You’ve probably heard about your circadian rhythm. But if not, here’s a crash course: The circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock. It governs all sorts of physiological states—from eating to sleeping—over the course of a 24-hour period. And, it is so important to our overall health and longevity that wellness experts have been increasingly emphasizing the importance of keeping it in a regulated state.
Sound like a complicated task? It’s not. In fact, one of the easiest ways to regulate your circadian rhythm is to simply expose yourself to sunlight within the first hour after waking. This helps because our circadian rhythms are controlled by an area of the brain called the circadian stimulator which is directly influenced by natural light. When light hits the retina of the eye, nerve impulses are sent to the brain with a clear message: it’s time to switch into wakefulness mode. The body then stops producing melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep.
And it works both ways—exposing yourself to darkness will gently prompt the brain into a state of relaxation as well, helping you fall asleep faster and wake up with more energy.
Circadian rhythm and overall wellness
Synchronizing with the Earth s light and dark cycle means good health overall—including better mood, deeper sleep, regulated appetite, balanced hormones, stronger immune system, and more. “If your circadian rhythm is not optimized, your health will never be optimized,” says longevity expert Dr. Darshan Shah.
To help you balance your own circadian rhythm, we asked the doctor to share his favorite strategies. Try them for yourself over the course of the next couple weeks, and remember: Building healthy habits takes time, but it is worth it in the end. “These five simple habits can improve the quality of your sleep and—in the long run—your longevity,” Shah says.
How to regulate your circadian rhythm
Having an inconsistent sleep schedule can really mess up your circadian rhythm—just think about how you feel when you’re jet-lagged or stay up too late binge-watching your favorite Netflix show.
But it’s not just the resulting fatigue that’s the problem: experiencing a chronically chaotic sleep routine over a long period of time is associated with all sorts of unwelcome health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, cancer, and even impaired mental health. It can also contribute to visible signs of aging.
So, make it a priority to “go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekend,” Shah advises. “This consistency reinforces your body’s natural rhythm and can improve sleep quality.” (However, if you do need to catch up on sleep occasionally, you should definitely do so: “If sleep is insufficient on work days, sleeping an additional one to two hours a day on non-work days can benefit most people as a method to help recover from sleep debt,” the National Sleep Foundation notes.)
“In the morning, expose yourself to natural light,” Shah says. “This helps reset the circadian clock and promote wakefulness. In the evening, limit exposure to artificial light—especially blue light from screens—which can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.” During winter, when natural light may be especially limited, consider exposing yourself to the light of a “happy lamp.” This has also been proven to help ward off depression caused by Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is heavily influenced by exposure (or lack thereof) to natural light.
“Eat your meals at regular times each day,” Shah says, noting that you should also avoid eating heavy meals or consuming caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime as “these can disrupt your sleep.” To that end, it’s best to make your last meal of the day a light one and eat it at least two to three hours before bedtime. “The consumption of large mixed meals combined with irregular sleep patterns increase susceptibility to weight gain, obesity, and cardiometabolic diseases,” one study finds.
“Practice calming activities before bed, such as reading, meditation, or a warm bath,” says Shah. “These activities tell your body it’s time to calm down and prepare you for sleep.” That means practicing good sleep hygiene and avoiding scrolling on TikTok in bed—as tempting as it is. The goal is to limit stimulation and stress and avoid unnecessary exposure to the blue light of a screen, which prevents the brain from naturally producing melatonin. You can even try sleeping with your phone in a different room, and using an old-school alarm clock as your wake-up call.
Engaging in daily physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep. “Try to move for at least 30 minutes a day,” Shah advises. “Just be sure to avoid exercise that is too strenuous near bedtime, as that can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.” Try a gentle yoga or pilates class or an after-dinner walk in the evening instead of a HIIT class; the breathing involved in these movements will help calm your nervous system and promote a good night’s rest.
