After I got a Mokka pot for Christmas, I have reduced my daily coffee intake down to a cup in the morning, and that is all. Prior to this, I would easily have between four and ten, depending on whether at home or in the office. Not being in an office now has definitely had an effect on volume. However, what hasn't seemed to have much effect as of yet, is the reduction. I don't think it has affected my sleep better or worse, but it could be that I am a bit more consistently alert than I was - but that isn't saying much. Still, I figure that it is better to have the reduction anyway.
Over the last decade or two, these "pod" coffee machines have become very popular and a few of my friends have been on the bandwagon since they began, swearing how good they are. Yet, every time I have tried them, I am unimpressed. There is something fake about them, something plasticky, and I don't like the idea of the pod at all. It all seems unnecessary and wasteful in some way - like the solution to a problem that didn't actually exist.
Is it just me?
There are probably many such "solutions" out there that are not really doing much for society, despite the resources that go into them, and perhaps that is just the business model in general these days. There is a constant stream of "new" gadgets on the market, but there is very little that seems to fundamentally make our lives better. If there is something that might help us, it could be some of the wearable health monitors, as they can make us more conscious of what we are doing, and the effects that it has on us.
Because of this, I am considering looking into getting an Oura ring, which is a pretty passive device that is designed to give a broad view of general condition, rather than just for workouts. It is also meant to be great for monitoring quality of sleep, which is something that I think might be of interest to me. And I would like to get an accurate heart rate reading over long periods of time, because my resting heart rate is too high, and I feel I need to see some kind of feedback if I am making any progress. I don't "feel" like I used to, so seeing helps me greatly.
I am trying to talk myself into it.
I think this kind of tracking data would help my wife also, but I am unsure if she would be interested in wearing the ring itself. Still, if I do end up getting one and it helps me improve some quality of my health, then it is probably worth it. A few of my friends have had them for a few years now, and they have said it has improved at least their awareness, and they can see exactly what kinds of effects different things have had on their sleep and heart rate, like a night out drinking - or even a couple of drinks or junk food.
Not that I have much of that these days.
At least over the last few weeks, I have been much better with both my diet and exercise, going to the gym about five times a week, and avoiding nearly all of the junk food I would normally consume. There have been a few exceptions, like when we had guests over last weekend for a games night, but not too many. Unlike the coffee reduction, the change in diet has made my body feel a bit better, and I can see some results in it, both physically and with my energy levels. There are a lot less peaks and troughs in energy, though I can't say that I am "energetic" ever - but that is due to other factors.
While this isn't a "new year" shift, it does coincide with the start of the year, and I am guessing that many people have at least tried to change for 2025, with many likely giving up already. However, maybe the reason most of us fail at these attempts and end too quickly is because it takes time to get the physical feedback and before we see a change, we get disillusioned. Maybe seeing some of the changes prior to it being visible would help.
Of course, many people don't need this kind of feedback, so a monitor is unnecessary. Yet, I also think that many people would benefit (myself for sure) with having a coach of some kind to give some level of guidance, and this data can be used to point me in the right direction. I need this at the moment, because "the right direction" has been very unclear for the first time in a very long while.
If I do get it, I don't expect it to suddenly change my life, but I do believe that we are heavily influenced by what we surround ourselves with. If we surround ourselves with catalogues for clothes, we will buy more clothes. If we surround ourselves with fitness magazines, we are more likely to work out. And if we surround ourselves with data analysis, perhaps we are more likely to use it to make some positive changes in life.
I did take the first step yesterday.
I bought the ring sizing kit.
And I am wearing one now to see how it feels.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]