Right up until he passed away, Dr John Hinwood was a prolific blogger (an award-winning blogger in fact!). John’s blog’s shared musing from a rich history of experience, learnings, travel and wisdom
The Hinwood Institute is named in honour of Dr John and to continue his legacy, we’re republishing his blogs to keep his wisdom, wit and wise words alive for the world to enjoy.
You can learn more about the legacy of Dr John Hinwood HERE.
The Stress from Artificial Over Stimulation
Today, fatigue is an extremely commonly reported symptom that people state that they are suffering from. Fatigue is a subjective feeling of tiredness which is distinct from weakness, and has a gradual onset.
The University of Western Australia says fatigue refers to mental or physical exhaustion that stops a person from being able to function normally. It is more than simply feeling tired or drowsy. Fatigue is caused by prolonged periods of physical and/or mental exertion without enough time to rest and recover.
A Victorian Government study reported that fatigue can be a major source of stress among employees, and fatigue can significantly affect an employee’s capacity to function. It can impact on an employees’ performance and productivity, and increase the potential for workplace injuries to occur.
In 2008 Queensland Workplace Health and Safety reported that being awake for 17 hours is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol level of 0.05. Being awake for 20 hours is the equivalent of having a blood alcohol level of 0.1.3.
In times of stress our body needs four to five times more nutrients than a normal day when we are relaxed and our life is going along beautifully. Good quality nutrition is often overlooked as the ‘fast food’ mass advertised offerings are snapped up by busy and time poor individuals.
The seriousness of this symptom cannot be overstated. Because when most people get tired or sleepy they reach for artificial stimulation like sugar and caffeine. Over time, this leads to major chemical imbalances in the brain and body. Along with the fact of our severally nutrient deficient food sources (i.e. fast food) eventually cause organ BURNOUT.
Eventually with artificial over-stimulation of the body, brain neurotransmitters like Serotonin (feel good molecule) and Dopamine (motivation molecule) become depleted, and the following organs begin getting burned out after years of over-stimulation: heart, pancreas, adrenal glands, and the thyroid gland.
Unfortunately, at this point in time it is deemed to be necessary to utilize a major drug path where psychotropic, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, stimulants, as well as sleeping medications need to be used to balance the energy in the body and brain.
How about learning how to avoid the negative cascade of events that result in chronic low levels of energy and daily fatigue? Explore how easy it is to build emotional resilience by natural means so you don’t allow yourself to run this pathway in your life.
Check out our upcoming free MASTERCLASSES that focus on how to Feel Good at Work, how to work Better Together, Talk Smart (communication techniques), Mission Control (leadership techniques), Essential Human Skills, and how to Tame Your Time.
If you want to improve your behavioural skills and master the human side of work, book your free strategy session here.
Listen to the Podcast here
About the Author
Dr. John Hinwood is a Global Leader in Stress Management. He is a very experienced and respected executive coach, mentor, consultant, sought after international speaker and author. He specialises in facilitation that leads clients out of the stress and into the calm. He has a reputation for innovative and transformational work in stress-life balance and mindset change for front line employees, to managers and business leaders.
Dr John Hinwood has shared the stage with Dr John Demartini, Dr Deepak Chopra, Dr Wayne Dyer, Dr Joe Dispenzia, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul fame), Dr Bruce Lipton, Dr Masaru Emoto and others who are at the cutting edge of human behaviour and mindset change.
He has written 14 books with 4 being Amazon international best sellers. He has had papers published in academic journals and was once Captain/Coach of the Danish National Rugby Team. Dr. John’s experience as a health professional by training, successful businessman by effort and an inspiration by inclination has given him an awesome array of practical tools for success.