The Science of Circadian Rhythms: How to Sync Your Body Clock with the Natural World

---

Life is busy, demanding, and full of distractions. This can make committing to a regular sleep schedule a surprisingly difficult task. 

However, things change when you understand the science of the circadian rhythm. This natural, earth-aligned approach to rest and wakefulness provides a useful template for achieving a more consistent and productive relationship with sleep and daily activities. 

So, what exactly is a circadian rhythm, and how do you fall in sync with it for improved quality of life and rest? Let’s find out. 

What Are Circadian Rhythms? 

Let’s answer this question by starting with the study of circadian rhythms: chronobiology. Chronobiology suggests that when we go to sleep, when we eat, when we exercise, and how much light we’re exposed to throughout the day all play a crucial role in day-to-day bodily functioning. 

The circadian rhythm is also referred to as the “body clock”. This is because as we form habits and routines of rest, nourishment, and movement over time, the body starts to anticipate those activities in a clock-like fashion. 

For instance, if you go to bed every night at 9:30pm for a few consecutive days, your body will instinctively start to feel drowsy around 9:00pm. Sort of like Pavlov’s dog. But instead of being conditioned to salivate over the idea of an imminent meal, your body and mind become conditioned to want to rest and rise at particular times of the day, thus carving out a unique pattern of daily activity. 

Our earliest ancestors didn’t have alarm clocks to shock them out of slumber. They awoke naturally with the natural light of a new day. They also often fell asleep at nightfall, creating a synergistic relationship with the natural ebb and flow of the day. 

A consistent circadian rhythm is conducive to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. One of the best ways to develop a consistent circadian rhythm for your body is to follow the natural flow of dawn and dusk. 

How To Sync Your Body Clock With The Natural World 

Synchronizing your body with the natural world might sound like something out of a mystical novel. But in reality, it’s a pretty simple and straightforward process. 

Regulating your body clock mostly consists of adopting healthy daily and nightly habits that facilitate more constancy and rejuvenation, such as:

1. Avoid eating late at night

There are a number of reasons not to eat too late at night. Several studies indicate that eating after 20:00 or so can cause bloating, heartburn, esophagal irritation, and general digestive discomfort. 

But another big reason to avoid late night snacks is that they can slow down the sleep process. When your body is digesting food, all your energy goes towards metabolic function, which can make it hard for your body to prepare for sleep naturally. 

Most doctors and food experts recommend eating dinner between 18:00 and 19:00 so that your stomach has ample time to digest before you get ready for your nightly rest. 

2. Don’t exercise after dark 

Exercise is a very stimulating activity, which is something you want to avoid too late in the evening. Significant physical activity after dark can impact your heart rate and increase the production of hormones designed to keep you alert rather than wind you down for sleep. 

While a little bit of light yoga can be conducive to a healthy bedtime routine, your circadian rhythm will mostly benefit from restricting workouts to daylight hours. 

3. Reduce your exposure to blue light at night 

While red light therapy can help with insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorder and promotes healthier sleep cycles, blue light does the opposite. The blue light emitted from smartphones, laptops, and digital screens fools your brain into thinking that it’s daytime. This stops your body from releasing melatonin, the sleep hormone, and makes you feel more awake. 

On top of that, consuming digital content such as films, TV series, or social media scrolling is a highly stimulating activity, bringing up lots of thoughts and feelings just before you’re supposed to sleep. 

Reducing your exposure to artificial light will not only help you feel calmer and less stressed, but it will also encourage you to become naturally drowsy as the night goes on. You can substitute digital consumption with reading, crafting, or listening to a podcast. 

4. Get outside first thing in the morning 

One of the best ways to get in sync with your circadian rhythm is to get up soon after you wake up. While a good lie-in is harmless and well-deserved from time to time, you’ll feel much more energized if you get out of bed within a few minutes of stirring. Just be sure to stretch a little, as you’ve been lying flat for several hours.

Once you’re up,  if you can go outside and into the light of a new day, even better. Let fresh air into your lungs, get your blood pumping, and allow the wakefulness of the day to stimulate hope, high energy, and a sense of preparedness for whatever comes your way. You won’t regret it!

5. Embrace a calming nighttime routine 

Consistency and routine are two key features of a synchronized body clock. By adopting a cyclical, clockwork-like routine, you can teach your body to naturally fall asleep and wake up at a specific time every 24-hour cycle. This is the ultimate tactic for a regulated circadian rhythm. 

Of course, life is unpredictable, and you won’t always be able to rise and fall at the exact same time every day. However, aiming to do so as often as possible will create the momentum you need for a coordinated and fulfilling relationship with life—in both its waking and resting forms. 

Get Into The Rhythm Of Sleep

Circadian rhythms play a fundamental role in both the body and mind’s relationship with health. By regulating your body clock and embracing wholesome habits, you can enjoy better quality sleep, more energy during the day, and, with enough consistency, a potentially longer lifespan. 

Help your body achieve a more balanced state of being by separating nighttime and daytime activities with intuitive attitudes towards light exposure and physical activity. 

By following these tips, anyone can achieve a more synchronized body clock that helps them feel consistently energized, rested, and refreshed at the start of every day.