Quality sleep is essential for both our health and performance. See our post on Why We Sleep for more info. A key player in achieving great sleep is our body’s internal clock, known as circadian rhythms. These biological rhythms regulate when we feel alert, tired, or somewhere in between. Understanding how they work can greatly improve your ability to rest well.

What Are Circadian Rhythms?

Circadian rhythms are the body’s natural, internal clock that cycle every 24 hours. They are controlled by the hypothalamus, an almond-sized area at the centre of the brain. Circadian rhythms regulate our body’s cycle of wakefulness and rest, to keep us functioning optimally. They are mostly influenced by environmental factors such as light and temperature.

What impacts Circadian Rhythms?

Light plays a critical role in regulating circadian rhythms, particularly in the production of melatonin - a hormone that encourages sleep. Natural light that we see during the day suppresses melatonin production which helps us stay awake during the day. At night, the absence of light signals to our brain to produce more melatonin. As melatonin levels in our system increases we start to get sleepy.

Similarly to light, temperature has an impact on our circadian rhythms through the melatonin pathway. Our body’s core temperature begins to drop in the evening which signals the release of melatonin. The cooling down process also decreases our metabolic rate which reduces alertness and encourages relaxation. Cooler environments support this process, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. On the other hand, higher temperatures can disrupt this rhythm, making it harder for our body to initiate sleep and stay asleep.

When circadian rhythms are disrupted, our sleep quality suffers. We may experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This will impact our mood and performance the next day.

How Can You Support Your Circadian Rhythms?

Light Exposure Management

Managing your light exposure is the easiest way to support your body’s natural rhythms. During the day, expose yourself to natural light to keep your rhythms in sync. If possible, walk to work in the morning. This will give you a boost in wakefulness and tell your body that it's time to wake up.

In the evening, reduce exposure to blue light from screens by using blue light blocking glasses, enabling the blue light filter settings on your computer or reducing the brightness of your screens.

Consistent Sleep Schedule

Maintaining a regular sleep and wake time, even on weekends, is crucial to reinforce your circadian rhythms. This consistency helps your body prepare for rest at the same time each night, improving your overall sleep quality. As we all know, this is easier said than done…

Exercise in the morning

Another good way to kick start your system is exercise. If you have the time try to get in a workout before work. This will give you a boost by waking up your system. Here you need to balance getting up earlier and sleeping less with getting exercise. A difficult trade off to manage…

Cold shower

This is a tricky one and can be a daunting thought for some. Kickstarting your day with a cold shower will increase your core body temperature as your body needs to counteract the cold shock. A warming body supresses melatonin production which inhibits sleep. Cold exposure can also increase dopamine levels which enhances mood, focus, and alertness.

Improve your Circadian Rhythms

Creating a sleep-friendly environment can make all the difference. Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. If you can, reserve your bedroom for sleep and don't send out emails in bed. This avoids you building up unhelpful associations of work and stress with your bedroom.

Incorporating sleep supplements such as SleepBites can also help by calming your nervous system and promoting better rest. They can reinforce your body’s natural rhythms and help to relax so you can fall asleep faster, and wake up refreshed. If you fall asleep quickly you might even be able to get in that workout the next day...