Benefits of the Circadian Rhythm - 5 Tips to Improve Your Circadian Rhythm

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What is the Circadian Rhythm?

Our body has it’s own clock driven by a 24 hour rhythm with the natural fluctuations of bodily processes. Most living things has this rhythm and can help control our schedule for when we are awake and when we are asleep. Circadian rhythm impacts not only your sleeping pattern and affects hormones, eating habits, temperature and energy levels.

How Does it Work?

Ultimately, our clock is operated via the brain’s hypothalamus in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Light is received via our eye’s retina and this will send information to different parts of the brain. The SCN is approximately 20,000 nerve cells and sends out commands to the body throughout the day. Because our eyes captures change in our environment with light and dark, this in turn will send signals throughout our body for when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to be awake.

Our circadian rhythm will coincide with the sun’s cycle. The SCN will receive the darkness towards the evening which in then sends a message to the brain to start producing melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone which makes us sleepy, so when it’s light again in the morning, the message is sent to reduce melatonin production. Cortisol is what keeps us awake and alert, so this is produced mostly in the morning.

How Does Our Circadian Rhythm Go Out of Sync?

To keep our bodily function in optimal condition, it’s great to maintain a healthy weight, good food practices and digestion, exercise and light exposure at the right times to help support your sleep-wake cycle. Below are some tips to keep your circadian rhythm in sync

1/ Getting outside first thing in the morning

If we don’t get outside first thing in the morning, or open the window so natural light is coming through, it doesn’t direct our body to stop the production of melatonin. It will help our internal clock be reset with the light exposure. With more people working from home with our current pandemic climate, we may spend more time indoors and not receive that light exposure hit. It’s a great way to bring upon alertness to start your day.

Photo by Anne Morris on Unsplash

Photo by Anne Morris on Unsplash

2/ Maintain a consistent sleeping pattern

To maintain a good sleep-wake cycle, it’s good to try to go to sleep at the same time every day, as well as wake up the next day at the same time. An alarm is definitely good to maintain this sleep pattern. This helps to train your body to not wake up in the middle of the night too. This can be problematic for shift workers or those working during the night, as it may go against the natural light during the day and darkness of the night. It is also best to skip any after noon naps as this may disrupt your ability to go to sleep later on in the evening. The longer you stay awake, the better as it will make you more sleepy towards the end of the day.

3/ Limit screen use at night

The amount of light you receive at night will send signals to your brain to keep you awake and alert. limiting your screen time on smart phones and TVs will allow melatonin production. You can use blue blocking glasses or completely switch off from light sources a few hours before bed. Even household lights can trick the brain into thinking it’s still day time. If you have light dimmers or even changing your light bulbs to red light bulbs (to simulate sunset light), will help in your brain knowing it’s dark and allowing natural tiredness to sink in.

4/ Eating Healthy and Avoiding Heavy Meals at Night

In general, eating healthy will allow you to feel good, but eating not so healthy food, especially during the day can make us sluggish. Heavy meals before bed should be avoided, as it takes about 2-3 hours for full breakdown of food to occur in the body. Usually when melatonin starts production, it sends signals to the liver to store energy, rather than burn it, like it would during the day. If you eat heavy meals for dinner, the liver will continue to work and convert all that food into storage. This can also disrupt your sleep cycle if your body is still processing food.

5/ Avoid caffeine or Stimulants Later in the Day

When we start to dip, we sometimes turn to coffee or energy drinks to keep us awake during the day. We should try avoid thing these drinks in the evening as it may regulate us to stay awake for longer at night. If we do experience a slump during the day, just getting up every 30 minutes to 1 hour to move the body will keep us awake. In general getting some exercise, will help with our natural body clock too!







Disclaimer - Any advice is from my own personal experience. It should not replace advice by a health care professional and you should always seek guidance from these professionals on any matter relating to mental or physical issues that do concern you.