The Science of Living summary

In the Western world, many people consider breakfast the most important meal of the day. There are cafes dedicated to breakfasting, takeaway breakfasts for commuters, and whole supermarket aisles full of breakfast cereals.

But it wasn’t always like this. The Romans snacked very lightly in the morning and ate their main meal in the middle of the day. Breakfast has become such an institution as a result of a concerted effort by business – namely, profit-hungry breakfast cereal manufacturers.

So, you’ve managed to get up, make a healthy breakfast, and have just taken a look outside to check the weather. Snow flurries are drifting along the street and there are foot-long icicles hanging off the windowsills. In some places, the snow is so deep it would come up to your knees.

It looks cold. What should you wear to stay toasty? Just a big coat and a wool sweater, or lots of layers? A hat? No hat? Thankfully science can lend a hand here.

It’s Monday morning. You wake up, eat breakfast, and begin work. For a few hours, you’re able to power through a complex task you were too exhausted to finish on Friday afternoon. Then, after lunch, you unexpectedly run out of steam.

What happened? Again, science can clear things up. By learning how energy levels fluctuate throughout the day, you can make sure that you maximize your productivity, know when to exercise, and take time to relax.

It’s lunchtime. Depending on your work culture, perhaps you’ll scoff a few sandwiches down by the water cooler, grab a quick bite on the go, or even sit down with colleagues for a restaurant meal. Then it’s time to return to the daily grind.

But if you’re like most people, you probably have a slump in your energy level following lunch. Drowsiness comes on, and you suddenly find it hard to stay sharp and focused. This can kill your afternoon productivity – but it doesn’t have to.

With the workday finished, you’re invited out for a few drinks with friends. After all the focus and exertion of the day, it’s a relief to sit down and gossip, make each other laugh, and reflect a little on your lives.

Human beings have socialized ever since they began to gather in groups, from hunter-gatherers around an open fire to you and your friends in a city bar. It’s proven to be the glue that holds societies together and also, on an individual level, a way to feel good. And what’s more, socializing is good for you, too.

You’ve turned off all the lights, pulled the covers up, and closed your eyes. But however hard you try, you just can’t drop off.

You begin to think about a job you left half-finished. And then you worry you’ve forgotten a friend’s birthday. And did you remember to pay the rent?