How the Changing Seasons Impact Your Health

How the Changing Seasons Impact Your Health

Sep 06, 2018

One of the running themes through what we’re doing here is that you have to be a hunter.

No, I don’t mean going out with a bow-and-arrow.

I’m talking about hunting down everything in your life that holds you back.

Search yourself. But don’t neglect to look outside yourself too.

Setbacks and roadblocks come out of nowhere. Sometimes you have control over these roadblocks.

Sometimes you don’t.

You can’t get frustrated by this. It is going to happen...no matter what. You have to get better, smarter, and stronger.

Something that blows my mind is how much influence nature wields over us. It’s one of those things that we can’t control.

In fact, did you know that your body changes and adjusts automatically with the seasons?

Summer is almost over. Daylight savings ends on November 4th.

That means the days are about to get shorter. The nights will get longer.

These changes will affect you. We have to acknowledge that there’s nothing any of us can do to stop it from happening.

But here’s some wisdom to keep it from holding you back. Listen up.

When the seasons change, you have to be on guard duty.

Why?

Because as we transition from Summer to Autumn, your body changes three critical systems that impact your health and fitness.

  1. Insulin sensitivity
  2. Sleep
  3. Testosterone


Let’s go through them.

Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin is the hormone that helps you process sugar and carbohydrates.

The more sensitive you are to insulin (high sensitivity) the more energy you can get from carbs. That means less fat storage.

But a study out of Sweden found that insulin sensitivity is 11% lower during the Winter. So you will get less energy from the carbs you eat. You will also store more fat.

Be aware of this. Start to plan. Start to think about how you will adjust your training, your diet, and your mindset.

Whether you’re trying to bulk this Winter, you’re cutting for a show, or your goal is to stay lean while gaining, the changing seasons can be a big curve ball.

That’s the first change.

Sleep

In Autumn, the days get shorter. The nights get longer.

This change impacts almost all life on earth. Trees know change the color of their leaves. Some animals only mate during Winter.

For you, the decrease in light affects your sleep.

Sleep is one of the most important parts of training. Your body produces tons of growth hormone during sleep. Protein synthesis happens during sleep. It also restores your organs and cells. It gives you the energy and...even more importantly...the mindset to train hard.

But in Autumn and through the Winter, you see less sunlight.

This has a domino effect on other areas of your life that are important. Less sunlight means less Vitamin D. Vitamin D is a huge part of serotonin production and regulation; serotonin is one of the most important hormones for sleep. Getting less Vitamin D can completely disrupt your sleep and throw your training out of balance.

Less sunlight can also make you depressed. It can increase cravings for carbs. It increases daytime drowsiness. It makes you release melatonin sooner, so you get tired earlier.

You see where this is taking you, right?

Autumn causes problems with your sleep...a warrior always tries to predict where the next attack will come from.

This is something you should pay attention to.

Testosterone

Testosterone is probably the most important hormone for guys. It controls aggression, fat burning, sex drive, and muscle growth. It’s pretty damn important.

But your testosterone levels change.

In the Winter, they’re higher. In the Summer, they’re lowest.

How can you use this to your benefit? What can you do with your training, diet, and lifestyle to make the most out of this? Maybe supplement with a testosterone booster for cutting season to see better results.

These are just the biggest 3 changes.

Your body changes in other ways during the seasons.
  • Allergies increase.
  • Your immune system increases.
  • Inflammation increases during the Winter.

Take some time to learn more about yourself...about how your body is connected to the world.

It’s a beautiful thing.

Understanding it gives you strength and power over yourself. Again, this is another tool in your arsenal that you can master to get where you want to go.

That’s all.

Live Like a Lion.

- Mike Rashid King

 

If you do your best work in the evenings, you probably find yourself looking at your computer screen or phone well into the night. Night Owl® helps in two ways. First, Night Owl® protects your eyes from blue light, which research shows can speed up macular degeneration. Second, Night Owl® is formulated to boost cognitive function with Magtein™, which increases brain magnesium levels for faster learning and processing. Night Owl® also includes clinical doses of Suntheanine™ (L-Theanine) for relaxation and calmness to tackle whatever task is in front of you. Click here to learn more about Night Owl®

More articles