If there was one thing that could have the biggest impact on the quality of your day, either positive or negative, what would be your answer? I know for me and for many people the answer would be: sleep.
Sleep will impact your: energy levels, mood, food cravings, workout quality, brain function, blood sugar levels, and much more. But, the most important impact it will have is on your Rhythm!
Circadian Rhythm is our internal clock based on the rise and fall of the sun and moon. It’s how we operate on a daily basis determined by our wake and sleep cycles as well as other factors. It is the universal rhythm of the earth that impacts every living organism. It is imperative that we find some balance within our own circadian rhythm so that we can function to our very best abilities.
3 Tips to Optimize Circadian Rhythm and Improve your Sleep
#1. Go to bed and wake up the same time every day. Whether you sleep 7, 8 or 9 hours per night (optimal range), see if you can make it a habit of routinely going to bed the same time every night and waking up the same time every morning. You’re mind and body will like this daily rhythm.
#2. Get plenty of sunlight during the day and avoid blue light at night. As the sun rises in the morning, so should we. Additionally if we can get outside in the morning or afternoon, this will help set our internal clock for the day. Allow as much sunlight to come in through your eyes (no sunglasses) and on your skin as you can. This is even more important for us living in the Northeast this time of year as the days are getting shorter.
At night time as the sun is setting, we should start to shut down. Unwind our minds and bodies and avoid blue light at least 2-3 hours prior to bedtime. Blue light comes off of anything with a screen and tricks our bodies into thinking it’s still daylight. If you are using your phone, computer, tablet or watching TV, throw on some blue light blocking glasses to avoid the blue light at night and allow your sleep hormone, melatonin to set in so that you can get a restful nights sleep.
#3. Eat your meals at the same time every day. Just like the rhythm of your sleep, you should try and time your meals to be consumed at the same time every day. Dedicate a 30-45 min block of time where you can schedule each of your meals for the day and be consistent with eating those meals on a regular basis. If you eat 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), maybe it would look something like this:
8am: Breakfast
1pm: Lunch
6pm: Dinner
Again, to reiterate, as human organisms, we crave rhythm and anything we can do to create rhythm on a daily basis with consistency will help us in improving our sleep which will also have a trickle down effect in all areas of our life.
Click HERE to learn more about how to optimize your health with our Basic Lifestyle Guide.
Interested in seeing what a personalized plan would look like for you? Schedule a free consultation with an OPEX South Shore coach.