What is circadian rhythm?
The circadian rhythm is your body’s natural 24-hour internal cycle that determines when you sleep and eat, your body temperature, and when crucial hormones are released.
This biological clock is regulated primarily by exposure to light and darkness. But eating habits, stress, activity and temperature also play an important role.
So, does winter disrupt the circadian rhythm? The answer is yes.
During shorter, darker winter days, you’re exposed to less sunlight, leading to less production of serotonin, your feel-good neurotransmitter, and increased production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
This leads to feeling lethargic and slightly depressed a few hours before bed.
In a nutshell, your circadian rhythm depends on a regular routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, planning your meals, managing light exposure and stress is the way to go.
Here are 10 ways to recalibrate your circadian rhythm for better winter sleep.
1. Your body is always on daylight saving time
Your summer schedule is not well suited to winter. To align with the shorter, darker days of winter, you may want to consider going to bed earlier. Change your bedtime and wake-up time by 15 to 30 minutes each day. Likewise, workout earlier in the day, avoid late dinners, and increase your screen time.
2. The morning signal that changes everything
Sunlight is key to managing your circadian rhythm. Make sure you get about 15 minutes of sunlight at the start of the day to signal your brain that it’s time to wake up. On gray, cloudy days, use a light therapy box to achieve the same effect.
Limit your screen time to about 2 hours before bed and dim the lights around your house to signal the brain that it’s time to relax.
3. The Timing Problem That Most Sleep Advice Misses
Meal times and metabolism are major factors in the proper management of circadian rhythms. Imagine a big clock in the brain and smaller clocks in your digestive organs. Even as your brain relaxes, digestion keeps the stomach and its friends wide awake and active. This misaligns the two clocks and prevents you from falling asleep.
So, have breakfast early after waking up and avoid late dinners.
4. The ritual that sabotages bedtime
Sleep is governed by its hormone, melatonin, which is released by the pineal gland in the brain as bedtime approaches.
Caffeine disrupts the secretion of melatonin and thus disrupts the circadian rhythm. That’s why it’s best to keep your coffee rituals several hours before bedtime.
On the other hand, drinking matcha, green tea, or chamomile tea can help soothe your nerves and relax you before bed.
5. Why winter workouts need a new rule
Exercising early in the morning helps the body wake up and changes the circadian rhythm earlier. Late-night exercise has the opposite effect.
In winter, try to exercise in the morning or afternoon. You can also combine this with exposure to the outdoors during the day to feel active.
Create an exercise routine and stick to it. Consistency matters more than intensity in this case. The more you stick to routines, the more your circadian rhythm is established.
6. Rethink the long winter nights
If you’re feeling down during the winter, try treating the longer nights as “me time” and doing something you enjoy. Maybe read a book or draw. Or use the time for spiritual practices like prayer.
7. The two hours that matter most
Take advantage of the last two waking hours to relax. Light candles or lamps and turn off large white lights. Express your thoughts by journaling and unwind by listening to a calming podcast or meditating.
When you go to bed, try gradual muscle relaxation or breathing exercises to help you relax and fall asleep.
8. How isolation gently changes your rhythm
Winter can make you feel lazy earlier in the evening than summer, hindering your desire to go out and date anyone.
But your interactions with other people act as a secondary circadian signal. Socializing regularly can serve as another anchor for your routine. So find some activities you can enjoy in the winter with your friends and family and make time for them.
9. Backfires
People tend to sleep late on weekends in winter.
Sleeping more during the day can disrupt the circadian rhythm and also make you sleepier during the week. So maintain the same sleep routine as your weekdays and stay active.
10. What Supplements Can – and Can’t – Do
Consider supplementing your diet with sleep-stimulating agents like melatonin, magnesium, or the protein precursor L-theanine, but only after talking to your doctor.
While they can’t reset your circadian rhythm alone, they can relax the nervous system and facilitate sleep cues when light cues and routines are disrupted by winter.
Making peace with the slower months
Winter can disrupt the normal functioning of your body. Shorter days and less exposure to sunlight disrupt the circadian rhythm.
But small signals can make a big difference. Getting sunlight early in the day, limiting exposure to white light at night, eating meals at regular times, and managing stress will recalibrate your circadian rhythm for better winter sleep.
