💤 Good sleep is restorative. It cleanses, repairs, and hits reset. But many of us know the flip side better: poor sleep makes us feel wired and tired. We snap at small things, crave sugar, and feel bogged down. Truth is, many habits factor into a good night’s sleep. But resetting circadian rhythm might be one of the most compelling and accessible ways to improve sleep and promote a longer lifespan. It helps control when you feel awake or sleepy.

A circadian rhythm is an internal ‘clock’ that runs on an approximately 24-hour cycle and controls different functions in the body. 🌀

Most of us know the circadian rhythm that tells our brain when to go to sleep and wake up (this is the sleep-wake cycle🌛🌞). But we actually have many circadian rhythms, and they do more than manage sleepiness: whether it’s regulating core body temperature and hormone release or controlling metabolism and hunger, according to Sleep Foundation.

These circadian rhythms follow a daily schedule thanks to a “master clock” in the brain, along with smaller clocks in almost every cell, muscle and organ.

"The brain clock thinks it's here, and the liver and the pancreas think it's something else," describes Karyn Esser, chair of physiology and aging at the University of Florida, in NPR.

Not only is the body out of tune with the natural world, but it can lead to poorer health: irritability and fatigue can progress into obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, hormone imbalances, and even heart disease.

🔁 But it’s possible to hit reset!

These four daily habits are backed by science and can help restore your rhythm, according to neurologist Dr. Cathy Goldstein, who works at the University of Michigan's Sleep Disorders Center, in an interview with CNN’s Randi Kaye.

Sleep starts the moment you wake up. 🌅 Contrary to popular belief, your central circadian rhythm regulates itself based on when you wake up and not when you go to sleep, says Dr. Jason C. Ong, a doctor with Headspace.

— Waking up at the same time every morning gives your internal clock that reassurance that it’s in the right time zone. 

“The best way to ensure that you’re sleepy at the same time each day is to wake up and get out of bed at the same time every day,” Ong says. 

Same rules apply for nights with bad sleep, challenging any assumptions about sleeping in to ‘catch up’ on a few extra hours.

Action items:

Early morning sunlight is one of the most profound tools to keep your biological clock on time. Just 10-30 minutes of natural light in the morning can regulate your circadian rhythm.

Sunlight triggers the brain to release cortisol, a stress hormone, according to Andrew Huberman. At the same time, the brain stops producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, writes BYU. 

Where some experts recommend direct exposure to early morning light, others–like Goldstein–argue that staring at early morning light through a window can still be effective.

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Movement is medicine. Any form of exercise helps the body adjust to an earlier sleep schedule. But growing evidence suggests that afternoon exercise (between 12 and 5 PM) aligns better with these rhythms, writes NPR.

— Afternoon is when metabolism, muscle strength, and core temperature peak; exercising during this window might help muscles work efficiently. But there’s more to it than better sleep.

💪 Muscle clocks and metabolism
Muscles clocks control muscle performance and ‘tak[e] care of business’ in our cells, Esser says. That largely means supporting metabolic health and glucose control. In effect, resetting circadian clocks can reset metabolic health, says Zierath of the Karolinska Institute.

💥 Mitochondria and performance
Mitochondrial activity and physical performance peak in the late afternoon. When it comes to athletic performance, there is "incredibly consistent" evidence that people run faster, jump higher, and break more records later in the day, says Esser.
*Though most data comes from men.

🌿 Longevity
In a huge study with 90,000 people, working out in the afternoon was conducive to longevity. Those who exercised in the afternoon had the lowest risk of death from any cause–whether that is heart disease, cancer, stroke, or dementia. But any type of moderate to vigorous activity promotes longevity, sleep, and supports these cellular clocks.

"The best time to exercise is whenever you're actually going to do it," says Lamia of Scripps Research in NPR.

The largest impact on circadian rhythm is light and dark, according to research in the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Natural, early morning sunlight is rich in blue light, which tells your body “Time to wake up!” 

Because smartphones emit blue light, that can trick your circadian rhythm into thinking it’s morning when we really want our bodies to start producing melatonin and getting ready for bed. 🎩🪄

Goldstein recommends two powerful habits to improve sleep quality:

But analog-lovers rejoice! Watching TV from across a room is fine.

Improving sleep starts when you wake up. Light is the most powerful mediator for your master clock, and it controls when you feel alert versus sleep. Improving circadian rhythm synchronicity is simple, affordable, and it can ultimately improve the quality of your sleep and key biological functions that contribute to long-term health.

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Until next time,

_{The information provided about wellness and health is for general informational and educational purposes only. We are not licensed medical professionals, and the content here should not be considered medical advice. Talk to a doctor before trying any of these suggestions.}

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