Did you know that you have an entire system in your body that is controlled by the time of day?

Yep, it’s true! They are called your circadian rhythms, and if you nurture and support them, they will nurture and support you. They will help balance your hormones, stabilize your energy, and even help you sleep.

Ok, let’s start at the beginning…

First off, what are circadian rhythms or CRs?

CRs are your internal body clock. It’s the physical, mental, and behavior changes your body goes through every single day.

They affect so many of your systems:

• Energy levels
• Hormones
• Sleep
• Stress
• Mood

CRs are regulated by light and dark. The general idea is that…

– When it’s light out, our CRs support us with having energy, being alert, and producing hormones that will keep us moving and sharp.

– When it’s dark out, our CRs support us with chilled out vibes, low energy, want us to rest, sleep, and heal.

We want to do things daily to support our CRs, otherwise, our hormones will be out of balance, our stress will increase, our energy will be all over the place, and we will really struggle with sleep .

Here are 4 Things You Can do Daily to Support Circadian Rhythms

1) Expose your face and body to sunlight for 10 minute before 10AM. The hit of vitamin D will wake up your CRs, give you a burst of energy, and help support your hormones. This will impact the rest of your day and sleep!!

*Try having your coffee/lemon water on your deck, walking the dog, or a stroll around the block before 10AM. Also, it doesn’t have to be sunny, we just want it to be light outside.

2) By 7PM, make your home dark-ish. Turn out most of the lights, leaving on a lamp or two, and draw the blinds. This will get your CRs on track for bedtime and help your hormones chill out.

*Try making this fun by lighting some candles instead of having lights on!

3) Turn screens off an hour before bed. I know, it’s hard, but the stimulating light works against your CRs, negatively impacting hormones, sleep, stress, and energy.

*Reading, stretching, or a bath are good alternatives to screen time. If you must, stick with TV. Stay off your computer and phone at minimum. Also, make sure to use blue-light blocking glasses while on your computer after 5pm.

4) Consistent exercise is imperative for our CRs. The daily dose of movement helps get our hormones circulating and can actually rebalance any CRs that are out of whack.

* Working out in the evening can actually be a bit confusing for your CRs and impact your natural melatonin production. Try to find a consistent workout routine that happens before 7pm.

If you can implement two of these tips into your routine, you will be greatly supporting your sleep and hormones.

Give it a shot and let me know how it affects your energy levels, mood, and sleep!

XO,

Kelsey