Education After 60 – When Are You The Sharpest? (An active brain can mean a healthy body!)

13.01.12 / Uncategorized / Author: lsteadman

Each individual is different and unique. So this description may not fit you or your lifestyle; but I believe many readers will be able to identify with this description of my daily routine, which emphasizes when I believe I am the most alert, clear thinking and able to perform both mentally and physically.

My Morning Routine
Upon waking in the morning I habitually go through the same routine six days a week. Sunday I skip the physical exercise, but still go through everything else. Setting the alarm two hours and forty minutes before starting my day, I spend the first 15 minutes waking up and simply enjoying not getting up right away. Then I pray for 30 minutes, after which I get up, get dressed for my exercise routine, exercise, take a shower, get dressed for my day’s activities, eat breakfast, brush my teeth and start my day, which nearly always takes the remaining two hours. Upon finishing this routine, I am at the “one point” in each day at which I am physically and mentally the sharpest.

I then go about my writing at the computer, driving a car, van or motorcycle, doing yard work, shopping, taking our dog to the vet or a myriad of other tasks. But I will get more done, and enjoy it more, between that “one point” in time and lunch time than at any other period of the day. However, if I break the routine, by skipping any one of the activities during that two hour and twenty minute period, I am not as physically and mentally sharp.

With lunch and a 15 or 20 minute rest period, I am usually able to continue my work or other activity into the afternoon; but I am not as sharp as I was in the morning. And by 4 or 5 P.M., I am ready to end the work day.

My Night Routine
Not nearly as regimented as the morning, my nighttime activities consist of supper, watching news on TV, discussing the day with my wife, sometimes watching a special TV show, then reading or writing, or both, until 9:30 or 10:00 P.M and then getting ready for bed.

Your Routine and “Normalcy”
I do not pretend to know what “normalcy” is; however, I believe it is something close to my morning and nighttime routines. I am usually ready to sleep shortly after 10 P.M. and after a short time of prayer with my wife. Then, after 7 to 8 hours of sleep, I am ready to repeat it all again.

So what is your routine? How does it compare with that above? As mentioned, we are all different, but as humans I believe there are more commonalties, physically and spiritually, than many people realize. I have also known many people who firmly believe they are a “morning person” or a “night person.” Obviously, I am a morning person. But I also believe that a morning person is what mankind was meant to be – sharpest in the morning and ready for bed at night. Furthermore, I believe that after 60 it is even more important to conform to a routine causing peak physical and mental performance early in the day, then allow for decreased performance as the day wears on and finally engage in a period of relaxed physical and mental activities in preparation for sleep. It works for me!

As always, your comments and questions are most welcome. Thank you for reading!