Use Your Zeitgebers

Daily Time Cues to Strengthen Your Circadian Rhythm

There used to be a ‘cool’ factor to having an irregular life – eat when you’re hungry, work when you’re inspired, sleep when you’re tired.

Now we know better. Having a routine strengthens our circadian rhythm, synchronizes our systems, and improves our sleep. Our behaviors impact the peripheral clocks of our circadian system, while light and dark exposure have the biggest impact on our master clock. Here are the behavioral time points that matter.

Right Time Your Meals
Meal timing is an important cue that signals to our peripheral ‘clocks.’ Every cell in our body has these clock genes, which tell it to do more or less of its’ function at certain times of day. Meals signal to our body that it is day, time to be in active mode. A couple key features of meal timing to consider:
- Start with breakfast, ideally within an hour of waking. Eating breakfast will help your body be on an earlier schedule, and counter-act all those influences that push us not to be sleepy til late (think factors like light in the evening).
- Avoid eating a late dinner, as that will push your body clock later.
- Start each meal within the same 30 minute window every day, seven days a week. For example breakfast starts between 7-7:30am, lunch between noon-12:30pm, dinner between 5:30-6pm. Customize the times, and the number of eating windows, for you.

Intentional Exercise Timing
Exercise is another behavior that sets our body clock. Thankfully, exercise timing doesn’t need to be quite as exact as meals, but is more about periods of the day as in morning, afternoon, or evening.
- Exercise before 4pm will help you stay on an earlier schedule.
- Exercise after 7pm will shift your body clock later.

Social Factors Strengthen Your Circadian Rhythm
Human beings are social creatures (and yes, to varying degrees!). Our social interactions are actually cues that signal to our circadian system. Here we want to have predictable social times. Think not only times when we socialize for fun, but also include whenever we interact with others.
- For many of us, we get a lot of our interaction with co-workers. Whether going to the office, or working from home, create a routine where you interact with your co-workers at a predictable time every day.
- If you have a more flexible schedule, intentionally create a lifestyle where you predictably interact with others. Could be a fun coffee date, or simply doing your errands and appointments in the same time block daily.

Why A Strong Circadian System Matters
When I say “strengthen” your circadian system, I mean to create or maintain a high amplitude circadian rhythm. As children, our circadian rhythm is very robust, very high amplitude. With aging, our circadian system weakens and flattens out. Decreased circadian amplitude is associated with chronic disease and aging. And of course, low circadian rhythm contributes to poor sleep too.

You’re Invited!
This year let’s get together regularly and talk sleep. Once a month we’ll gather via zoom for a deep dive on a specific sleep skill. Tomorrow, February 23rd at 9am PT / noon ET we’ll talk about How to Create a Sleep Healthy Lifestyle. Come learn the eight daily touch-points to strengthen your circadian system and improve your sleep. I hope you’ll join me!

Here’s the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85675454749pwd=blz8Yn412VLbibQBXD86YxX8C07Z2G.1

Sleep well and dream big,
Dr. Catherine Darley

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