I discovered the work of doctor Rangan Chatterjee in 2022 when he interviewed Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge on his podcast. Recently, I started following him more, reading his books and listening to his interviews with experts such as doctors, neuroscientists and psychologists. The Brit talks about health beyond traditional medicine, and how the modern world affects us without us sometimes realizing it. Nothing to do with a lot of empty self-help out there, but rather how changes in behavior help you live better.
One of the habits this doctor recommends most is: do something difficult every day. He explains that human beings are prone to seeking comfort, but if houses with air conditioning and heating, cars, delivery, have improved our quality of life, excess convenience is killing us. On the physical side, several chronic diseases are linked to a sedentary lifestyle. If before we needed to go out to buy and then cook our food, today it arrives at our door with a click on the delivery app, without us leaving the couch. Psychologically, when we delegate the responsibility for solving our problems to companies, our body and mind’s ability to survive and thrive deteriorates. It makes our mood worse because we are so unaccustomed to comfort that losing it in the slightest frustrates us — if we run out of internet, the food delivery person is late, the streaming stops. We are dependent on others in situations over which we have no control and in which problems will occur. Emotional stress increases the risk of seeking compensation in alcohol, caffeine, sugar or social media.
Dr. Chatterjee says too much comfort is one reason our anxiety levels keep rising. Therefore, he believes that we need to experience intentional levels of discomfort every day. Incorporating it into your routine can be using stairs instead of the elevator, a few seconds of cold shower, learning a new language. And a very effective way is through physical exercise. It’s a controlled way of doing something difficult, it teaches us how to deal with small doses of stress, it strengthens us, it sends a signal to the brain that we can trust ourselves in challenging situations.
He says to go further, for example, do sport outdoors when the weather is bad. A year ago, I trained for the London Marathon in winter and I remember my mind facing races at six in the morning, in the dark and in sub-zero temperatures increasing my resilience. I knew I would need it on test day. In the last few weeks, I haven’t been able to put this into practice. The cold made me afraid and insecure.
Today, I decided to follow Dr.’s suggestion. Chatterjee. It was 0°C in the morning, the roofs of the houses had snow. Instead of complaining about something I have no control over, becoming distressed, I embraced this freezing day and the chance to run in the sun amidst nature. This minimal turn of the key made the experience completely different. I didn’t feel cold and came back satisfied (I’ve also preferred stairs and, being left-handed, challenged my brain by using my right hand more).
Therefore, I wish you a 2025 with small daily discomforts. May they help you live better and go further.
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