Helpful Tips to Take Care of Your Circadian Rhythm for Better Sleep

Over the last few months, I noticed something: I can’t sleep. Like many during this pandemic, confinement is wreaking havoc on my internal clock. My routine has been upended: I’ve been dealing with job loss, lack of social connection, strained relationships with neighbors, who are also as anxious as me. Just buying groceries is a furtive task, rife with stress and anxiety. With the shorter days of winter just around the corner, another confinement was the last thing my body needed to get back on track.

But instead of just waiting this one out, I’ve decided to challenge myself to reset my body’s natural clock, or my circadian rhythm. I challenged myself to try to understand just what was going on, why your natural rhythm is so important, and then to take the necessary steps to get back on track.

This rhythm is largely tied to light. It naturally runs on a 24-hour cycle that usually signals sleepiness when light starts to dwindle and wakes you back up when light shows up again. This explains why we may feel sluggish and depressed during our Canadian winters, and it also made me realize how the blue light emitted by my devices had played a role in this imbalance. Since the start of the pandemic, I had definitely increased my cellphone use and found myself staring at its screen at all hours of the day, but especially in bed! You can only imagine how this huge dose of blue light right before (trying to) sleep gave my body the wrong idea.

Should I reset my circadian rhythm?

When I first started learning about my circadian rhythm, my goal was just to improve my sleep. The more I learned about it, though, the more excited I was by all the potential benefits! It turns out that when your body isn’t struggling with its own rhythm, it has a much easier time regulating, well, pretty much everything. From mood to appetite to motivation, getting your circadian rhythm in check can have a surprisingly wide and holistic range of positive effects.

If you’re wondering if you should take the same challenge, I would say absolutely! Whether you’re having sleep issues, or you think that pushing the reset button could be a good idea for other reasons, the good news is, there’s nothing to lose! There are really no downsides to adopting more healthy habits for our body. Try even one or two and see how it works for you. 🌱

Top tips to take care of your circadian rhythm

Here are the top five tips for resetting your circadian rhythm and improving your holistic health:

Reclaim your bedroom as your sleep sanctuary. 

The first thing I did here was a de-cluttering and clean-up. Freshly washed sheets are very inviting after all! The next thing I checked was that there was no light coming in at night. Make sure you remove your electronics from the bedroom. If you can’t do that, you can still cover up that little LED light they emit with electrical tape, or you can try using a sleep mask.

The biggest change I had to make was mentally committing to using my bedroom just for sleep! For me, this meant no more scrolling on Instagram or checking apps in bed. For someone else, it might mean sacrificing binge-watching – not an easy loss, I know, but it will be worth it!

Start a bedtime ritual.

I’m big on rituals! It doesn’t have to be complicated; consistency is key. Some great activities you can include in your new routine include: turning all screens off at a certain hour, taking a bath, journaling, enjoying a cup of tea, or meditating. It could be as simple as putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” and leaving it to charge, changing into your pyjamas, and then reading until you feel sleepy and going to bed.

Get outside and expose yourself to some natural light.

We were made to be outside and governed by the sun! Like I said before, your system needs light to stay on track, which is why we can mess it up pretty quickly with all of our modern devices. With most of us working from home, we may forget the importance of getting outside to enjoy the natural light and fresh air. A good place to start is to commit to getting outside for 5 to 10 minutes everyday as close to sunrise and sunset as you can. Your circadian rhythm needs this natural, unfiltered light to signal to your body to be alert or to begin feeling sleepy. 

Remember, 5 to 10 minutes is a minimum to help you reset. The more you can expose yourself to though, the better!

Pay attention to your stress levels.

I mean, this is just generally good advice, right? We can always do well to consider our health holistically, remembering how everything in our body is interconnected. Our circadian rhythm, like our other biological systems, is closely connected to our stress response. High stress can throw our stress hormones out of balance, causing that internal clock not to work as well.

Some ways you can keep your stress in check are by connecting with nature, regular meditation, and exercise. During this particular time, it’s probably a good idea to try not to regularly check news that could be upsetting, like COVID-19 statistics. Find something that works for you, and just let yourself have fun with it! 

Watch when you eat.

Remember when I told you that your circadian rhythm also affects your appetite and metabolism? Mealtimes are a big deal for your body. There are a lot of processes involved in converting that banana bread into nutrients your body can use.

Because digestion is such a big event in your body, it can also be a signal to your circadian rhythm. Keeping regular mealtimes is like filling in the whole day’s agenda, instead of just the start and finish, and can help you get back on track faster.

So, your circadian rhythm is kinda a bigger deal than you thought, right? Luckily, what makes your circadian rhythm happy will make your whole body happy. Keep it running smoothly by prioritizing good sleep, practicing healthy rituals, choosing natural light as often as possible, and managing our stress.