If you are having trouble getting a good night of sleep, it could be that your circadian rhythm is out of balance. The good news is that recent research sheds light on how regular exercise can reset your circadian rhythm and shows that even just a little bit of exercise each day can have a profound impact on the health of your sleep patterns. Here is what you need to know about leaning on the power of exercise to regulate your circadian rhythms so that you live a healthier and happier life.
The Circadian Rhythm Explained
Understanding how the circadian rhythm operates is the first step in ensuring that you are getting the sleep that you need each night. Your circadian rhythm functions as a natural body clock, regulating the bulk of your basic biological functions. Every person’s body functions according to a unique 24-hour circadian rhythm that operates from the hypothalamus part of the brain.
This circadian rhythm influences your daily sleep cycles while also impacting energy levels throughout the day. A broken rhythm will cause disruptions to your sleep patterns. This makes it important to be diligent about encouraging and supporting a healthy circadian rhythm. Without a balanced circadian rhythm, a large number of physiological functions will be negatively impacted.
How Exercise Can Reset Your Circadian Rhythm
While most people recognize that natural light exposure is an effective way to keep your circadian rhythm firing on all cylinders, they may not know that a regular exercise program can also support a healthy rhythm. Moving your body each day is a good way to send the signal to the brain that daytime is the time when we are active and nighttime is the time when we rest.
You do not have to run marathons or lift weights for hours a day to see this benefit. Even just five minutes of exercise a day is sufficient in regulating your circadian rhythm. Try doing a set of jumping jacks when you get out of bed each morning, paired with some gentle stretching exercise or yoga before you wind down for the day.
When is the Best Time of Day to Exercise?
You may be wondering what time of day you should exercise if your goal is to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. A study out of Arizona State University found that scheduling your exercise at specific times of the day may be the hack that you need to reset your sleep-wake cycle.
The research findings detailed that people who exercise at 7 a.m. or in the afternoon push the body clock enough that they feel more refreshed the next morning. Conversely, those individuals who exercise in the evening hours tend to delay the function of the natural body clock, translating to a peak performance that does not subsequently occur until later in the day.
However, the most important thing is to simply get moving. The best time of the day to fit in your workout is the time that you will be most likely to get it done. The issue of timing may be most important to follow if you are looking to beat back jet lag or if you have a shift job that frequently disrupts your normal sleeping patterns.
Other Ways to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm
In addition to committing to regular exercise, there are other ways that you can reset your circadian rhythm.
Natural Light Exposure
The most common way to promote a healthy circadian rhythm is to expose your body to natural light when you wake up each morning. Likewise, it is also important to avoid light exposure when you are getting ready to go to bed. This includes limiting exposure to the blue light that comes from electronic devices.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Like nearly every health issue in life, maintaining a healthy weight is essential for overall wellness. In addition to helping to regulate your circadian rhythm, you will also help to control weight if you exercise regularly. In addition, substances such as ginkgo biloba, African mango and bitter orange can have a positive effect on weight and metabolism.
Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule
A regular sleep schedule is an essential component of a properly functioning circadian rhythm. This means you need to be intentional about trying to wake up and go to sleep at around the same times each day. Napping can also disrupt a normal sleep schedule.
You will enjoy better health and wellness if you are sleeping well. This is why it is crucial to recognize the importance of a healthy circadian rhythm and to do what you can to encourage the healthy functioning of your internal body clock.