Hacks | Rewire Fitness

Best Practices to Win the Morning: 3 Steps to Master Your Morning Routine

May 27, 2022/in Guides, Hacks /by Patricia

Waking up in the morning can be tough. I get it, the bed is warm and cosy, obligations don’t exist, and everything is calm. But imagine being able to master your morning and looking forward to, rather than dreading, the sound of your alarm.

1. The Night Before

Preparing yourself the evening before sets you up to win the morning.

Some tips:

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
Set an alarm (and stop hitting snooze!).
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
Write down your to-do list and prioritise.

Check out our article on how to optimise your sleep for recovery here!

2. Set the Right Intentions

The right mindset changes everything. But that’s way easier said than done, I know. I try to remind myself of my non-negotiables, those things that are so important to me that I will do them regardless of how much time I have or how tired I am, because I know that they will help me master my morning.

I always ask myself: what makes me feel confident and ready to tackle the day?

I have a few non-negotiables for my morning routine:

Reenergise – whether it be a gentle yoga flow or a hardcore kickboxing workout, I love getting some movement in straight away.
Refresh – two minutes or an hour, I like to sit still and try to relax into my body and my mind. It’s not really meditation (my overactive mind does not like the thought of that, but more of a grounding moment for myself). Learn more about the benefits of mindfulness without meditation here.
Refocus – for me this means a cup of tea and a cold shower. I know, I know, but the benefits are promising. Did you know that an ice-cold shower can help improve circulation and strengthen the immune system?

3. Find What Works for You

So many people say “wake up early, be productive – you’ll automatically be better off for it”! I disagree. I’m an early riser and I love having a long morning routine to center myself and dive into some deep work. However, just because it works for me, doesn’t mean it works for everyone. It certainly doesn’t work for my sister. She prefers an extra hour or two of sleep in the morning and starts her day with a cup of coffee and cuddles with the dogs. I say – do what works for you! It might take a little trial and error, but there is no magic morning routine – find what suits you and fits your lifestyle. Win your morning, your way.

Oh, and while you’re at it, don’t forget to do something that brings you joy today. Whether that be your favourite cycling route or finally starting that book you’ve wanted to read for ages, go for it!

Bonus: some food for thought to help win your morning.

Today, I am most excited about __________.

I am thankful for __________.

My affirmation today is __________.

Read more about the impact of positive self-talk on your mood and performance here.

Bonus #2: add the Rewire App.

Adding the Rewire App and the readiness assessment to your morning routine can help you have the best day, every day.

Feeling drained? Primed? Baseline? – Rewire has customised training and recovery plans for every mood to help you make the most out of your day. Win your morning with Rewire – download the Rewire App today.

Bonus #3: Level up your Brain Health

Check out this Rewire article to learn 5 simple habits that could improve your Brain Health.

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The Best Habits for Your Brain

May 22, 2022/in Hacks, Science /by Patricia

Did you know that mental decline is common as we age? Many people fear the consequences of aging, such as declining cognitive and mental function or loss of independence. However, there some habits we can implement that have been shown to improve brain health.

Here are the top 5 habits for Brain Health:

1. An active lifestyle and the right diet

Physical activity has been shown to slow the process of brain aging and degenerative pathologies, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and diabetes. Studies have also proven that an active lifestyle can improve memory and cognitive processes.

Both endurance and resistance exercise allow for muscle synthesis, but there is no consensus on the impact of different types of exercise on brain health. However, research has shown that habitual exercise has a positive impact on both physical and mental health, including brain health.

Additionally, a nutritious diet can help prevent cognitive impairment and improve brain health. Studies have proven that nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins (particularly vitamins B, D and E) can positively impact cognitive processes.

2. Balance

Practicing mindfulness and finding the right balance is an important habit that can help us reduce stress and engage positively with the world around us. A poor work-life balance has been shown to have long-term negative impacts on our brain health.

3. Healthy sleep habits

Research has shown that “sleep plays a vital role in brain function” and adults need about 7 hours of sleep every night to be able to perform their best. Check out our article on how to optimise your sleep here!

Other benefits of sleep include:

Supports mental health
Improves memory
Reduces inflammation
Supports the immune system

The Rewire App has a personalized Sleep Priming Session because we know just how important quality sleep is.

4. Social interaction

A study in 2020 showed that “social engagement may protect against cognitive decline” and accumulating research has proven that socializing is good for our brain health. Interacting with others trains our brains and social contact can help us improve memory formation and build mental resilience.

5. Stimulate the brain

In the same way that we exercise our bodies, our brains need exercise too. Studies have shown that stimulating the brain can enhance cognitive function and build mental resilience. Interested in learning more? Read about the worst habits for your brain here.

Rewire’s Neuro-Training protocols are backed by over 10 years of scientific research and have been shown to develop mental resilience. Rewire takes a holistic approach to achieving peak performance by providing tools for training and recovery of both the mind and body.

Give Rewire a try and experience how good habits can help the health of your brain! Train both your physical and mental fitness with Rewire today.

Sources

Harvard Health. (2006). 12 ways to keep your brain young. [online] Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/12-ways-to-keep-your-brain-young?msclkid=ee9f1fc9bd5611ec9d3b5fcafd3ab3de [Accessed 16 Apr. 2022].

Di Liegro, C.M., Schiera, G., Proia, P. and Di Liegro, I. (2019). Physical Activity and Brain Health. Genes, [online] 10(9), p.720. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770965/.‌‌

Gómez-Pinilla, F. (2008). Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, [online] 9(7), pp.568–578. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/.‌

www.medicalnewstoday.com. (2016). Poor work-life balance leads to poor health later in life. [online] Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313755?msclkid=e3e89170bd7411ec866fa008cd28ab97#Findings-likely-to-apply-to-wider-populations [Accessed 16 Apr. 2022].‌

Medic, G., Wille, M. and Hemels, M. (2017). Short- and long-term Health Consequences of Sleep Disruption. Nature and Science of Sleep, [online] Volume 9(9), pp.151–161. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5449130/.‌

Cynthia Felix, MD, MPH, Caterina Rosano, MD, MPH, Xiaonan Zhu, PhD, Jason D Flatt, PhD, MPH, Andrea L Rosso, PhD, MPH, Greater Social Engagement and Greater Gray Matter Microstructural Integrity in Brain Regions Relevant to Dementia, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Volume 76, Issue 6, July 2021, Pages 1027–1035, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa173

Al-Thaqib, A., Al-Sultan, F., Al-Zahrani, A., Al-Kahtani, F., Al-Regaiey, K., Iqbal, M. and Bashir, S. (2018). Brain Training Games Enhance Cognitive Function in Healthy Subjects. Medical science monitor basic research, [online] 24, pp.63–69. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29674605.‌

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How to use Visualization to achieve your goals

How to Use Visualization to Support Sport Performance

March 30, 2022/in Guides, Hacks, Training Tips /by Danielle

Many elite athletes such as Michael Phelps have used visualization techniques in preparation for competition. According to neuropsychological evidence, practicing visualization can help you achieve your sport performance goals. Visualization stimulates brain regions involved in movement rehearsal, priming the brain and body for action and, like physical practice, functions as training to improve real-life performance.

Our top strategies for using visualization to reach your sport performance goals:

Get Clear and Specific on Your Goal: Be clear about what you are trying to achieve. Visualization works best when you are specific and detailed as it needs to be as close to reality as possible.
Visualize the Full Sensory Experience of Reaching Your Sport Performance Goal: Make sure that you visualize the full sensory experience. The more sensations you bring in, the better the mental rehearsal.
Visualize it in Real-Time: For example, if you are visualizing a 100m sprint, the visualization should reflect the duration of time it will take for you to complete it. It is important for your visualization to be as close to the realistic event as possible.
Practice Frequently: Practice your visualization daily. Mentally rehearsing allows your skills to improve with repetition.

Struggling to implement visualization into your day? The Rewire App will support you in your journey to achieving your sport performance goals!

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6 Tips for Achieving your Fitness Goals

March 30, 2022/in App Content, Guides, Hacks, Training Tips /by Danielle

Exercise and fitness goals are among the top New Year’s resolutions set by people each year, but many people fail to achieve or follow through on their resolutions.
People can fail to accomplish a goal for various reasons, including lacking the willpower to continue long-term, failing to make deliberate decisions, or forgetting about them altogether.

Continue reading for our top 6 tips to achieving your fitness goals so that you do not fall into these pitfalls!

1. Think about Your Why.

Think about why you have set your goal and why it is important to you. Reflecting on your purpose for setting the goal will drive you to achieve it when motivation becomes low.

2. Make Sure that Your Goals are Measurable.

Once a goal is set, make sure that it can also be measured so that you can carefully and continuously monitor your progress. Check whether the effort you are putting in is in line with what you were hoping to achieve. A re-calibration, a plan change, or an adjustment might be needed sometimes.

3. Narrow Down and Be Specific.

The number one mistake athletes make is that they set too many fitness goals. Narrow it down to the 1-2 goals that are the most important to you right now and make progress on them until you switch to something else.

4. Build Your Self-Control.

Whenever we set a goal, we have to exert effort that is outside of our regular routine which requires self control. You can start exercising your self-control by using neuro-training exercises on Rewire to build mental toughness.

5. Set Realistic Goals that are Optimally Challenging.

Make sure that the goals you set are difficult, but possible. You should have a fair chance at accomplishing them, but they cannot be too easy. Once you reach them, you will feel good and be ready to set new ones.

6. Boost Your Self-Efficacy.

According to Bandura’s (1997) Social-Cognitive Theory, self-efficacy refers to your beliefs about your ability to successfully perform certain actions. Studies in psychology have shown that boosting a person’s self-efficacy helps them perform better, focus attention more effectively, exert more effort, and remain optimistic in the face of challenges.

Visualization can be a great tool to help you prepare and succeed in achieving your fitness goals! Read more about how to use visualization to support sport performance here.

Are you ready to achieve your fitness goals and unlock your ultimate performance? Start Rewire free today!

Sources:

Bandura, A. (2012). Social cognitive theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 349–373). Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n18