To be healthy (which can have many implications,including and not limited to better memory, thinking skills, lifespan etc.), You need to master a few basic principles in life.
Those basic principles seem to be
Body - adequate rest (sleep), regular exercise (activity) etc. & Mind - less stress/destress, positive mind, happiness etc.
Huh. Rocket science?
I realized instead of working on my productivity directly, I need to work on stabilizing my energy level, because everything else ultimately depends on that.
Regular sleep, meals and exercise, practiced consistently, get your body into a pattern, where at each time of day it knows whether it should be releasing energy or resting, so it gets easier over time as the metabolism begins to work with your plans rather than against them.
To expand - I generally fast from 7pm in the evening until 2pm the next day. This helps me with appetite/weight control, discipline, and I overall feel better this way. That said, I'm also a lot more productive later in the day. I chalk it up to not being a morning person, but maybe IF is working against me here. However, I notice when I eat in the morning, I feel off the rest of the day. Figuring out the right balance here is harrd, man.
I'd like to expand on the Holy Trinity by saying not only does chaotic sleep/meals/exercise lead to crap energy levels, but also chronic anxiety, because the body never knows what to expect, so it has to be ready for anything.
That's an interesting perspective on anxiety. I experience some social anxiety, you've given me something to think about.
You are absolutely what you eat. And for people wondering, I follow simple principles with food
1. avoid processed sugar like you avoid cigarettes (avoid both if you don't)
2. mix your diet with fruits and vegetables (make sure there is some rather than sparse or none)
3. be high on protein and good fats, low on carbs (protein + fat ~ 80% calories, carbs 20%)
4. eat right amount of calories (resting metabolism + daily activity level)
My general suggestion is that you should naturally wake up before the alarm rings. I set it to 9 hours and naturally wake up between 8 and 8:30 hours.
(I do feel great some days when I sleep for longer..)
From what I've experienced, I think the time of day you go to bed matters as well, meaning even with a full fresh perfect feeling 8 hours, your body doesn't enter REM the same or produce the same amount of growth hormone or clean out the brain properly if you go to sleep everyday at say 6am vs sometime shortly after sun down. I guess it has to do with the light levels you experience.
I've found them to be good indicators to whether i need to catch up on my sleep.