I first heard the term “Circadian Rhythm,” a few decades ago. I was taking a defensive driving class and there was a discussion about how our body’s biological clock slows down in the early afternoon, which can cause a case of the tireds, while driving. The same reason the siesta became so popular in numerous cultures, I suppose. More recently, while studying the importance of sleep, I took a deeper dive into this natural rhythm or cycle.
Life seems to unfold in a series of concentric cycles. The heart beats about once per second, at rest. We take about five or six breaths per minute, when we’re relaxed. It takes 3 hours to digest a meal. The earth makes a complete rotation in a day, (24 hours). The lunar cycle is 4 weeks, (28 days). One year for earth to complete an orbit around the sun. 25,800 years to complete one cycle of the equinoxes around the ecliptic, (Great Year). About 225 million years for the sun to complete an orbit around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, (Galactic Year) and so on.
“To live is to be musical, starting with the blood dancing in your veins. Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music?” ~ Michael Jackson
Many of these cycles, at least on earth are correlated to the sun, like a well crafted violin concerto. Your body clock is also connected to the sun, and getting in that natural solar rhythm is vital to your health. For starters, poor quality sleep increases inflammation and decreases melatonin production which disrupts your circadian rhythm and a number of age related diseases are connected to sleep dysfunction.
In Sync
Being in sync with the rhythm of nature is like rowing a boat downstream. Some folks call it “being in the flow,” or “in the zone,” and since we’re talking rhythm, “in sync” fits nicely. Have you ever tried rowing a boat upstream? That’s what out of sync feels like. Working the night shift or eating too close to bedtime can also desynchronize you. A number of studies on shift work show it increases the risk of certain health problems, such as heart attack, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.” ~ Joseph Campbell
So getting your circadian rhythm in sync with Nature and the environment where you live will not only make you healthier, it will make you happier. Light is one of the primary ways your biological clock syncs up, but food intake, stress and physical activity affect it as well. Every cell, tissue and organ in your body has its own rhythm, and they’re all set by a master clock that tunes them to the solar cycle.
Your master clock is a large group of nerve cells in your brain that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. It regulates the production of the hormone melatonin based on the amount of light the eyes receive. Once the sun sets, it tells your brain to make more melatonin, causing sleepiness. It also synchronizes the circadian rhythm in all the organs, tissues and cells throughout your body.
Sleep Tight
Getting quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health but in today’s always switched on world, far too many folks don’t get the sleep they need. When you’re asleep; most of your biological house cleaning get’s done – “Circadian Autophagy.” The neural network goes into standby mode and hopefully the digestive system does too, if you can stay away from the midnight snacks.
Autophagy is your body reusing old and damaged cell parts. Cells are the building blocks of your tissues and organs. They are made up of various components that keep them working efficiently. Like an old Ford, some parts become defective and break down. Autophagy is your body’s cellular recycling system or salvage yard. Cells are disassembled and repurposed into new, usable cell parts.
“I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?” ~ Ernest Hemingway
Autophagy also functions as the quality control department for your cells. Too much junk takes up space and slows the whole system down and prevents cells from functioning properly, which leads to a slower metabolism and a number of various illnesses. Autophagy optimizes your cells’ performance which leads to healthy tissues and organs.
You need to be in a fasted state, for autophagy to get its business done and it takes 3 hours to complete a digestive cycle, so stop eating 3 hours before bedtime. If your digestive system is still working on that giant bowl of ice cream you ate an hour before bedtime, there will be no house cleaning tonight. The same is true if your sleep pattern is out of whack. Quality sleep manifests in 90 minute cycles and 5 cycles is perfect for putting all your systems in order.
Energizer Bunny
There are over 6 dozen organs in the human body and they all get rejuvenated and revitalized with a good nights sleep. Generations ago, our sleeping schedule followed the sun – we woke up with it and went to bed shortly after it set. There was no artificial light to interrupt our melatonin / cortisol cycle. Today, several issues impact these two very important hormones.
In our always switched on world, artificial and LED lights signal the body to stop the release of melatonin at night. We’re all running around like little Energizer Bunny’s when we are supposed to be getting ready to sleep. We have become disconnected from the natural circadian rhythm of the rising and setting of the sun. The waking up hormone, cortisol also does double duty as a stress regulator. Pretty much any stress will raise cortisol levels, including physical, mental, emotional, psychological, chemical and toxic stressors.
“You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” ~ Steve Maraboli
Blood sugar problems, sleep disorders, as well as chronic infections and allergies will also cause elevated levels. Cortisol is your anti-stress hormone. It’s produced by the adrenal glands and plays an important role in regulating blood sugar and blood pressure, maintaining heart and blood vessel function, suppressing the immune system and neutralizing inflammation. Chronic stress causes a constant low level production of cortisol that creates numerous health problems.
Set Your Metabolic Clock
It’s essential for your health to get “in sync.” Circadian rhythm drives numerous key metabolic functions in your body. When it’s working correctly, the circadian system keeps you alert when you need to be and maintains sleep at night so the body can do it’s bioenergetic house cleaning. Desynchronization results in sleep-wake rhythm disorders and chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, bipolar disorder, depression, and seasonal affective disorder, to name a few.
Getting some sunshine first thing in the morning is one of the best techniques to keep your circadian clock calibrated. Keeping a consistent sleep schedule is also very important. Reducing exposure to artificial and blue light at night improves hormone response which keeps you in the rhythm. Eating too close to bedtime, sends a signal to the brain to dial up digestion which desynchronizes the cycle and shuts down autophagy. Night time is probably not the best time for exercise either, for similar reasons. Is it time to get “in sync?”