ULTRADIAN RHYTHM

There is a lot of evidence supporting the theory that it is more effective to have periods of DEEP FOCUS, followed by shorter periods of
TOTAL REST / DISENAGEMENT.Humans have a sleep cycle ranging between 90 and 120 minutes at a time.These cycles correspond to the different stages of sleep
(alertness, light sleep, REM, deep sleep etc.)It was found that these cycles are also present during our waking state.The “ebb and flow” of energy cycles that humans have during the day.Ultradian Rhythms are these biological “clocks” that have several peaks over a 24-hour period.When we’re awake, these are peaks of time in which you are the most productive.When we’re sleeping, it’s referencing when we’re the most at rest.

Physiological indicators such as heart rate, hormonal levels, muscle tension and brain-wave activity all increase during the first part of the cycle - and so does alertness.After an hour or so, these start to decline, and normally somewhere between 90 and 120 minutes, the body (and mind) begins to crave a period of rest and recovery.You are at your most productive during this 90-120 minute period.
But then the stress of work starts to have an impact on your productivity.
If nothing is done at that point, focus and energy levels degrade rapidly.Working for long, uninterrupted periods of time is just not good!Not only because it can vastly increase your stress levels (not to mention physical discomfort if your body is poorly positioned) but also, when your mind isn’t properly focused, you’re more likely to make mistakes.So, it’s a massively inefficient way to work!By maintaining a planned, and specific balance between work and rest, ‘On and Off’ you can maintain energy levels better during your peak times.Most research relating to ultradian rhythms recommends to have at least 20 minutes rest for the Off period, to essentially recharge your batteries effectively.

So, the Ultradium Rhythm method works like this:1. Use a timer (all laptop Operating Systems have them so they’ll conveniently and discreetly interrupt to notify you on the screen)2. Put in a solid 60-90 minutes of work / focus and then take a 20-minute break.And by ‘break’, we mean you completely switch off and disengage from stress / work / focus / distractions and let your mind REST.Here are some suggestions on how best to spend this decompression time:• Put your phone on silent, airplane mode is also a good idea!• Enjoy a 20 minute nap in the rooftop garden area on one of our swing chairs or our hammock.• At the other end of the scale - maybe you want to reset, refocus and re-energize?Then how about a blast of Cold Plunge Therapy? (It’s a CHILL Out Zone after all)Try out one of our luxurious BATHS (not barrels - if you know, you know)If you haven’t tried it, there simply is nothing better to kickstart your energy levels and sharpen your focus – along with the countless other benefits for the mind and body.• Meditate, stretch or complete a Yoga Flow routine.• Grab something delicious and refuel in our beautiful Café.• Take a peaceful walk around An Thuong / to the beach.You decide what works for you. 🙂Just make sure you are consciously giving your mind a rest and avoid unnecessary stress.Your goal is to let your brain turn off!

The key to utilizing Ultradian Rhythm focus timings, is to ensure that you’re highly focused when you’re working
and really resting when you’re on a break.If you don’t draw these hard and fast lines, you’ll end up wasting prime focus time and not letting your brain (and body) recover sufficiently during the downtime.If a 90-minute intense focus session doesn’t sound like something that would work for you then don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!Start by breaking up those 90-minute periods even more, using 30-minute “Pomodoro” sessions (25 minutes of focus, 5 minutes of rest).And then for every four Pomodoros, take a longer break (15-20 minutes).We hope you can discover a style that works for you, allows you to work better, and ultimately treat yourself the way you deserve!Together, we are HIVE.