Colin Snow
Circadian rhythm is the body's internal 24-hour clock that helps your system understand when to wake up, fall asleep, and even eat. When this rhythm is disrupted, it can have a detrimental impact on our health and overall functioning. While supplements are available to help restore this balance, there are natural ways to fix your sleep schedule and improve your sleep quality. This includes managing your exposure to light, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and making lifestyle changes such as exercising and choosing nutrient-dense foods.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Exposure to light | More sunlight during the day and less artificial light at night |
| Timing of light exposure | Natural light in the morning and avoiding bright, artificial lights close to bedtime |
| Screen time | Limit screen time before bed |
| Exercise | Proper exercise can help reset your circadian rhythm |
| Sleep schedule | Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day |
| Sleep environment | Sleep in layers, so you can adjust your bedtime temperature as needed |
| Nutrition | Avoid alcohol. Drink warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice |
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What You'll Learn
Avoid screens and artificial light before bed
Screens and artificial lights are increasingly becoming a permanent fixture in our lives. However, their excessive use, especially before bed, can disrupt your natural circadian rhythm. This is because electronic screens, such as smartphones, computers, tablets, TVs, and e-readers, emit blue light, a short wavelength of light that can interfere with your sleep.
Blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helps you feel tired and ready for sleep. Research from 2022 found that every five minutes spent on your smartphone in bed can delay your sleep by four minutes. Additionally, every 10 minutes of smartphone use in bed can cause your total awake time to increase by nine minutes. It also showed that 30 minutes of smartphone use led to 20 minutes less deep sleep, 30 minutes less light sleep, and 10 minutes more rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM sleep).
To restore your circadian rhythm, it is recommended to avoid screens about an hour before bed. If you need to use screens, make sure to use a blue light filter, do something relaxing, and keep an eye on the time so you don't stay up past your bedtime. You can also use blue-light blocking glasses or turn on the ""nighttime mode" on your devices to reduce blue light exposure.
Instead of screen time, you can embrace soothing audio or mindfulness practices to help you sleep better. For example, you can listen to music, try a breathing exercise, or relax with a gentle meditation session.
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Exercise during the day
Exercise is an effective way to improve your sleep quality and overall health. It can help calm anxiety and depression, and relax the mind in preparation for sleep. It also triggers a sharp rise in body temperature, followed by a gradual decrease, which mimics the natural fluctuations of the circadian rhythm and makes the body ready for sleep.
The BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine journal explains that being mindful of circadian time cues or "zeitgebers" can trigger chronobiological homeostasis, leading to improved health and physical performance. In other words, knowing when to exercise and respecting your body's natural rhythms can result in a healthier lifestyle.
The optimal time to exercise depends on individual factors such as chronotype, age, and any underlying health conditions. However, morning or afternoon workouts are generally recommended as they stimulate the earlier release of melatonin and shift the circadian rhythm forward. Morning exercise, in particular, may benefit from exposure to sunlight, which helps stabilize circadian rhythms and makes it easier to fall asleep early.
For those who experience interruptions to their circadian rhythm, such as shift workers or travelers with jet lag, scheduling workouts at certain times can be especially beneficial. Exercising at 7 a.m. or in the afternoon can make you feel more refreshed earlier the next morning, while working out in the evening will delay your body's clock, pushing peak performance to later in the day.
It is important to note that exercising too close to bedtime can negatively impact sleep quality due to increased body temperature and alertness. Vigorous exercise within an hour of bedtime doesn't allow enough time for the core body temperature to cool down, which may delay sleep and cause more nighttime awakenings. Therefore, it is recommended to stick to light to moderate exercise at least four hours before bedtime.
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Establish a daily routine
Establishing a daily routine is a crucial step in restoring your circadian rhythm and improving your sleep. Here are some detailed tips to help you establish a daily routine that supports your sleep-wake cycle:
Firstly, try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps create a predictable sleep-wake cycle that your body can anticipate and align with. If you need to adjust your sleep schedule, for example, due to jet lag or shift work, gradually shift your bedtime and wake-up time by small increments until you reach your desired sleep schedule.
Secondly, pay attention to your body's natural cues for sleepiness and wakefulness. Understand the difference between feeling bored and feeling truly tired. When you're genuinely sleepy, you won't feel like engaging in any activities. Listen to these cues and act accordingly by resting when your body signals it's time to sleep.
Thirdly, manage your exposure to light. Light is a powerful signal for your body's internal clock. Get regular exposure to natural sunlight, especially in the morning, as it helps to reset your circadian rhythm. If you're a shift worker, consider using light-blocking glasses when you're outside during the day. In the evening, reduce your exposure to artificial light from electronic devices, and opt for dim lighting before bed. This helps stimulate the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy.
Additionally, establish a daily routine with set activities. Having a consistent daily routine can help regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle. Include activities that signal to your body that it's time to wind down, such as reading, light stretching, or listening to soothing music. Avoid stimulating activities close to bedtime, such as intense exercise or engaging in stressful tasks.
Lastly, maintain a regular meal schedule. Eating your meals at consistent times each day supports your circadian rhythm and overall health. Avoid consuming alcohol close to bedtime, as it can disrupt your sleep. Instead, opt for sleep-promoting drinks like warm milk, chamomile tea, or tart cherry juice.
By following these steps and establishing a daily routine, you can effectively restore your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep quality.
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Drink warm milk, chamomile tea, or tart cherry juice
Drinking warm milk or consuming certain types of tea, such as chamomile or tart cherry tea, before bed is a common practice to promote relaxation and support quality sleep. While the effectiveness of these drinks varies from person to person, they are often recommended as natural ways to improve sleep without the use of supplements.
Warm milk has been a traditional bedtime ritual for many people since their early childhood. While there is no conclusive evidence that a glass of milk contains enough tryptophan or melatonin to significantly impact your body's natural production of melatonin, it may still help regulate your circadian rhythm and prepare your body for sleep. Some experts suggest that the potential benefits of drinking warm milk before bed may be more closely related to the psychological effect of having a calming bedtime ritual or the nostalgic reminder of drinking milk as a child. Additionally, drinking milk before bed is unlikely to cause any significant weight changes unless it leads to dramatic increases in daily calorie intake.
Chamomile tea is another popular choice for those seeking a restful night's sleep. It is naturally caffeine-free and is considered a mild sedative or tranquilizer. Drinking chamomile tea 45-60 minutes before bedtime can help relax the nervous system and promote sleep. The act of drinking chamomile tea, or even just inhaling its fragrance, can have a calming effect on the body and mind. However, it is important to check the label when purchasing chamomile tea to ensure it hasn't been mixed with other types of tea that may contain caffeine, as consuming caffeine close to bedtime can disrupt sleep.
Tart cherry juice has also been studied for its potential sleep-enhancing properties. Research suggests that consuming tart cherry juice concentrate can increase sleep time and sleep efficiency. One study found that drinking 30ml of tart cherry juice concentrate twice a day for seven days resulted in a statistically significant increase in total sleep time of 34 minutes. Additionally, cherry juice increased melatonin intake, which is known to play a crucial role in regulating sleep. However, it is important to note that the amount of melatonin increased by drinking cherry juice is significantly lower than the dose typically used to treat insomnia.
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Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed
Caffeine and alcohol are two of the most common sleep disruptors. Caffeine is a stimulant and the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. It is well-known for its ability to make us feel more alert and less sleepy. However, the effects of caffeine can last for many hours after consumption, even after the initial stimulating effects wear off. This means that drinking caffeine later in the day could be impacting your sleep cycles without you realizing it. As a general guideline, it is recommended to avoid caffeine at least three to four hours before bedtime. However, some sources recommend eliminating caffeinated products eight hours before bed. It's important to note that individual sensitivity to caffeine varies, and regular caffeine consumers may be less affected by its sleep-disrupting properties.
Alcohol is another common sleep disruptor that can interfere with your sleep architecture, or how your body cycles through the normal stages of sleep. While alcohol may make you feel sleepy at first, it can cause fragmented sleep with more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares, and disruptions due to its diuretic effect. Similar to caffeine, it is recommended to avoid alcohol at least three to four hours before bedtime. However, this duration may vary depending on individual factors affecting alcohol metabolism.
If you're looking to improve your sleep quality, it's best to avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Instead, you can try incorporating drinks that promote relaxation and better sleep, such as chamomile tea, warm milk, or decaffeinated green tea. These drinks can help you wind down and prepare your body and mind for a restful night's sleep.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to naturally restore your circadian rhythm. Firstly, it is important to understand how your circadian rhythm works and pay attention to natural signs of sleepiness and wakefulness. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, getting exposure to sunlight, and exercising can all help to reset your internal clock. Additionally, managing your exposure to light by reducing artificial light at night and seeking more natural light in the morning can be beneficial.
There are some natural sleep aids that can help you fall asleep more easily and improve your overall sleep quality. These include warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice. It is also recommended to avoid alcohol, which can interfere with sleep.
Light exposure plays a crucial role in regulating your circadian rhythm. When your eyes detect darkness, it signals your brain to produce more melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. Conversely, when your eyes detect light, your brain slows down melatonin production, making it easier to wake up. Too much artificial light at night can disrupt your melatonin levels and make it harder to fall asleep.
