The Benefits Of Shaking Up Your Schedule

Want to be happier, healthier and more productive? Shake up your schedule! Because our body is primed for different functions at various times of day. And knowing WHEN to do certain things can make a measurable difference. So try these tips from circadian rhythm expert Dr. Michael Smolensky:

First: Eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up. Dr. Smolensky says a healthy breakfast boosts energy and metabolism. Your best bet: 300 calories of complex carbs and lean protein, like eggs with vegetables.

Next: Want to cheat on your diet? Do it between 11AM and 2PM. Internist Dr. Holly Phillips wrote the book “The Exhaustion Breakthrough.” And she says if you cheat later in the day, there’s less time to burn off the excess calories before bedtime, leaving more calories to be stored as fat.

One final health and happiness booster: Take a walk between 2PM and 3PM. Research shows that’s when our body temperature naturally dips and we lose focus. But a 20-minute power walk can cut right through brain fog.