Fight Evolution: My Battle to Combat the "Gamer Body"
Throughout my life, I've often thought about how evolution has equipped us with remarkable abilities to counter grave dangers and thrive in our environment.
Our journey began with biological advancements, granting us unique advantages that manifest in various forms.
One striking example is the gift of opposable thumbs.
These extraordinary digits enable us to wield a pencil or manipulate delicate objects with finesse, a skill far beyond the reach of many other creatures.
However, perhaps the most astonishing trait is our complex brain.
This powerhouse has catalyzed a cascade of technological evolutions, shaping our lives.
Consider how modes of transportation have witnessed a revolution.
From bikes and scooters to automobiles, we have harnessed innovation to journey farther and faster.
Communication, too, underwent a monumental shift with the birth of smartphones and cellular devices.
At the same time, technological evolution has surged forward.
Regrettably, some aspects of our biological evolution have taken a backseat.
As we embrace these advancements, we inadvertently witness the erosion of our innate physical traits.
We face the paradox of seeing some of our original evolutionary marvels diminish in significance.
I want to find a balance between all the new things and the good parts of how we used to be.
I'm on a mission to make sure I don't end up looking like the exaggerated "gamer humans" that scientists predict we will look like in 2040.
This article contains my list of ongoing advancements that I'm using to counteract the effects of this modern age of evolution.
My goal is to bring back some of the older ways of living, a time when our technological progress didn't hinder our development into more resilient and capable individuals.
Mouth Breathing
Evolutionary Battle One:
Evolutionary Changes:
Our breathing story goes way back, and it's quite a tale!
In the beginning, humans, much like other creatures, relied on nose breathing.
Breathing through the nose was the primary method for getting air into our bodies.
As time passed, humans breathed through their mouths, especially during physically demanding activities like running or hunting.
Mouth breathing allowed them to quickly take in more air, which was helpful in intense situations.
However, this change in breathing habits led to alterations in our facial structures and even the air quality we breathed when it came through our mouths instead of the traditional (and more natural) way – the nose.
The Fix 🔨:
Enter Mouth Tape
Yes, you read that right – a simple piece of tape I use to cover my mouth at night.
You might wonder why on earth I would do such a thing. Well, let me explain:
Upon discovering this, I rummaged through my medical supplies and found a piece of 3M tape.
Could this simple trick genuinely improve the quality of oxygen I take in during sleep?
I decided to give it a shot.
Placing a small piece of tape over my mouth before bed, I aimed to prevent mouth breathing.
This technique helped me develop the habit of breathing through my nose.
It's essential to note that the tape doesn't forcefully keep your mouth shut; it provides a gentle reminder to breathe through your nose.
Over time, with consistent use, your body may naturally start favouring nose breathing, even while you're asleep.
It's akin to training a muscle – the more you use it specifically, the more adept it becomes at performing that task.
How Does This Counteract Evolution's Effects?
Breathing through our noses has some surprising benefits.
It helps filter and warm the air before it enters our lungs.
This is crucial because clean and warm air is healthier for our bodies compared to inhaling air directly through our mouths.
Now, let's dive into how this nasal breathing relates to the shape of our faces – it's pretty fascinating!
Our breathing habits can influence how our facial features develop over generations.
When people started relying more on mouth breathing, it had the potential to alter the growth of their facial bones and muscles.
This shift in breathing could change the jaw's growth pattern and affect other facial areas.
On the flip side, nasal breathing supports balanced facial development.
It allows enough room for teeth to grow straight and ensures that the upper and lower jaws align correctly.
But when individuals predominantly breathe through their mouths, it might disrupt this balance.
This could lead to misaligned teeth, overcrowded mouths, and even alterations in the skull's structure over many generations.
My Results:
The impact of using face tape has been noticeable in my sleep quality.
I wake up feeling refreshed and refined.
I didn't even notice the tape on my mouth during the night.
If anything, I find myself more well-rested than before.
Opting for the face tape seems to enhance the overall quality of my sleep compared to nights when I don't use it.
Ensuring proper breathing throughout the night can bring about positive changes, boosting overall health and performance.
I can also say that my face structure has improved.
I believe the increased mouth tape and nose breathing has given me a more defined jawline than I once had.
I've made it a priority to prioritize nose breathing over mouth breathing.
This habit has become easier and more natural to maintain as time passes.
Pro Tip⚡️
Breathe Right Strips
It felt uncomfortable when I started using tape on my face at night.
This change was a transition since I was accustomed to sleeping with my mouth open.
I began using Breathe Right strips on my nose before sleep to make the adjustment smoother.
These strips significantly improved my nasal breathing capacity during the night.
It was a game-changer.
The only minor drawback is that I might resemble a mummy with all the tape on my face and nose at night😅
However, the visible results and improved sleep quality speak for themselves.
I've even incorporated Breathe Right strips into my morning gym routine.
It is an amazing feeling to be breathe so clearly
Wearing these strips during intense cardio workouts or heavy lifting sessions has helped me optimize my breathing through my nose.
It's an additional technique that contributes to my overall well-being and performance.
Crooked Feet
Evolutionary Battle 2:
Evolutionary Changes:
Let's travel back to when humans roamed without the modern luxury of shoes.
Our feet had a broader, more naturally spread-out shape.
Picture this as having a sturdy foundation, akin to how a tree relies on its roots to stand firm.
With the advent of shoes, things started to shift. Footwear offered protection from rough terrain and kept our feet warm.
However, certain shoe styles may have nudged our feet towards a narrower contour over time.
Changes in our way of life also played a part in this evolutionary tale.
As communities grew in towns and cities, paved surfaces became common, reducing the demand for the broader, terrain-gripping feet of the past.
Moreover, specific shoe fashions became trendy, like those with pointy or narrow fronts.
These styles gradually moulded our feet to match their design, similar to a cast shaped around a healing bone.
As generations passed, these alterations accumulated.
Today, many of us have feet that are slightly narrower and shaped feet to conform to our shoes.
This adaptation can sometimes lead to discomfort or issues when trying different shoe shapes.
Bunions and bone spurs have emerged, and our ability to balance may have been affected, as we have less surface area to connect our feet with the ground.
The Fix 🔨 :
Toe Spacers
Only when I turned my attention to my own feet did I realize a potential problem looming in the years ahead – bunions and other issues often associated with crooked feet.
I was determined to sidestep these concerns altogether.
This led me on a journey to explore solutions, and that's when I discovered the magic of toe spacers.
Imagine toe spacers as tiny inserts gently nestled between your toes.
They work magic by encouraging your toes to return to their natural and healthier alignment.
This simple action gradually counteracts the effects of shoes that have crowded our toes and moulded our feet into narrower shapes.
In essence, toe spacers work to reclaim the space that modern footwear has taken away.
How Does This Counteract Evolution's Effects?
Enhanced Balance and Stability:
When our toes spread, they resemble how our fingers grip objects.
This seemingly small change can wield impressive benefits.
Engaging the ground like our fingers significantly boosts our balance and stability.
The improved balance during activities like walking or running contributes to a healthier more confident stride.
Back Relief and Alignment:
Here's an unexpected connection – our feet impact other body parts, including our back.
When our feet are allowed to align naturally, the positive effects ripple upward, influencing our overall posture and spinal alignment, which means less discomfort and strain on our backs.
Elevated Strength in Workouts:
Proper foot alignment becomes an unlikely ally for those who enjoy lifting weights or engaging in squats.
With toes spread out and grounded, your feet lay the groundwork for solid lifts and confident movements.
This newfound stability lends a helping hand in conquering your fitness goals.
My Results:
Putting on the toe spacers for the first time brought a peculiar sensation.
It was like experiencing the ground in an entirely new way.
Instantly, I sensed relief in my back – a loosening of tension that accompanied the spacers.
Adapting to them was a challenge initially.
The discomfort led me to keep them on for just about an hour before needing to remove them.
As this is my most recent endeavour in the fight against evolution, I've managed to gradually increase the time I wear them.
Currently, I primarily wear them at night when my day winds down and I'm ready to unwind.
My goal is to progress to wearing them during the day, allowing me to fully reap the benefits they offer on a more permanent basis.
I have only recently started wearing them so I'm also curious about the potential separation of my toes.
A journey I'm willing to document for those feet weirdos interested 😉.
Interrupted Sleep/ Focus
Evolutionary Battle 3:
Evolutionary Changes:
Long ago, well before modern gadgets and artificial lights, people relied on the sun as their natural timekeeper for sleep and wakefulness.
As the sun ascended in the sky, it was a cue for our bodies to awaken and embrace the day's activities.
Conversely, when the sun dipped below the horizon, signalling the onset of darkness, our bodies understood it was time to wind down and prepare for restful sleep.
This connection between our internal clocks and the sun's cycle ensured that our ancestors maintained a harmonious rhythm with the Earth's daily rotation.
They synchronized their wakefulness with daylight and eased into sleep as night descended.
Yet, the landscape has transformed significantly with the advent of artificial lighting, smartphones, and electronic devices.
These modern inventions emit a specific type of light known as blue light.
Blue light closely resembles the sun's natural light spectrum, and our bodies interpret it as a command to stay alert and awake.
Engaging with devices such as phones, tablets, and computers, particularly late into the night, exposes our bodies to blue light.
In response, our internal clocks misinterpret this input and believe it's daytime, even during hours meant for sleep.
Essentially, this interaction confuses our biological timekeeping mechanism, making it think that the day is extended at bedtime.
This disruption to our natural sleep-wake cycle can bring about sleep-related challenges.
Difficulties in falling asleep, as well as nighttime awakenings, can arise.
Moreover, the overall health impact is profound, as adequate sleep is essential for our body's proper functioning.
The Fix 🔨:
Embrace Morning Sunlight
Embracing the morning sun doesn't demand a strict time commitment.
Personally, I aim for around 5 minutes before proceeding with my typical morning routine.
However, the benefits are plentiful.
Gazing at the rising sun can remarkably support our circadian rhythm – our body's internal clock that governs our alertness and sleepiness patterns.
Engaging with natural light, particularly the sun's radiant glow at dawn, sends a potent signal to our brain, indicating the commencement of a new day.
This signal performs an essential task: it reboots our internal clock, aligning it with the natural rhythm of day and night.
It also releases specific hormones, like serotonin, which play a pivotal role in sustaining our wakefulness and vitality throughout the day.
By immersing ourselves in the sun's embrace during the morning, we're providing our circadian rhythm with a firm prompt that it's daytime, encouraging heightened alertness and improving sleep quality during the night.
It's akin to synchronizing our internal clock to the correct time zone.
Disclaimer🚨 :
While morning sunlight is advantageous, direct and prolonged gazing at the sun, mainly when it's brightest, can harm our eyes.
Therefore, while we appreciate the natural beauty of the rising sun, it's wise to do so without directly fixing our gaze on its brilliance.
Let's refer to it as "sun gazing" rather than "watching."
An Added Benefit:
Embracing Sunlight Instead of Screens
Allocating the initial 30 minutes of your day to bask in the sun's glow, rather than immersing yourself in screens, offers remarkable advantages for your overall well-being. Here's why this shift can be so beneficial:
Mindful Commencement:
Opting to abstain from your phone during the first half-hour of your day lets you embark on your morning mindfully.
This tranquil interval lets you anchor yourself in the present moment and establish positive intentions for the day ahead.
In a world dominated by screens, exchanging those initial moments with the sun's gentle embrace cultivates an atmosphere of tranquillity and intentionality that can positively impact your entire day.
Stress Reduction:
The habit of checking your phone immediately upon waking may inadvertently subject you to stressful emails, messages, or distressing news.
On the contrary, embracing a phone-free morning creates an environment of serenity and tranquillity, allowing cortisol (the stress hormone) to leave the body and initiate your day with a sense of calm and positivity.
By granting yourself a screen-free window, you permit your brain to awaken gradually, contributing to a more lucid and centred mental state.
My Results:
When I spend time in the morning sunlight, I feel tired around 11:00 a.m.
This makes me go to bed within 30 to 60 minutes of feeling sleepy, which is a natural way to end my day.
Feeling tired now is good because I can fall asleep without needing any sleep pills.
I've also begun to notice that when I use my phone in the morning, I can't focus as well on tasks that need my full attention and are longer than a TikTok video.
Not looking at my phone in the morning and watching the sun instead is excellent has helped me stay focused throughout the day.
I am able to give myself a sort of mental to-do list and it allows myself to align myself with throughout the day.
Helpful Habits
It's not exactly stopping evolution, but it feels like a move toward a healthier life.
Counting Calories:
Keeping track of my calories has made a big difference in my eating and maintaining my goal weight for better gym performance.
Here are some reasons why I believe counting calories can be a significant game-changer for your health and your journey to better well-being:
- Know What You Eat: Counting calories helps you realize how much energy (calories) is in the food you eat. This stops you from eating without thinking and encourages you to pick foods wisely.
- Manage Your Weight: If you want to lose, gain, or keep your weight stable, counting calories gives you a plan to manage how much you eat. By having fewer calories than you use (for losing weight) or more (for gaining), you can work towards your weight goals.
- Right Portions: Counting calories teaches you about the right amounts to eat. It shows you how different foods add up in calories every day, so you can change what you eat to fit your needs.
- Healthy Nutrients: While calories matter, so does the good stuff in food. Counting calories makes people think about the healthy parts of what they eat. This helps make sure your diet has good nutrition.
- See Your Progress: Counting calories helps you see how you're doing with your health goals. You can see if your choices are helping you get closer to what you want.
- Stay Responsible: When you keep track of calories, you're more likely to stick to your food plans and avoid eating too much.
- Learn New Things: Counting calories means you learn about how many calories are in different foods. This knowledge helps you choose wisely and pick foods with fewer calories.
- Stay Flexible: Counting calories doesn't mean saying no to all your favorite foods. You can still enjoy them while keeping an eye on how much you eat.
- Understand Yourself: When you see how you eat and how many calories you consume, you learn about your food habits. This helps you make better choices and control your eating.
- Healthy Habits: While counting calories can be a short-term thing, it can also help you understand what your body needs over time. You might get better at picking portion sizes and healthier foods without even trying too hard.
Giant Water Bottle Upgrade:
There's no fancy biology stuff here, but I've found something unique – switching to a giant water bottle.
It's like a game-changer compared to the regular ones.
Here's why it's incredible:
- Stay Hydrated: A big water bottle means you can quickly drink enough water. This keeps you hydrated, essential for your body to work well.
- Drink Steady: You can track how much you drink with a big bottle. You can set goals to finish it by certain times to ensure you're sipping water all day.
- Helps Digestion: Water helps your tummy digest food. It can also keep things moving smoothly in your belly and prevent tummy troubles.
- More Energy: When you're hydrated, you feel less tired. Keeping your water bottle close helps you drink regularly and keeps your energy up.
- Think Better: Drinking water is like a brain boost. It helps you think and remember things better. Having water around can help you stay sharp.
- Move Better: Whether playing sports or doing everyday things, being hydrated helps you move and feel better.
- Nice Skin: Water is like magic for your skin. It keeps it looking friendly and healthy by giving it a good drink.
- Control Hunger: Sometimes you're not hungry, just thirsty. Water nearby can help determine if your tummy wants food or a drink.
- Stay Cool: Water helps you stay cool when it's hot outside or when you're being active. Having water on hand keeps you comfy.
- Be Healthy: Drinking water helps your body in many ways. It keeps your insides working well, your heart happy, and your body strong. A big water bottle enables you to take care of yourself.
Concluding Thoughts
Now comes the big question:
Who's ready to join me in this battle against our changing human ways?
If you've picked up on the fact that our bodies have evolved, but perhaps not in the best directions, you're aware of a significant issue.
Clearly, we need to find solutions to these problems, and the sooner, the better.
I'm eager to try new tactics in our ongoing fight against the "gamer body."
If you've discovered a hack to help me in my fight against the challenges of evolution, or if you've personally experienced the downsides of these evolutionary changes, please don't hesitate to let me know.
By joining forces, we can reclaim control over our evolutionary path.
Stay evolutionarily impenetrable, folks!