If you regularly find yourself wide awake, staring at the ceiling at 3:00 in the morning, this post is for you. Even if you only occasionally struggle with insomnia, you’ll benefit from what we’re talking about today. If you suffer from any type of chronic illness, or just don’t feel quite right, getting your sleep game on point is foundational for feeling better.

Today we’re getting up close and personal with circadian rhythms. For those who are unaware, your circadian rhythm is a daily biological rhythm in your body that controls your sleep-wake cycle. It involves two hormones, cortisol and melatonin, and is controlled by temperature and light.

Imagine what life might have been like before there was electricity, indoor heating and cooling, or even insulated houses. We had no control over light, darkness, heat or cooling. When the sun came out, it was warm and bright, and at night it was cool and dark. The warm, bright sunlight sends our bodies a message that it’s time to be awake. These messages come by way of increased cortisol production and metabolism. And when the sun goes down it gets cooler and darker, signaling our bodies to product melatonin.

These biological cues still live in us, even though we now have access to 24-hour lighting and heating. With a few lifestyle hacks we can create an environment conducive to sleeping, so that we can get to sleep, stay asleep, and feel well rested in the morning.

Guided by The Light

First up, we’re using light to send signals to our hormones. And we’re not just talking light or dark, but also about the temperature of the light, whether it is a cool, blue light, or a warm, orange light. In the morning, the sun gives is cool and blue, sending signals to our body to produce cortisol and wake us up. But at sunset, the light turns warm, inducing melatonin production. Of course, total darkness sends a similar signal, and can keep you asleep through the night.

To use this to your advantage, keep your lighting dim and warm in the evening. Because screens like your TV, computer, phone and tablet can give off blue light, turn those off an hour before bed. Even if you put a night shift filter on them, the light is too strong to stimulate melatonin production. Instead, come up with something relaxing to do before bed, whether that be gentle stretching, reading, taking a bath, or anything that you enjoy and doesn’t involve screens. By the same token, once you’re in bed and sleeping, the room should be completely black. Turn off nightlights, close your blackout curtains, and if all else fails, at least get yourself an eye mask to block out all light.

On the flip side, get some actual sunlight into your eyes first thing in the morning. Ideally, take a short walk outside within 30 minutes of waking up. Or sip your morning beverage on the porch. At the very least, open all your curtains immediately upon waking and spend a few minutes right by the window.

Brrr, It’s Cold in Here

Where light and dark go, temperature changes follow. The most importing thing to note here is that our body temperatures rise during the day and fall at night, which mimics the weather outside. But now that we spend most of our days in climate-controlled buildings, our bodies aren’t feeling that temperature shift.

But we don’t have to move the office outside to reset our circadian rhythms. Instead, just drop the temperature in your bedroom at night. If that’s not enough of a temperature shift for you, consider taking a warm bath or shower right before bed. When your temperature cools after the hot water, it will give the illusion that the outside temperature dropped.

Time Keeps on Slippin’

There’s one more step in resetting your circadian rhythm that we haven’t touched on yet, and that’s the variable of time. In addition to adjusting the lighting and temperature in the morning and evening, aim to go to bed and get up at the same time each day, regardless of whether it’s a work day or not.

I know for some people this one is easier said than done. But keep in mind it isn’t forever. Be strict about it for a little while so that you can really get your circadian rhythm reset. Once you’re sleeping better, you can add some wiggle room if you need to. Start with only 15-30 minutes of a shift at a time, and if that goes ok, you can occasionally shift it by 45-60 minutes every once and a while if need be.

I’ll also mention that this holds true even if you didn’t sleep well the night before. On a night where you tossed and turned for hours, the instinct is to stay in bed later once you finally fall asleep, so at least you get some sleep. However, long term this is counterproductive. So, wake up at your decided time regardless of how last night went. I promise, you’ll eventually be tired enough to actually sleep during the night.

Here Comes the Sun

To get this to work for you, choose a start date when you know there’s not going to be too many things going on for a few weeks. These first few weeks are the most important for sending your body the message to sleep. Decide on your sleeping time, like 10-6 or 11-7, that you will stick to for at least a few weeks. Figure out what you’ll do before bed once you turn off your screens, and also what you’ll do upon waking to get some sunlight in your eyes. Then you can experiment with the temperature in your bedroom.

Many of my patients notice an improvement in their sleep after just a few days of implementing these changes. But for others it does take some time, so keep at it. 

Author:
Dr. Elizabeth Willams, DACM, LAc is an acupuncturist, herbalist and Doctor of Chinese Medicine in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in women’s health, gut health, and psycho-emotional issues. She’s passionate about helping people feel their best and sharing her wealth of knowledge with the community. Elizabeth is the owner of Dragonfly Acupuncture & Massage on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Appointments can be made by calling 864-451-4313 or scheduled online.