Do you have a broken body clock? Here's how to fix it
Your circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock that controls how sleepy or awake you feel.
You may try listening to the falling rain to get to sleep, but there’s a better rhythm to take notice of.
That’s your circadian rhythm ‒ a 24-hour internal clock that controls how sleepy or awake you feel. It moves at regular intervals between the two states and is also known as your sleep/wake cycle.
There’s a special part of your brain, magnificently called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), that controls your circadian rhythm. The SCN responds to light and dark. Light is a cue to the SCN to prepare the body to be up and awake. Darkness signals the SCN to get the body ready for sleep.
Your circadian rhythm roughly lines up with day and night – meaning you’ll feel awake during the day and sleepy at night.
That’s because when it’s dark, your body releases a hormone called melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy.
This explains why it can be hard to sleep during the day and stay awake at night, which is especially relevant for shift workers. Your circadian rhythm can also be disrupted if you travel overseas to a different time zone – hello, jetlag.
Age can affect your circadian rhythm. For example, teenagers’ circadian rhythms mean they stay up later and find it hard to get up early.
10 tips to balance your circadian rhythm, sleep, and feel good
1. Expose yourself to bright light first thing in the morning
Fling open the curtains and expose yourself to bright light first thing in the morning. This lets your brain know it’s time to wake up. And make sure you’re exposed to bright light during the day – either sunlight or artificial light does the trick.
2. Reduce your exposure to blue light
At night, reduce your exposure to blue light, which is emitted from computer screens and devices such as smartphones. Blue light interferes with your production of melatonin.
3. Make sure your bedroom is comfortable
At night, make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet. This lets your body know it’s time to sleep. Good quality curtains or black-out ones help keep the light out, as do eye masks. If you find noise a problem, try using ear plugs.
4. Wake and fall asleep at the same time each day
Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even in the weekends. This helps you sleep better at night and makes you feel better during the day.
5. Snack on melatonin before bedtime
Have a handful of melatonin-rich snacks, such as almonds or walnuts, before bed. You could also try having a glass of warm milk or a relaxing caffeine-free herbal tea.
Read on: 10 bedtime snacks that can help you sleep
6. Avoid caffeine before bed
Avoid caffeine 4 to 6 hours before bed. This will help you sleep better and be less wired.
7. Create a bedtime ritual
Create a bedtime ritual to signal to your brain that it’s time for bed. You could read or listen to relaxing music. Having a bath before bed can really enhance your quality of sleep.
8. Practise deep breathing
Practise deep breathing for sleep or progressive muscle relaxation techniques.
9. Set aside ‘worry time’ earlier in the day
To rid yourself of the thoughts keeping you awake, it can be helpful to list them earlier in the day and write a plan of action for each individual worry. That way, if worries arise in the night you can reassure yourself that you are dealing with them.
10. Don’t force sleep
If you’re having trouble sleeping after 20 minutes in bed, get up and do something quiet and relaxing then go back to bed again.
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