This week felt like a big exhale.
While I love the summer vibes of fun, spontaneity, and expansion, as usual for late August, I crave a little more routine and structure.
This is my favorite time of year to get my groove back.
Our ancestors lived in harmony with the rhythms and cycles of nature, which then determined their circadian rhythm.
Our circadian rhythm is directly connected to our primal brain –– influencing all of our involuntary systems –– and therefore, our well-being.
Every aspect of our daily life is rhythmic.
For example, our internal clock prepares us to wake up in the morning by decreasing melatonin, increasing cortisol, increasing our breathing rate, speeding up our heart rate, increasing our blood pressure levels, and increasing our body temperature.
Our circadian rhythm (influenced by ☀️) optimizes all our biological functions.
Our circadian rhythm is governed by melanopsin, the light-sensing protein found in our retinas. This is why exposure to the sun throughout the day (especially in the morning) has such profound health benefits.
Although many of us are driven by technology (alarm clocks, artificial light and long hours on our screens), the circadian system is malleable, meaning there are many ways to constantly reset our circadian rhythm to improve our well-being .
With a new rhythm emerging for many of us, like the back to school season (and the end of summer) is upon us, you can find with just a few micro-adjustments you can set you and your family up for optimal energy, brain function, focus, deep sleep and circadian health:
Eat a blood sugar balancing breakfast: Our blood sugar is most sensitive in the mornings, and with all that we are up to most days, we need strong and stable blood sugar levels to carry us through, especially in the morning. Research shows that focus issues like ADHD and ADHD occur in people with more sensitive blood sugar, and symptoms also improve dramatically with blood sugar stabilization. You can see one of my favorite ways to do this on a new reel I made HERE.
Shoot for food in a 10-12 hour window during the day: When we eat in shorter intervals, we both support our digestive health by minimizing digestive load and enhancing detoxification, and we align our eating with our natural circadian rhythm. Studies show This will improve A1C levels, focus, mood, body composition and sleep quality.
Early morning sun exposure for at least 10-15 minutes: As I mentioned, our circadian rhythm is governed by our own melanopsin, the light sensors found in our retinas. Early morning sun exposure will stimulate healthy cortisol levels during the day as well as higher levels of natural melatonin at night — helping you have energy during sunlight hours and better sleep during moonlight hours. Try sitting outside for 10-15 minutes first thing in the morning, weather permitting, or take a brisk walk around the block, consider parking further away from school/work to create a short walk, or add extra playground time for your child by arriving a few minutes early (if possible).
Eat and sleep around the same time every day: Our primitive brains love steady daily rhythms. When we eat and sleep around the same time every day, we improve the rhythm and rhythm of all biological functions in our body. Find your back-to-school groove with the best fairly consistent mealtimes and bedtimes for your family.
Avoid bright lights and too much screen time at night: Our melatonin levels are stimulated by reduced light towards the end of the day and total darkness as we sleep. A lot of time with bright lights at night will misrepresent our sleep and wake hormones (melatonin and cortisol) making it harder for us to sleep more deeply. Try to dim the lights at home at night and take at least 1 hour away from screens before bed.
Customize your ideal program according to the season: Each season has a different hue and rhythm, governed by the sun. When we adjust our daily schedule to match the season (like being home and quieter earlier on winter evenings and more social and expansive on summer evenings), we synchronize our systems with the organic flow of nature. Try to adjust your evenings to a slightly earlier end time as the season changes to autumn and then again as we approach the darker winter months.
May we all find our optimal rhythms to live in harmony with nature, for we are nature.
Be well,
