Run your Life according to Circadian Rhythm

**Excerpts from Indian express article

  • Human beings are a product of millions of evolution and our biological functions are highly dependent on the nature. Our body and mind function optimally when we are aligned with the various seasons and cycles of the nature.
  • In this age of information, various social media influencers and companies brainwash and endorse certain type of lifestyle or extreme diet or a particular way of living to be happy and successful. Some of the high achievers pride on their 14 hour work days, skipping on sleep, boosting on their busy schedule sacrificing their health and fitness in order to achieve more in life. Everything has a cause and effect. We need to remember that every decision and choice we make now could have a long term consequence. It is very important to respect our biological clock and our dependence on nature. We call this as ‘Circadian Rhythm’.
  • I hope many of you might have had a bad night sleep or worked late night shift or travelled to a different time zone. Then you might also understand the disturbing effects in the next day, like not having a proper bowel movement or feeing anxious or food cravings etc., This happens because we have worked against our biological clock and it has an negative effect on our body functions. Of course sticking to a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking nutritional supplements, doing yoga or meditation will help but working against our biological clock for long time would be harmful to our overall wellbeing.
  • Nature and environment we live in matters. Our exposure to natural light, quality of air we breath and water we drink, information we listen to and watch, what we believe in and follow, our social network and relationships – all these matter and has an impact on our wellbeing. When we combine the circadian rhythm with balanced nutrition, adequate exercise, quality sleep, healthy relationships, we can give ourselves the chance to experience the power of our body’s natural healing and recovery capabilities.

How does of our Biological clock (Circadian rhythm) work

  • The hypothalamus of your brain has a master clock that controls all the other clocks in your body, including your circadian rhythm. It is called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN).
  • From simple to complex functions like energy levels, quality of sleep, emotions, regulation of the heartbeat, blood pressure, sugar levels, digestive system activity, immune system, body temperature, weight, and much more — SCN controls everything.
  • It responds to light or day and dark or night. Its main role is to send signals to regulate the functions in our body. When light hits SCN, it signals the parts of the body to activate or deactivate different functions.

Which factors upset your biological clock?

They include an array of improper lifestyle shifts. Here are a few that directly affect your biological clock:

  • Night shifts
  • Jet lag
  • Long and frequent traveling
  • Stimulants such as caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, drugs or social media
  • Hormonal changes during menopause or pregnancy
  • Overexposure to artificial/ blue light after sunset
  • Frequent changes in sleep, meal, and workout routines

Tips to be aligned with our biological clock

  1. Eat healthy and eat in regular intervals.
    • Have a balanced diet. Eat only 3 meals per day with a gap of 3 to 4 hours in between.
    • Eat your last meal of the day close to sunset (7 pm). Do not eat or drink thereafter except plain water.
    • Keep a two or three-hour gap between dinner and bedtime.
    • Do not snack between the meals and just drink water.
    • Do not drink coffee or tea 10 hours before sleep.
    • Keep your maximum calorie intake between breakfast and lunch.
    • Eat at the same time every day.
  2. Regular exercise
    • Stick to an exercise routine. Engage in a regular regime and work out around the same time every day.
    • Identify the time of day that suits you and stick to the same workout times daily.
    • Don’t overstrain or follow an intense workout close to bedtime.
  3. Fix sleep and wake up times
    • Try to sleep at the same time every night, whether it is 9 pm, 10 pm or 11 pm.
    • Try to wake up with the sunrise. Maintain the same time through Monday to Friday at least.
  4. Limit screen time
    • If you cannot avoid LED screen time before bed, then use the built-in technology in mobile phones that blocks the blue light in the screen.
    • Use blue light blockers or glasses if needed.
  5. Have pre-bed time rituals
    • Keep the bed room as dark as possible.
    • Perform deep breathing or meditate for a while.
    • Use any method like prayer, chanting, gratitude, affirmations to relax your mind and body.
    • Listen to meditative and soothing music.
  6. Have a post wake-up rituals
    • Do not check your mobiles first thing in the morning.
    • Do some stretching or deep breathing or meditating after you wake up.
    • Do not drink coffee as soon as you wake up. Drink it after 2 hours after waking up.
    • Move your body. It is great if you could sweat it out in the morning. This fires up your metabolism.
  7. Going to loo at a regular time
    • Try to flush your bowels first thing in the morning.
    • Our body accumulates a lot of toxins in our bowels through out the previous day. Clean your bowels at a regular time daily.
  8. Sunlight exposure
    • Exposing ourselves to nature in the morning increases our serotonin (the feel good hormone), and uplifts our mood. 
    • Sun exposure suppresses melatonin, so you get the energy to seize the day. This will help you reset your circadian rhythm.
  9. Energy dips during day
    • Experiencing an energy slump during the day despite living by the circadian rhythm? Here’s a word of advice. rest.
    • It is completely normal because our biological clocks cannot run all the time. They take a break sometimes, too.

~Praveen Jada

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