More specifically, how you can become a circadian master.
A circadian master is someone who is in sync and aligns their daily actions with the rise and fall of the sun, which promotes deep, restful, and restorative sleep.
Deep sleep gives the body time to restore and heal itself which will drastically improve your overall state of health and wellbeing.
So in order to master your circadian rhythm and get all your body systems work together, you have to learn to sync your body’s master clock to the cues in your external environment.
And once your master clock is set, it directs all the other clocks in your body –all the clocks in the organs and cells of your body, to work more efficiently.
So to do this, I want to introduce what I call the circadian timeline, which starts from the moment that you open your eyes and until you fall asleep.
And there are specific checkpoints along the timeline and things that you must do so that you can anchor your body clocks properly.
Circadian Checkpoint #1 – Your wake up time and morning routine
When you get up, it’s important to get up at the same time everyday and expose yourself to bright light within 30 minutes of waking. The best thing is to go outside, in the sun, for 10-15 minutes without sunglasses or 15-30 minutes on a cloudy day.
Eat breakfast at the same time every morning.
Exercise in the morning and get bonus points for exercising outside.
Circadian Checkpoint #2 – Mid-day and afternoon
Go outside during or after lunch for more light exposure. Even better take a walk in the sun after lunch.
Avoid any caffeinated beverages after 12pm.
Take a quick break and go outside mid afternoon.
Exercise late afternoon if desired. (no exercise 3-4 hours before bed)
Circadian Checkpoint #3 – Dinner time and close the kitchen
Have dinner early, at least 3 hours before bed then close the kitchen.
Avoid heavy alcohol intake. If you must, have an alcoholic beverage at least 3 hours before bed.
Circadian Checkpoint #4 – Pre-bed routine and bed time
Go to bed at the same time every-night. Hopefully it allows for 7-8 hours.
Minimize your exposure to bright light. Turn off all overhead lights, use amber or red bulbs, also candles.
Limit screens at least 1 hour before bed (TV, computer, tablets, and cell phones).
If you must work, dim the brightness display on your devices or utilize blue light blocking glasses.
Avoid heavy chores or stimulating activities.
Get your body and mind into a relaxed state. Try taking a hot bath, do meditation and/or breathing exercises. Listen to audible books or music. Chamomile tea is nice.
Prepare your bedroom, make sure that is is entirely dark and cool. No TV or devices in the bedroom. Utilize an eye mask if needed.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
Enjoy!
