The Power of the Downstate: Recharge Your Life Using Your Body's Own Restorative Systems (Paperback)

This is the secret to a wiser, happier and longer life; the key to a more energetic and productive you. Welcome to the power of the Downstate. Do you find the relentless daily grind of go-go-go, do-do-do exhausting? Always feel like you're playing catch-up in every aspect of life? World-renowned researcher Sara C. Mednick PhD has the solution. She developed the concept of the Downstate while studying how our internal systems - sleep, cardiovascular, circadian, muscular and metabolic - work together. The results were astounding: our systems need restorative states, and these states don't just happen during sleep. In fact, you can harness Downstate moments in everything you do, from deepening your breath, to timing your exercise and meals, to holding hands, or walking your dog. The Downstate refers to the wide range of recovery systems you can learn to tap into every single day. It can help to replenish your most vital functions at a cellular level, including giving your heart, brain and metabolism a rest. In essence, it's your opportunity to plug yourself into a metaphorical outlet and power back up. In this ground-breaking and fun read, you'll discover simple ways to: * access the Downstate via four key approaches: parasympathetic nourishment, sleep, exercise and nutrition * engage in simple, quick activities that make you feel rested and full of energy * restore your inner balance with the four-week Downstate Recovery Plan, expertly crafted with science-backed tools and techniques Find out how to be more alert, productive and cognitively sharp during the day, enjoy consolidated, restorative sleep at night and achieve a long life filled with mental and physical vitality.