What the heck is an URB and why do I need one?

In my last post about the Rhythms of Rest, I shared briefly about ultradian rhythms.

To refresh, our bodies experience circadian rhythms in response to dark and light over 24 hours cycles. We are hard-wired to sleep when it's dark and be awake when it's light.

Ultradian rhythms are like mini circadian rhythms that occur many times throughout the day and night. There is a solid body of research (much of it done through the military) that confirms that our bodies need a 20 minute break every 90 minutes throughout the day. Over the course of a day we go through 90 minute cycles which follow this pattern:

Arousal --> Top performance --> Stress

After this 90 minute cycle, our bodies need 20 minutes of recovery time or an URB (Ultradian Rhythm Break). Here's why: our bodies produce "pollution" or chemical by-products during the 90 minute cycle of arousal and productivity. These by-products need to be flushed out of our system so we can get back to a place of peak productivity again. When this chemical "pollution" builds up, our bodies perceive it as stress or fatigue. We need to pay attention to this because our body is telling us it needs a break.

Some signs that you need an URB include:

• Fatigue

• Tired Eyes

• Brain Fog

• Hunger/Thirst

• Fidgeting

• Annoyance

Here are all the cool things that happen in your body when you take that URB:

• Body-mind regulation (This can account for people getting their best ideas on a walk or in the shower!)

• Our cells do micro-repairs. (How cool is that?)

• We experience energy regeneration as our hormones and blood sugars rebalance.

• Our immune system modulates itself.

• We experience mood adjustment. (Bye-bye irritability!)

Now for the bad news. Here is what happens in your body when you skip taking an URB:

• We experience dysregulation or diminishing returns for our efforts. This is why we often feel so fatigued at the end of the day.

• Our productivity drops and our creativity diminishes.

• Inflammation in the body rises.

• Our immunity suffers.

• We have increased reactivity to things.

• Our error rates increase.

We live in a grind and hustle culture here in America, a culture that has trained us not to take breaks. However, there is solid evidence that we need to start pushing back and taking those breaks!

Here are some practices that qualify for an URB (ultradian rhythm break):

• Take rest. This can look like putting on headphones and zoning out to some relaxing music, putting on an eye mask or getting prone and taking a power nap.

• Deep breathing or meditation

• Take a step (literal AND figurative) away from intensive demands

• Eat REAL food - the cravings will be reduced

• Change your setting. Take a walk around the office and better yet, step outside for some fresh air.

• Get outdoors.

• Engage in some activity - any movement that doesn't require brain work can count. Gentle stretches, a walk around the block, or a mini dance party.

• Seek pleasurable interaction - call it your "social snack" - have a short, fun, not-work-related convo with a co-worker or call your mom or bestie for a short catch up

• Seek quietude or solitude however you can in your setting.

• Do some self-care. Rub some of your favorite lotion on your hands, do a quick face or hand massage, tend to your office plants or roll-on some of your favorite essential oils.

Taking URBS throughout your day may seem too simple to work, but there is plenty of research to support this practice. Consider URBS your best low tech bio-hack for giving your body and mind the rest they need each day.

Do you have regular breaks in your work day? How do you spend them? Could you consider adding some of these ideas to your day? Which ones seem doable?