The increase in the cost of living and, in particular, the cost of energy and food is terrifying and sad – especially for the vulnerable. Many say that some households will have to choose between heating and eating this winter. (1)
There are many complex reasons for us getting into this pickle and just as many political spins – it’s far beyond this piece’s scope. I will, however, say what I have been publicly saying for nearly 20 years and talked about in my last piece on globalisation; that we have been externalising the true cost of cheap convenience food and comfort since the war, and at some point, this bubble just had to burst.
So here we are, and my hope is that a transition to a truly sustainable way of living will be buffered, so the least number of people will suffer. And in this transition, I would like to keep banging the drum of primal living, which just happens to be a very energy-efficient way of living too!
I’m sharing five ways that primal living will save you money and help to build a more sustainable re-localised future.
1 Sleep.
Most modern humans are sleep deprived, which has been shown in countless studies to be bad for our health and horrible for our productivity and performance.
Good sleep hygiene can:
- Improve your attention and concentration
- Help your memory
- Help you maintain a healthy weight
- Improve heart health
- Maintain a good immune system
- Keep your heart healthy
- Help maintain a stable and happy mood
- Help reduce stress
- And make you an easier person to live with!! (2)
And guess what? Getting a good night’s sleep means ditching the late evening TV and getting yourself off to bed earlier with no digital screens, then snuggling down to sleep in a dark, cool bedroom – all great ways to save on energy.
2 Get more natural light.
Most people are familiar with the benefits and importance of vitamin D (and if you aren’t, we cover that here). Still, there are many more reasons why we should reduce our exposure to artificial light and optimise our exposure to natural daylight.
Studies have shown a link between healthy circadian rhythms and coordination, cardiovascular activity, hormone function, cognition, weight control, immune function, and digestion, and the emerging world of new biophysics is taking this importance of sunlight to a whole new mind-boggling level. (3)
‘’Our bodies, in addition to utilizing ATP-based mechanisms of energy transfer, are capable of harnessing “free” energy directly from the sun through a variety of means, including water-, melanin-, and chlorophyll-mediated processes.’’
Greenmedinfo
To optimise our gene expression, we should get out in sunlight for as much of the day as possible to soak up the different light frequencies. The intensity of the spectrum of light frequencies changes throughout the day, and each wavelength ‘colour’ signals certain important functions in the body.
- Infrared – Builds EX water, improves mitochondrial health, is anti-inflammatory and makes cellular melatonin.
- Red – Improves thyroid function, and skin health, dampens nerve pain, supports injury recovery and improves mitochondrial health.
- Blue – Sets circadian rhythm, optimises sex hormone production and boosts dopamine.
- Ultraviolet A – Lowers blood pressure, makes serotonin, makes melatonin and reduces pain.
- Ultraviolet B – Makes Vitamin D, is anti-Cancer, boosts immunity, and creates free electrons.
And just as importantly, we should reduce our exposure to unnatural light frequencies. Blue light signals our brain to tell us it’s the middle of the day and time to be active and alert and is addictive as it stimulates a dopamine and stress response which can lead to burnout if we are in front of screens from early in the morning until late at night.
So, switching off the lights in the house for as much of the day as possible could not only significantly improve your health but as approximately 14% of our household energy use is spent on lighting, it could save a few pounds too!
3 Fasting and compressed eating windows.
For any of you that follow an ancestral health protocol, this next one won’t be much of a surprise, but it turns out that frequently eating throughout the day is bad for the energy levels in our bodies and our home!
The line “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” was invented in the 19th century by Seventh Day Adventists James Caleb Jackson and John Harvey Kellogg to sell their newly invented breakfast cereal. (4)
Fasting involves abstaining from food for a set period of time and is often undertaken in the morning to extend our natural fasting window overnight. This leads to many people eating their daily food within a compressed eating window of one or two meals.
Recently, fasting has become very popular with various methodologies promoting improvements in blood sugar control, weight management and much more.
As featured in the article, fasting has been scientifically proven to benefit our health in several ways. (5)
- Promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance
- Promotes better health by fighting inflammation
- May enhance heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels
- May boost brain function and prevent neurodegenerative disorders
- Aids weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism
- Increases growth hormone secretion, which is vital for growth, metabolism, weight loss and muscle strength
- Could delay aging and extend longevity
- May aid in cancer prevention and increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy
4% of our energy consumption is used for cooking, so reducing the number of meals we cook and batch cooking to save time could help save some money.
4. Cold showers.
Brr, this one might not appeal to everyone, but saving the water heating costs some days and instead opting for a cold shower could potentially improve more than just your bank account.
Cold therapy has taken off as one of the ‘hottest’ trends in recent years for a good reason. It has been associated with;
- Improved circulation
- Better sleep
- Mental clarity
- Relief from depression and anxiety
- Improved energy levels
- Reduced inflammation
- Weight loss through increased fat burning
If you want to dip your toe into cold water therapy, follow a protocol and get advice from your doctor first.
5. Do we need to look perfect?
Now I’m not known for my style and fashion sense, so I don’t blame you if you take this advice with a pinch of salt. We do, however, spend a crazy amount of time and energy on the entirely unnecessary pursuit of making our clothes and bed linen look crispy and smart. If you’re the CEO of a major company, then turning up with an ironed shirt is probably a good idea. For the rest of us, perhaps there’s opportunities at weekends or when we’re working from home where we could choose clothes that need a little less pressed perfection? I think so. I haven’t used an iron on bed sheets or towels for ten years and guess what – nobody died!
As ironing can add a whopping 120 kw a month to your electricity load then it’s worth weighing up how much fitting in with ‘first world’ expectations really matter.
Here’s a list of fabrics that still look great without being ironed.
Drying your hair is also something I like to do when I am going out or have an important meeting but on the day to day I generally put it in a pony tail or wear a cap. It turns out this lack of need to look coiffed and sleek is saving me a fair packet of money.
The estimated time you use a hair dryer when you get ready is 30 minutes. Since it takes 1200 watts for a hair dryer to run for a full hour that means it takes 600 watts, or 600 Wh, or 0.6 kWh to run for 30 minutes (6). The estimated time you use a hair dryer when you get ready is 30 minutes. (7)
References;
- Lords could amend energy bill to protect poorest households | UK cost of living crisis | The Guardian
- Eight benefits of a good night’s sleep (bupa.co.uk)
- Circadian Rhythm: What It Is, How it Works, and More (healthline.com)
- The Secret History Of Breakfast (mashed.com)
- 8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science (healthline.com)
- High Electricity Bills? These Appliances Cost the Most Money to Run – Spark Energy
- Electricity Costs for 10 Key Household Products (arcadia.com)
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