One of the best habits to increase alertness and productivity, and improve sleep at the same time
Did you know that something as simple as spending a little while in the morning light helps to strengthen your biological circadian rhythm? In this way, you can improve your sleep, feel more energetic and alert during the day, and enjoy many other positive side effects. Our need for sleep in order to feel good and increase our chances of better health has finally received the attention it deserves! In connection with this, products and methods linked to better sleep are becoming increasingly popular. But the best ways to get a good night’s sleep are simple, free, and available to everyone. A key factor is to have habits which strengthen your natural circadian rhythm. On top of that, you’ll also enjoy many other health benefits.
“Our biological rhythms are the foundation of well-being and health. Work together with your natural rhythms so that they’re strengthened and not the other way round.”
Restore your biological circadian rhythm
Our modern lifestyles aren’t always ideal for strengthening the body’s biological rhythms. These rhythms, controlled by our genes, evolved in a time of natural light when neither light bulbs nor digital media existed. This lifestyle also contributed to our spending more time outdoors and getting a lot of daylight. Our different biological rhythms are important for us to feel well. One thing they have in common is that they like regularity. They affect everything from different hormones to our blood pressure, body temperature, and the body’s metabolism. One of these rhythms – our circadian rhythm – is controlled by daylight and darkness. Unfortunately, many of us live in a world that doesn’t always support this rhythm, but quite the opposite – it makes it weaker. Too many of us spend little time outdoors and use various digital media in the evenings, which are two things that have an adverse effect on our circadian rhythm. It’s one reason why more and more people are struggling with sleep and feel tired during the day. However, the good news is that simple habits can help our circadian rhythm and strengthen it. Not only will we increase the chances of a good night’s sleep, but begin to feel more energetic and alert, as well as improve our performance. In addition, the body’s “feel-good hormone” serotonin increases, and we reduce the risk of suffering from things like depression, which has become a common disease. Physical functions, such as our immune system, are also strengthened.
“Light receptors in the eyes send signals to the brain which controls our circadian rhythm. To get the positive effect of the light, you need to wait a bit before putting on your sunglasses, as they reduce the amount of daylight needed to affect the body’s internal clock.”
A short time in the morning light can make a big difference
Spending some time outdoors before noon, preferably in the early hours of the morning, will have a positive effect on several of your body’s hormones. This is a powerful habit that can make a big difference. That something so simple can have such a huge impact shows how important it is for us to establish simple habits which support the body’s various rhythms. Our sleep hormone melatonin makes us feel tired and relaxed, so we want a lot of it in the evening but not during the day, when we’d like to be alert. Melatonin is a fine example of how important it is to always look at things as a whole, as different hormones affect each other 24 hours a day. Two hormones, melatonin and cortisol, work together and, with the help of natural light, we can get them to function optimally. In the morning, melatonin levels fall, whilst cortisol levels rise. We want this secretion of cortisol because it helps to raise our blood sugar levels, making us more alert and giving us the energy to get out of bed in the morning. If we then go out into the daylight, our melatonin levels will be further suppressed while cortisol levels increase. In this way, we get more energy and feel more alert. On top of that, the body produces more of the “feel-good hormone”, serotonin. Later in the evening, the body uses serotonin to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. And with something as simple as being outdoors in the morning, we help the body to produce these hormones and thus support our circadian rhythm. In return, this increases the chances that we’ll have more energy and feel alert throughout the day, and fall sleep more easily later in the evening. In addition, the risk of suffering from stress and mental problems is reduced. By finding something that works long-term, you increase the chances of enjoying health benefits. Getting some kind of physical activity at the same time can be very pleasant, such as a walk to work or a brisk jaunt with the dog. But it can also be as simple as having your morning coffee outdoors.
My advice:
Find a habit that works for your day-to-day routine and to help you regularly enjoy daylight in the morning in the long run. And remember that spending 20 to 30 minutes outdoors can be one of your best investments in yourself. In return, you’ll be rewarded with a good night’s sleep and feeling energetic and alert during the day.
