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Become a "Clock" Watcher! Learn How to Feel Good, Sleep Great, and Have Lots of Energy By Monitoring Your Internal Body Clock

From: The MetaTyping Nutrition Blog

Greetings -

Do you wake up each morning eager to begin the day, or do you feel sluggish and don't want to move? Does your energy slump at a certain time each day – say, mid-morning or mid-afternoon? Or are you sleepy in the evening or perhaps after the dinner meal? Do you have trouble falling asleep, or do you wake up frequently during the night?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, welcome to the world of circadian rhythms.

Your biochemistry moves through various rhythms and cycles throughout your day. These rhythms influence your hormonal output, acid/alkaline balance, sleeping patterns, metabolic rate, and body temperature. It is as if you have an internal clock that recognizes a nearly-24-hour cycle, and regulates various functions according to a "time schedule".

These cycles are called "circadian rhythms". "Circadian" comes from the Latin for "around a day", pointing to the 24 hour cycle of these rhythms. All humans, animals, and plants have some circadian rhythms.

For example, cortisol, the body's natural stress-fighting and anti-inflammatory hormone, has a circadian rhythm. For most people, cortisol is at its highest levels between 6 and 8 a.m. daily, and then gradually declines throughout the day. However, if you change your sleeping schedule, you may actually disrupt this rhythm, experiencing different peaks and valleys throughout the day.

Speaking of sleeping schedules, sleep is another example of a function that follows circadian rhythms. And it appears that aging actually changes this rhythm, by affecting part of the brain that acts as a sleep "pacemaker". As you age, you may find that you nap more, or have disrupted sleep, or maybe even awaken earlier.

How each of us experiences these circadian rhythms varies greatly.

For example, most of us who have traveled by air have experienced "jet lag." Jet lag comes about when we travel to a different time zone, and try to adjust our schedule to the new time. Jet lag is a reminder that your body is set to an "absolute" 24-hour clock, not the particular clock on the wall where you happen to be staying!

However, not all people are affected by jet lag in the same way. People who already have varied routines seem to be able to adjust their circadian rhythms more easily. And youth definitely has an advantage! Children seem almost immune to jet lag.

Nutrition also has its own circadian rhythms. Even if you have the same basic "genetic" nutrition type (out of the 24 identified) as a friend or family member, you may actually have different circadian rhythms. For example, you might need the same ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrate at every meal. Your friend or family member – even with the same "genetic type" - might need one ratio for breakfast, a different one for lunch, and yet a third one for dinner.

When we work with our circadian rhythms, instead of against them, we create a healthy balance. We feel well, sleep great, eat right, and have lots of energy. When we are NOT working with our rhythms, nothing feels right, as our hormones, chemicals, and neurotransmitters may become out of sync.

How do we work with our circadian rhythms? Here are a few suggestions:

• Nutrition plays an extremely important role, because the food we eat can affect the chemical balance in our body. To work with your circadian rhythm, use your customized nutrition profile to establish a "baseline" with which to start. Then start working with your Diet Check Record (DCR) sheets to see how various foods affect you at various times of the day. The DCR sheets will help you spot a greater need for certain ratios of food at breakfast, for example, as opposed to lunch or dinner.
  
  

• A good night's sleep, believe it or not, starts with what you put in your mouth! Yes, nutrition plays a role here as well. Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco can disrupt the neurotransmitters that regulate sleep rhythms. On the other hand, warm milk or herb tea can stimulate the "sleep" chemicals. In addition, getting some exercise during the day and keeping fairly regular bedtime hours helps.
  
  

• Speaking of exercise, circadian rhythms also affect the best time to exercise. But this is highly individualized. Studies indicate that, depending on the time of day or night some people exercise, hormones will increase or decrease. Experiment with exercising at different times of the day and night. Take note of how you feel during the rest of the day, depending on when you've exercised.
  
  

• In addition to circadian rhythms, we also have seasonal hythms. During the winter months when it’s cold and cloudy outdoors, do you feel depressed and lethargic? Depending on how severe the symptoms are, you may be suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). This mood disorder was first identified in 1845, but not officially recognized until 1984. One cause is a decrease of exposure to sunlight which can throw off your natural body rhythms. Light therapy is one type of treatment many people use, as light increases serotonin and a lack of serotonin causes depression. Using full spectrum light bulbs and light boxes that produce light that is seen by the human eye in a bluish white tint also helps. They mimic the qualities of natural sunlight.

Working with your circadian rhythms instead of against them is yet another way to health and longevity. If you learn to work with your rhythms, you'll soon have yourself feeling healthy, energetic, and young again!

Wishing you the best in health and longevity,

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