30 Oct 2014 Willpower – The Force That Shapes Us
In this news post, I’ll elaborate on the four lifestyles recommended by a scientist for boosting your willpower and possibly changing how your life unfolds.
The Science:
Neuroscientists have reported that there are four major lifestyle factors affecting the efficacy of our willpower. Below are recommended interventions that will help you maintain healthy willpower in each of the four factors.
Sleep. Scientists have found that our brain requires 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep per night to restore the brain to its optimal operating efficiency. Scientists were also able to demonstrate a direct relationship between the lack of sufficient restful sleep and a diminished capability of our willpower.
Stress management. Chronic stress increases the presence of the hormone Cortisol in our brain to levels at which the efficient operation of our neural networks is compromised. It is critically important that we find ways to reduce our stress level. Learning to incorporate pre-scheduled “decompression activities” will help to reduce your stress level, thereby supporting stronger willpower.
Healthy nutrition. Recent advances in neuroscience have shown that nutrition plays a key role in the health of our brain, not just our body. To operate efficiently our brain requires a variety of micronutrients, glucose, and Omega 3 fatty acids.
The scientist has also found that our brain works much more efficiently when it gets a steady supply of glucose, rather than the sudden spikes which we get from eating carbohydrate-based foods.
Irrespective of the specific diet you adopt, nutritionists agree that to achieve healthy nutrition you should:
- Reduce all sources of sugar in your diet;
- Reduce the intake of refined carbohydrates and other high process foods (thereby reducing the glycemic index of your food);
- Increase your consumption of fiber;
- Increase your consumption of vegetables and fruits;
- Increase foods reach in Omega 3 fatty acids from fish such as salmon, nuts, and plants; and
- Integrated legumes into your diet.
Exercise. In his book – “Spike”, Dr. John Ratey writes about the extensive positive impact of exercise on our brain. Of particular interest is that exercise increases the production of a brain protein called brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). Ratey argues that BDNF acts like “miracle-gro” for the brain. It strengthens the synaptic networking of the neurons in our brain and even promotes the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus, the center of learning and long term memory.
Exercise has also been shown to positively affect our willpower and to bring about a better balance between the emotional and the rational forces in our brain.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US recommends a minimum or 2 ½ hours per week of moderate-to-intense aerobic exercise and muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. For even greater benefits, the CDC recommends 5 hours a week of moderate-to-intense aerobic exercise plus muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week.
Our Recommendation:
Increasing our conscious awareness of our willpower and how it fluctuates throughout the day, will help us develop and optimize its positive effect on our lives. By following the neuroscience-based interventions outlined in this two-part post you will be able to develop your willpower and maintain its on-going fitness.
But as I said in the first news post on Willpower, there no short-cuts or quick fixes. If you want to make meaningful changes to your life, you have to commit to making meaningful changes in your behaviors and lifestyle.
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To learn more about how to boost your willpower we invite you to explore our Willpower Program.
