How to Find (and Nurture) Your Circadian Rhythm
The sun rises and the birds start to sing; plants stretch towards the sun, and people emerge from their homes to start a fresh new day. In the evening, the sky darkens and the moon rises; street lights come on, flowers close, and people retreat back into their homes to go to sleep.
In the same way that our environments abide by a daily routine of energy and rest, our bodies follow a similar cadence.
Before we wake, our body temperature rises, cortisol levels increase, digestive juices start to flow, and our muscles become primed for movement. When we go to sleep, our body temperature drops, melatonin increases, and our brain, liver and intestines initiate their self-cleaning and restorative processes.
This is called a circadian rhythm (from the Latin terms “circa” and “diem”- literally “about a day”), and it controls the physiological processes of all living things.
While modern societies have evolved in opposition to our circadian rhythms (through night shifts, blue light and time spent indoors), recent studies suggest that our health may suffer because of it. Many chronic diseases such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder have been linked to irregular circadian rhythms.
