Reset Your Circadian Rhythms for Sound Sleep

Have you been struggling with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking in the morning? You’re certainly not alone, but it might be time to pay attention to your circadian rhythm.

Almost all living things including bacteria, plants, animals, and humans, have circadian rhythms, biological clocks that enable them to synchronize with their environment and optimally function. In humans, a master clock in the center of the brain coordinates all of your biological clocks and resets each day according to the natural cycle of light and dark.[1]

Your master clock is responsible for regulating many physiological and behavioral functions in your body including hunger, body temperature, hormone release, and your sleep-wake cycle. It is most influenced by light, but other factors and lifestyle habits impact it as well.

Specifically, when and how long you are exposed to light, both daylight and artificial light, influence the production of two important hormones: melatonin and cortisol. When your eyes are exposed to the warm, orange-red light of sunset or light with a red hue, it signals your pineal gland to synthesize melatonin, making you feel relaxed and sleepy. When your eyes are exposed to the bright white-blue light of morning sunlight or blue light from LED lights and smart devices, it signals your pineal gland to suppress the production of melatonin and cues your body to make cortisol so glucose can get into your cells and get you up and going.

Ideally, melatonin rises at the end of the day so you can fall and stay asleep, and cortisol in the morning when you need energy and motivation to start your day. However, our modern lifestyle habits, including sedentary indoor living, artificial blue light in the evening, and erratic eating, make it easy for our bodies to get out of sync with the natural cycles of day and night in our environment. This misalignment confuses our master clock and can lead to a struggle with sleep in the nighttime and feeling drowsy during the daytime. The short-term repercussions of this mismatch can also include food cravings, mood swings, weaker immunity, and trouble losing weight. Chronic misalignment can lead to serious health issues like diabetes type 2, cardiovascular disease, brain disorders, and cancer along with accelerated aging.

What you do from the moment you wake up to the time you close your eyes at night influences the syncing of your circadian rhythm with the natural cycles of day and night in your environment. In addition to light exposure, food intake, and activity are major factors impacting the balance of your circadian rhythm.

Keeping this in mind, here are 10 important tips for synchronizing your circadian rhythm and getting a good night’s sleep:

Get morning sunlight when you wake up. Skip checking your phone in bed and get up so you can expose your eyes to natural light first thing, taking advantage of the strongest cue to suppress melatonin production. Ideally, take a 15-30 minute morning walk.
Get outside during the day. Try to get at least 1 hour of sunlight exposure during the day, especially between 1 and 3 p.m.[2]. The more the better but even sitting by a sunny window will help. If you are unable to get outdoors in the sunlight, try using a light therapy device.
Get up and go to bed at the same time every day including weekends. According to the Sleep Foundation, when you vary your sleep-wake routine, it can make it harder for your body to shift to a stable circadian rhythm.[3]
Eat a healthy and balanced breakfast. Eating a breakfast high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats will increase your satiety and energy throughout the day, as well as support the production of the hormones you need for wakefulness and sleep.
Get some exercise in before 2 p.m. and avoid exercising within 2 to 3 hours of bedtime. Exercise is another synchronizer for circadian rhythms and is ideally done in the morning.[4]
Skip the afternoon caffeine and take a short nap or meditate instead. Your energy naturally dips in the afternoon, so a short nap might be just what you need and will support your natural circadian rhythm [5]. Caffeine and naps longer than 30 minutes or after 3 p.m. can disrupt circadian rhythms and subsequently sound sleep. [6]
Don’t eat a large meal too close to bedtime. Avoid eating a large meal within 3 hours of bedtime to allow your body to digest your food and start shifting to its nighttime restorative function.
Create a relaxing evening routine allowing for your mind and body to wind down and signal bedtime is coming. This might include activities such as having a cup of herbal tea, reading (nothing too scary or disturbing!), taking a lukewarm herbal bath or foot bath, stretching, lying with your legs up the wall, listening to soothing sounds or music, relaxing breathing techniques, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, or listening to a book on tape.
At sunset, start to dim your lights and avoid looking at blue light from your smart devices or LED light bulbs one to three hours before bed. [7] Alternatively, use blue light-blocking Apps like F.LUX or wear blue light-blocking glasses.
Sleep in a quiet, cool, and dark room. According to the Sleep Foundation, an ideal temperature for sleeping is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.[8] Most people today have some type of artificial light coming in through their windows, so using blackout shades is a good idea, and if your environment is noisy, consider wearing earplugs.

Getting the rest you need is essential for your health and longevity. The good news is that resetting your circadian rhythm is something you have control over. By taking steps to regulate your internal body clock, you can improve not only your sleep but also your overall health and well-being. As a health coach, I’m here to support you and keep you accountable every step of the way.

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