplements. Flavonoids are plant compounds with antioxidant properties that can be found in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, citrus fruits, bananas, and dark chocolate. Finally, folic acid is familiar to women of childbearing age as this is a component of prenatal vitamins focused on the prevention of neural tube defects in infants. The importance of folic acid goes well beyond fetal neural development and remains important throughout the duration of one’s life. Folic acid can be obtained from fortified breakfast cereals, sunflower seeds, soybeans, lentils, dried beans and peas, dark green vegetables, and citrus fruits.

2) Catch your z’s.

Adequate sleep is extremely important when it comes to productivity. If you are well rested, your brain is less likely to doze off at work. There are also several studies that have linked sleep deprivation with increased fat mass and difficulty losing weight. More research is needed, but the current research is eye opening and highlights the relationship between sleep and patterns of food intake, energy expenditure, and nutrient utilization. Why is this important? This means that sleep has an effect on what you eat, how your body uses what you eat, and what you burn.

What you eat

One randomized controlled crossover study compared 4 hours of sleep to 10 hours of sleep. The group of subjects that slept 4 hours experienced an increase in ghrelin (a hunger stimulating hormone), a decrease in leptin (a hormone that makes you feel full), and an increase in reports of appetite and hunger, especially for high calorie, high carbohydrate foods. Another randomized controlled crossover study compared 5.5 hours of sleep to 8 hours of sleep with a moderate calorie restriction in all subjects. There were no differences between groups when it came to leptin, weight, and fat mass, however ghrelin was increased in the 5.5 hour group relative to the 8 hour group. A third study compared 4 hours of sleep to 7 hours of sleep and revealed that both groups had similar caloric intake, but the 4 hour group consumed more fat. While each of these studies have slight variations in results, it is important to note that inadequate sleep can be an obstacle in your weight loss journey.

How your body uses what you eat

Sleep deprivation has been shown to affect hormone regulation, and therefore body composition. A reduction in insulin sensitivity, high evening cortisol levels, and high plasma free fatty acids have all been reported in those who are sleep deprived. These hormone abnormalities have deleterious effects on nutrient metabolism, long-term health, and weight status.

What you burn

This one is simple. Less sleep leads to increased lethargy, which ultimately leads to sedentary behavior. It has been shown that those who are sleep deprived participate in more low intensity physical activity and less high intensity physical activity, therefore impairing the ability to burn calories and subsequently lose weight.

3) Get moving.

Exercise has a multitude of health benefits including promoting brain health. If you have something on your mind that is stressing you out, do you find that it takes twice as long to complete a normal task at work because you are not entirely focused? Your mind is clouded and your productivity suffers. Participating in physical activity can help you de-stress and allow you to focus on the task at hand in the office. An article published in the Harvard Health Letter revealed that exercise stimulates growth factors that play a pivotal role in the growth of new blood vessels in the brain and the health and survival of brain cells. This article also noted studies that have shown a larger prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex (parts of the brain responsible for thinking and memory) in people who exercise. A study conducted at the University of British Columbia specifically showed that aerobic activity “appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.(1)”

How much is enough? For desk based office jobs, the British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends 2 hours per day of standing and light physical activity during the workday and eventually transitioning to a total of 4 hours per day(2). Outside of the workday, you should focus on obtaining 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, or 30 minutes per day. Your heart should be pumping more than your resting heart rate, but you should be able to hold light conversation.

My challenge to you: Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each day this week.

References

(1) Godman H. Regular exercise changes the brain to improve memory, thinking skills. Harvard Health Publications. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110. Published April 9, 2014. Updated October 29, 2015. Accessed November 22, 2015.

(2) Buckley JP, et al. The sedentary office: an expert statement on the growing case for change towards better health and productivity. . http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2015/06/30/bjsports-2015-094618.full.pdf+html. Published June 1, 2015. Accessed November 22, 2015.

(3) Moore M. 4 Types of Foods to Help Boost Your Memory. Eat Right. http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/wellness/healthy-aging/memory-boosting-foods. Published November 20, 2015. Accessed November 22, 2015.

(4) Hartman TJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Nickols-Richardson SM, Rogers CJ, Sharkey NA, Shilsky JD. Partial Sleep Deprivation and Energy Balance in Adults: An Emerging Issue for Consideration by Dietetics Practitioners. . 2012; 112(11): 1785-1797.

(5) Bauer J. Even Out Your Mood With Food. Joy Bauer. http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-living/good-mood-food.aspx. Accessed November 22, 2015.

(6)

Bauer J. Foods Can Help You Boost Your Memory. Joy Bauer. http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-living/food-and-memory.aspx. Accessed November 22, 2015.