Don’t Worry, Be Lazy

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As humans, we are inherently lazy. Our ancestors were more likely to survive through stillness, by conserving energy and staying safe. Our current society demands constant productivity, but this lifestyle takes a toll on our health. We are forcing constant activation of our sympathetic nervous systems, which increases levels of stress and inflammation and increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Work takes priority over everything else, even our basic needs. Because this lifestyle is so unnatural, it’s common to utilize substances to stimulate energy and focus at work and then to sedate ourselves into relaxation and sleep, which only exacerbates the health risks. Patients are often overwhelmed by the idea of making lifestyle changes, but what if these changes actually made our lives easier? We can reduce our stress by simplifying our lives and doing less: less work as well as less consumption of harmful substances, material goods, and social and news media.

There are only so many hours in a day, so if we want to add healthy habits, we have to start by eliminating the unhealthy ones, which includes overworking. This means that we need to set boundaries around work to prioritize time for sleep, relaxation and social time, which will improve our physical and mental health and prevent burnout. This is especially true for doctors, who are prone to workaholism (and make terrible patients). We also need to simplify our lives and get comfortable with saying “no”. We can downsize our homes and our personal possessions to reduce the amount of necessary housework, yardwork, and maintenance. Intermittent fasting can produce health benefits with the additional advantage of reducing the amount of meal planning, shopping, meal prepping, cooking, and cleaning.

One of the most important things we can do to improve our health is to get an adequate amount of quality sleep. Create a space that’s dark, quiet, cool, comfortable and free from electronics and stick to a strict bedtime schedule. During our waking hours, a brief daily meditation session is a great way to train our brains to turn on our parasympathetic nervous systems as much as possible to maintain serenity and reduce stress. Why not tap into your fundamental laziness to improve your health and wellbeing? Focus on rest, relaxation and spending more quality time with friends and family and let go of all the stress.

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About Emily O'Rourke, MD

Dr. Emily O'Rourke started Fountain Direct Primary Care, the very first DPC practice in Hampton Roads, Virginia, in October 2018. She enjoys working with her patients on individualized treatment plans, including lifestyle modification, in order to transform their physical and mental health and help them achieve their goals and live more fulfilling lives. She also serves as an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner and performs Veteran Disability Examinations. Dr. O'Rourke was born and raised in the state of Nebraska, and she graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. She completed her medical education at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2010. She served as Chief Resident during her final year of the Eastern Virginia Medical School Portsmouth Family Medicine residency program. Dr. O'Rourke is Board Certified in Family Medicine through both the American Board of Family Medicine and the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. O'Rourke lives in Chesapeake, Virginia with her husband, Jimmy, and their two sons, Logan and Jackson. She practices yoga regularly and enjoys creative pursuits, including crocheting and playing the cello.