Brian Johnson (Arete +1 Degree, micro-chapter) explains circadian vs. ultradian rhythms. 'Circadian' (Latin circa + dies) = ~24-hour biological cycles; 'ultradian' (term coined in the 1960s) refers to shorter cycles of roughly 90 minutes. Johnson cites research claiming peak-performance bursts last about 90 minutes before decline, and warns that ignoring ultradian rhythms leads to "endurance stress," chronic fatigue, and depression. Practical recommendation: limit focused work bursts to 90 minutes then take a full 15–20 minute break (offline activities like walking preferred over social media).
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another arete plus one degree. A micro chapter from activate your heroic potential 451 ideas like this one circadians and ultradians the rhythms of life. At this stage, we're all familiar with the idea of circadian rhythms. The word circadian comes from the Latin circa plus dies, which means around a day. An astonishing number of our biological processes are tied to 24 hour cycles. Of course, most of us ignore the natural rhythms baked into a day, but we'll save that for another discussion. Today's focus have you ever heard of ultradian rhythms? Ultra means beyond. Ultradian is a word coined in the 1960s and means beyond the frequency of circadian rhythms, meaning more often than every 24 hours. Specifically, old tradien rhythms refer to periods of about 90 minutes. Here's what we need to know. Research shows that our upper threshold for peak performance in any given burst is about 90 minutes. After 90 minutes without a break, our performance begins to atrophy. Of course, we can move past this point via caffeine or sugar, or by turning on our own stress hormones, but we'd be much wiser to recognize natural limit and then take a break. When we ignore our ultradian rhythms, we experience what researchers call endurance stress. Do that often enough, and get ready for chronic fatigue and depression to go along with that reduced performance. The plus one degree is simple. Cap your work bursts at 90 minutes, then take a break for 15 to 20 minutes. And while you're at it, remember, not all breaks are created equal. When you're taking a break, take a real break. Get offline and go for a walk. Or just relax. Hopping on Instagram or TikTok, or checking your email or surfing the web does not give you the optimal recovery you need to come back strong. Circadians Ultradians let's remember the rhythms of life.
