One of the best investments in well-being and health is to support your biological rhythm
Knowledge about the mechanisms and importance of our biological rhythms is new and very exciting. In 2017, three Americans were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for explaining how plants, animals and humans are affected by a gene that controls the daily biological rhythm.
Internal biological clocks run our body. The brain sends signals and is the conductor of those clocks. You can find internal clocks all the way down to the cellular level. These internal clocks set a rhythm and affect our body in many ways, such as hormone production, immune system and digestion. The most important biological rhythm is our circadian rhythm. It is involved in wakefulness and sleep and is our body’s 24-hour internal clock. Our circadian clock is found in the so-called suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which is a group of neurons located in the hypothalamus. These neurons are affected by different factors, the most important one being light. When light reaches our eyes, signals are sent to the SCN which supports wakefulness and alertness. And as light diminishes, the brain prepares for rest and sleep.
Hormonal disturbance is a hot topic. One of the very best ways to restore the hormone balance is to establish simple regular habits and routines. It is not about being rigid, there is always room for special occasions or periods in life. And while regularity may sound boring – feeling well is most definitely not boring!
When we support our biological rhythm, we increase our well-being and health. This is due to the fact that our biological rhythm affects the secretion of different hormones during day and night time. These hormones affect many different and important functions. One example is that during the early morning hours, the body secretes cortisol, one of our stress hormones. This will increase our blood sugar and help us to get out of bed and start our morning routine. The same happens in the evening as it gets darker, and the production of melatonin begins. Melatonin, helps us to feel relaxed, fall asleep and have a good night’s sleep overall. If we have routines and habits that support our body’s internal clock, we increase the chances of feeling more energetic and improving our well-being and health. On the other hand, big changes such as travelling through time zones and the seasonal changing of the clocks can easily get us out of rhythm. Also daily habits such as our sleep routine, eating patterns and exercise can interrupt our circadian clock and work against natural rhythms, thus affecting hormone levels negatively. The risk is that a short period of disturbance in our biological rhythm can affect our well-being negatively. A long-lasting disruption entails a risk of negative health consequences. The first thing to do is to look at habits that can reset our biological rhythm. The very positive thing is that simple lifestyle habits can bring about great changes.
Knowledge about our biological rhythms and their importance for well-being and health is important. For example, when healthy people in middle age use melatonin or sleep medication, this is often an indicator of circadian rhythm disturbances due to lifestyle habits. Using melatonin or sleep medication for a short period is not the problem, but if the real reason for the sleep problems is not addressed, there can be other negative consequences too. The focus should be put on necessary lifestyle habits that help to reset the internal clock and improve sleep naturally.
Simple habits and routines that help to support and reset the circadian rhythm:
Morning exposure to light. This is such a simple habit but the most important for setting our internal clock. Around 20 minutes of morning light helps to reset the body’s inner clock. This contributes to increased alertness and a better mood, and reduces the risk of depression.
Having a regular bedtime supports your circadian rhythm. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day is a simple way to support your inner clock. If you had a late night or had difficulty sleeping, it is still important to get up at the normal time as this will support your internal clock. If you want to change your bedtime, do so in increments of 30 minutes for one week before taking the next step.
Regular meals and not eating too late help to strengthen your internal clock and promote important repair and rejuvenation during the night. Avoiding foods high in fats and simple carbohydrates in the evening, such as sugar, supports a good night’s sleep. Caffeine taken late in the afternoon or evening will also have a negative impact on your internal clock.
Exercise has many positive side effects. One is that it supports your circadian rhythm. However, exercising too close to bedtime (1–2 hours) may affect your rhythm negatively.
Avoid bright screens and lights in the late evening as this confuses the brain and interferes with chemical balances, especially the important secretion of melatonin, and thus interrupts and disturbs our circadian rhythm.
