Your circadian rhythm is a big deal for rest and rejuvenation
By Kristen West
We all know how important sleep is based on how we feel without it. Just ask the sleep-deprived parent, shift worker or a jet-lagged traveler. So, what is the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship with sleep?
According to Ellen Stothard Ph.D., research and development director for the Colorado Sleep Institute, it’s all about the body’s circadian rhythm. “The body’s circadian rhythm is not just the little cousin of sleep, it’s the source code,” Dr. Stothard says. This complex function takes information from the external environment and creates signals for major bodily functions, hormones, moods and behaviors throughout a cycle, typically about 24 hours. “It’s why you don’t feel hungry in the middle of the night,” Dr. Stothard says.
Maintaining a consistent routine—even on the weekends—and making sure you are getting enough daylight is a major contributing factor to supporting the circadian rhythm, which maintains healthy sleep patterns. “A great way to keep your circadian rhythm healthy is to get light in the morning,” Dr. Stothard says. “If you’re trying to adjust to a new time zone, you can wake up a little earlier so that your body thinks, ‘OK, I have sixteen hours of wakefulness.’”
Artificial light at night can have the opposite effect, as it may interfere with your body’s signals to produce the sleep hormone, melatonin, and therefore negatively influence the deepness of your sleep. According to a recent study at Northwestern University, even the smallest amount of artificial light at night can have significant impacts on the body’s sleep, metabolism and long-term health. Turning off all lights and devices, sleeping with a sleep mask and keeping any nightlights dim and low to the ground can encourage better quality sleep.
Another major disrupter of circadian rhythm is caffeine. “Caffeine has a half-life of six hours. If you have a coffee at noon, you still have half that caffeine in your blood at six, so if you’re trying to go to bed at eight, you still have a lot of caffeine in your body.” To ensure better quality sleep, keep your caffeine fix closer to the morning hours.
If you are doing all the right things and still having trouble sleeping, it may be time to see a sleep expert. When finding a professional, look for someone who specializes in sleep rather than a multi-specialist. Check your insurance to see if you’ll need a referral and look for cash-pay options if you don’t have insurance coverage. And sooner is better than later. “It’s easier to fix things that aren’t completely broken,” to Dr. Stothard says.
Colorado Sleep Institute
Various locations across the metro
coloradosleep.org
