Connecting to Your Circadian Rhythm

What is a circadian rhythm?

Circadian rhythm refers to a (roughly) 24 hour cycle in the biological process of any living thing (plant, animal, human etc.). It governs when we feel hungry, tired, energetic, and runs in the background of your everyday.

Your circadian rhythm is controlled primarily by your brain, but external factors do have some sway: if you are sleep-deprived, for instance, you will feel more affected by your circadian rhythm (for example feeling hungrier at lunch time); light can also affect your circadian rhythm, and plays an important part in resetting the cycle. There is much that still remains unknown about circadian rhythm, but what is certain is its impact on our daily lives.

How can we reconnect to our circadian rhythm?

Have you ever had one of those days(/weeks/months) when you feel like something is off kilter, but can’t quite put your finger on it? Perhaps you feel particularly tired for no apparent reason, or your motivation levels have hit rock bottom. Now consider: did you go to bed, or wake, at a different time? Did the clocks recently change, moving forward or back an hour? Have you spent much time outdoors today? All of these can impact our circadian rhythm, bringing about that feeling that something isn’t quite right. So how can we reconnect and realign our circadian rhythm?

Turn off the lights. After sunset, exposure to electronic light can negatively impact our circadian rhythm, increasing our energy levels when we should be winding down. Try not to use your phone or laptop after this time, and use natural light (candles, firelight) instead, which seems not to have such a big impact.

Increase your exposure to natural light in the day, and especially in the morning. Exposure to sunlight in the first two hours of waking has been shown to help reset our circadian clock, and has the added benefit of increasing our energy levels and improving our mood during the day. As little as 15 minutes spent outdoors should do the trick.

Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. If you can’t commit to these changes on a daily basis, choosing to reset every month also has a positive impact. For example, if you spend an entire weekend away from electronics and electric light, spending as much time outdoors as possible (camping, perhaps?) you will feel similar benefits and your circadian rhythm will begin to realign to the earth’s natural light/dark cycle.