Our biological clock is responsible for regulating things like hormones, metabolism, alertness during the day and desire for sleep at night. Our circadian rhythm is like our own personal body clock – it regulates most physiological functions that take place within a 24-hour circadian cycle. In other words, our internal body clock tells us when to sleep, eat and be active.
However, sometimes our biological clocks can get out of sync for various reasons – like for people who work night shifts or who travel across time zones. People with circadian rhythm disorder can experience disruptions to their sleep-wake cycle, like sleeping during the day and being awake at night.
Changes in daylight, irregular sleep habits, or mental health issues can cause dramatic changes to our circadian rhythms. To maintain a healthy biological clock, it is important to practice regular sleeping patterns.
What is Circadian Rhythm?
Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of biological activities that our bodies naturally follow. It is primarily regulated by exposure to sunlight. During the day, the human body produces hormones like cortisol which cause us to be alert and active. At night, our bodies produce melatonin which helps us feel sleepy and relaxed.
Working backwards from sleeping and waking to eating and activity, circadian rhythm help our body know when to eat, when to be awake and when to be tired and sleepy. If our internal clock is out of sync with the external environment, it can disrupt our body’s natural rhythms.
Effects of Circadian Rhythm on Sleep
Our circadian rhythms affect our sleep in both positive and negative ways. For example, if our biological clocks are in-sync with the environment, we experience regular and consistent patterns of sleeping and waking. This makes us feel rested and refreshed throughout the day. On the other hand, if our circadian rhythm is disrupted, we can experience difficulty falling and staying asleep, which can cause daytime exhaustion.
Light exposure also plays an important role in maintaining our circadian rhythm. Light helps to sync our body’s internal clocks with the external environment. If the external environment is darker (for example, during winter months), we experience melatonin production earlier in the evening, which encourages us to sleep earlier. During the summer months, when there is more daylight, our melatonin production is delayed, encouraging us to stay up later.
The amount of light exposure we receive helps to regulate our melatonin production. Too much artificial light late in the evening can throw our body off schedule and disrupt our sleep. It is important to try to avoid screens before bed and expose ourselves to natural light during the day.
Tips to Regulate Your Circadian Rhythm
- Maintain regular sleeping hours.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening.
- Expose yourself to sunlight during the day and avoid screens before bed.
- Create a relaxing evening routine before bed.
- Try to eat consistent meals throughout the day.
Conclusion
Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle of physical, mental and behavioral changes that make up our body’s natural clock. It’s important to keep our internal clock in sync with the external environment because it can have a major impact on our sleep. By following these tips, we can strive for healthy and regular sleeping patterns resulting in more restful and restorative sleep.