Feeling Beaten Up!

Yesterday I felt pretty horrific to be honest, I had a pulsating headache that didnt stop banging all day, you know the one’s that feels like somebody is banging a base drum inside of your skull?

My joints ached, and I felt extremely sore and inflamed. My posture felt as though it was out of alignment, one shoulder raised higher than the other! To make matters worse I had a bad nights sleep, I must have woken up 4-5x and this morning I could barely move my neck. All of these symptoms affected my mood and energy levels and I felt pretty miserable!

All of the above signs are a good indication that I need a break and to take time out to recharge the batteries…

Recovery Strategies…

This morning I woke up and decided to chill out, and do some things which help me recover, they are…

#1 Meditating 

I do this most days but usually take a break at the weekends, today however I decided that I wanted to do a 20 minute meditation because it helps me relax and recharge my mind. WHY MEDITATING FOR JUST 10 MINUTES PER DAY CAN DRAMATICALLY BOOST HEALTH & HAPPINESS!

#2 Visualisation 

I closed my eyes for 20 minutes, put on some slow classical music and imagined being on a quite beach, sat on a comfy sun lounger. I went through my entire body and made it relax: my eyes, ears, mouth, nose, jaw, chest, back, arms, stomach, legs, you name it!

#3 Reading

To put myself in a more postive state I read for 20 minutes, the book i’m reading at the moment is called ‘Awaken the Giant Within’ by Tony Robbins, it’s a great book with plenty of tips on developing a positive mindset.

#4 Food fast (18-24hrs)

I’ve noticed that recently i’ve started to get bloated a lot (that’s what happens when you devour 4,000-6,000 calories per day!) and this has made me feel tired and sluggish. I’m a big fan of fasting to help recharge the digestive system and boost energy. It’s a great way to detox the body and let it heal.

#5 Increase Water intake

Today I will drink 4-6 litres to help keep me hydrated and flush out toxins from my system.

#6 Stretching & Foam Rolling

Finally to iron out my posture and get rid of the knots in my back, shoulders and legs – I will do 40 minutes of stretching and foam rolling. This is an excellent way to help your muscles recover and put your body into a more relaxed state so that it can heal.

Too many people under estimate the importance of recovery and down time. Make sure you factor in time each week to help your mind and body replenish.

Nick 🙂