Maybe you already limit your own eating to a tight six-to-eight-hour window every day. Or perhaps you abstain for a full 24 hours a few days a week. If you don\u2019t, odds are that more than a couple of your coworkers do.<\/p>\n
A growing body of research suggests intermittent fasting has numerous health benefits. But how does a fasting diet impact your performance at work?<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom an evolutionary perspective, fasting is when your mind is working its best,\u201d says Mark Mattson, PhD<\/a>, author of The Intermittent Fasting Revolution<\/em> and a professor of neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. \u201cIf you\u2019re an animal in the wild that hasn\u2019t been able to get food for a few days, your brain and body better be working optimally or you won\u2019t survive.\u201d<\/p>\n How does intermittent fasting work<\/a> for those of us trying to survive the rat race<\/a> in the wilds of the concrete jungle?<\/p>\n Many people credit intermittent fasting with weight loss<\/a>. Some research suggests it has the power to stave off cancer,<\/a> dementia<\/a>, heart disease, and diabetes<\/a>\u2014even help with an all-out slowdown of the aging <\/a>process.<\/p>\n It may be increased insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation<\/a> that underlie all these benefits. When you fast, your body responds better to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. With better overall blood sugar control and less circulating sugar to burn, the body resorts to burning fat instead.<\/p>\n Better blood sugar control and less body fat may equal less overall inflammation, which seems to play a role in many of the diseases that are connected with aging.<\/p>\n Trying to prevent dementia<\/a> that might not impact you for decades could arguably be enough reason to commit to rescheduling your mealtimes. But could intermittent fasting give you an edge before that too?<\/p>\n There aren\u2019t a lot of studies into the more immediate effects of fasting on human brain performance. But animal research shows many examples of the benefits.<\/p>\n Studies in mice show that within a few weeks of adopting the new schedule, levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rose. This brain molecule plays a role in learning, memory, and forming new connections in the brain. BDNF keeps depression and anxiety at bay too.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce animals are adapted to intermittent fasting, we see anxiety levels drop, which makes them better able to concentrate, and then we see learning and memory improve,\u201d Mattson says.<\/p>\n Better learning and memory on an empty stomach may sound counterintuitive. A lot of people would say they simply can\u2019t think straight on an empty stomach. It hardly seems conducive to staying on top of your game at the office. But those feelings are fleeting.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve just got to adapt to it,\u201d Mattson says. \u201cIt\u2019s like exercise<\/a>: If you haven\u2019t been exercising and you start running, you\u2019re not going to feel great at first. It takes a couple weeks to a month for your system to adapt.\u201d<\/p>\n Once your body is forced to start burning fat for energy<\/a>, rather than sugar, the fog should lift as your focus sharpens. Fasting can also improve sleep<\/a> because you get digestion over with earlier in the day. Better-quality sleep<\/a> brings its own host of benefits, including a sharper mind.<\/p>\n Westend61\u2014Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There are a few different types of intermittent fasting schedules. One way sets a six-to-eight-hour eating window, where you get all your calories for the day within a certain period, say, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Outside that window, you only drink water<\/a>, black coffee, tea, or other zero-calorie beverages.<\/p>\n Another option: Fast for a full 24 hours one to two days a week. A third involves choosing two or more days a week to take in only 500 calories, and eat normally on the other days.<\/p>\n Before you get started, keep in mind that \u201cthis is not for everyone,\u201d says Caroline Susie, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. \u201cIf you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on insulin for diabetes, or have a history of eating disorders, we don\u2019t want to go down this road.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not sure if it\u2019s safe for you, talk to your doctor. Once you\u2019re ready, try these tips:<\/p>\n If you typically eat three square meals with snacks in between, spread across all your waking hours, suddenly fasting for 18 hours a day might be a stretch at first. Start with a 12-hour eating window, say from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Make that window a little smaller each week.<\/p>\n Some people think they can just eat whatever they want during their window. If you want to feel your best during fasting hours, and reap all the health benefits of this lifestyle, a well-balanced diet<\/a> rich in fruit, vegetables, fiber, whole grains and lean protein, Susie says, \u201cis going to tee you up for success.\u201d<\/p>\n You can drink all the water you want during fasting hours, and you should: \u201cSome people will get headaches and misconstrue that as side effects of fasting, when they are just dehydrated.\u201d<\/p>\n For more on healthy eating:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. <\/span>Sign up<\/span><\/a> for free today.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\nIs intermittent fasting healthy?<\/h2>\n
How fast are the effects of intermittent fasting?<\/h2>\n
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Set yourself up for success<\/h2>\n
Start small<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t forget about nutrition<\/h3>\n
Remember to hydrate<\/h3>\n