Exercise, Circadian Rhythms and Work Productivity
Circadian rhythms affect your performance both with your work productivity and during your exercise sessions. So how do best manage your day to get the most work completed with your natural daily rhythms?
In the past, we have published a few articles discussing circadian rhythms. Essentially these are the natural rhythms that your body undergoes over a 24 hour period (technically slightly over 24 hours). A typical rhythm shows that body temperature is highest around 6.30PM, which not co-incidentally is also an optimal time to train due to an increased physical capability.
However, circadian rhythms should not solely determine your training time. Our lives are far more complex than the natural peaks and troughs that our bodies experience throughout the day. We have many lifestyle factors to consider, including family, friends, work and personal aspects. So training at 6.30PM may not be the most suitable time to exercise. Training around our lifestyle is far more important than training around our natural circadian rhythms. If your exercise regime clashes with any important aspect in your regular routine, this will significantly hamper the chances of long-term success.
Having said that, let’s move onto the topic – exercising to enhance work productivity, considering our natural circadian rhythms. If you’re at an office job, you’ll probably notice that you experience highs and lows throughout the day. This varies greatly between individuals. Here is an example:
6AM: Wake up
9AM: Feeling pumped and ready to go!
11AM: Energy has worn off, feeling a bit slower
12.30PM: Feeling more focused. Finally…lunch break!
1.30PM: Energy levels higher
3PM: Energy levels have dipped significantly
5PM: End of work and feeling tired after a long day
There are obvious ups and downs in energy levels. Whilst these will be affected by mental stimulation, nutrition, sleep, hormones, stress etc, they will also be affected by your natural circadian rhythms. You may have noticed a distinct pattern over a number of weeks. If this is the case, it could be highly beneficial to integrate an effective exercise plan into your day to boost work productivity.
Taking the example above, you’ll note some troughs in energy levels at 11AM and 3PM. You’ll also notice some peaks at 9AM, 12.30PM. So, it may be greatly beneficial to this person to perform a workout at 11AM (as a lunch break) when his energy levels are significantly lower. This would:
- Reduce the less productive time at working time
- Increase the productivity at 3PM due to the “post-workout high” obtained from endorphin secretion
Another alternative could be to exercise before work. This person has a low energy point around late morning. An exercise session prior to him starting the day could help in combating this, again from the endorphins post-workout.
If the lunch hours were fixed at 12.30-1.30PM, it may be worthwhile performing a workout during this time, to avoid the big dip in energy at 3PM. You’ll find that if you perform a high intensity workout, you will be highly focused for many hours following the conclusion of the workout.
Unless this person above is very dedicated to his training regime, it would probably not be in his best interests to exercise at 6.30PM (as typical circadian rhythms demonstrate that this is the optimal time to exercise). He is mentally exhausted. Whilst he may be physically capable of undertaking a highly effective workout, mental fatigue can be a very persuasive force in choosing to go home rather than going into the gym. Plus, whilst and increased level of fitness and general health will impact positively on work productivity, the post-workout endorphin rush will not assist him in producing a higher quality and quantity of work during his work day.
Your daily routine comes down to your individual requirements and situation. There is no doubt that an effective exercise routine can have a very positive impact on work productivity. However the challenge is in scheduling your day for maximum output.
