Sleep to Succeed
What is a circadian rhythm and why does it matter?
Your circadian rhythm is your internal biological clock which regulates everything from sleep, eating patterns, mood, hormone regulation, and energy levels during the day. Disruption to your circadian rhythm can lead to insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite, depressed mood, and decreased physical and mental performance. This is particularly apparent when you are jet lagged - I’m sure you’ve all experienced how bad that can be!
But disruption in your circadian rhythm doesn’t only occur when you're traveling. You’ve been working hard to keep your bed and wake times consistent even during these times - keep it up! However, with increased levels of stress and anxiety, sleep disruption is still an ongoing issue for many of you.
So what can you do to try and preserve your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep?
Time your light exposure. One of the factors that affects your circadian rhythm is exposure to light. When you expose your eyes to bright light at night, there is a misalignment between your internal biological clock (your body telling you it’s nighttime) and external clues (the bright light telling your body it’s daytime). By exposing your eyes to light late at night, you are sending a signal to your brain to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. This is why keeping your bedroom dark is so important. The blue light from screens such as phones, TV, or computers are even worse. So make sure you avoid screens and put away your devices at least 30 minutes (preferably 60 minutes) before going to sleep!
Exercise. Physical activity doesn’t just improve physical health and performance. It also boosts mood, improves concentration, and increases alertness! It’s also a very powerful method for realigning circadian rhythm. Studies have shown that exercising in the morning improves symptoms of jet lag. So if you’re feeling groggy, try working out in the morning. For an added bonus, go for a walk or run outside to expose your body to natural light at the same time!
Structure your caffeine consumption. Caffeine has been shown to improve memory, attention, alertness, reasoning and perception. Coffee and teas also promote blood flow and can act as antioxidants, which heal damaged tissue. Ingesting caffeine can be beneficial as long as it’s done responsibly. However, too much caffeine can cause anxiety and insomnia. So if you are a coffee or tea drinker, keep these recommendations in mind:
Slow-release caffeine such as green tea decreases the energy crash you get from a regular coffee or espresso. Try to drink slow-releasing caffeine sources more often.
You should consume no more than 200mg of caffeine per day (about 2 10-oz coffees or 2 cups of black tea).
Caffeine stays in your system for a long time. So avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before you’d like to be asleep.
Watch out for sneaky sources of caffeine such as chocolate, energy drinks, and even certain medications.
What are we finding in the research?
Last week, the National Sleep Foundation released a position statement regarding the importance of sleep during COVID-19. They discuss how even though our life is “abnormal” during this time, it is important to try and keep our sleep as consistent as possible to maintain a normal circadian rhythm, which is incredibly important for overall health.
Check out this link to read the full article!
https://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(20)30132-7/fulltext
