Tired? Your Circadian Rhythms may be causing your fatigue!

Dysregulated circadian rhythms are a likely cause of your fatigue. Learn how to overcome fatigue by regulating your circadian rhythms.

What is your Circadian Rhythm?

A biological mechanism that governs your body to know when it is time to eat and sleep as well as feel alert and energised.

Our circadian rhythm is the internal regulator of our cells and runs on a 24 hour cycle, governing:

• sleep/wake cycles
• appetite
• metabolism
• mood
• energy and alertness 

Despite our best efforts, we are governed by the sun. The sun regulates our circadian clock which dictates our circadian rhythms.

Why are they messed up?

There are 5 main factors:

1. Lack of natural sunlight

Office jobs and spending too much time indoors, leave us deficient in bright sunlight.

Sunlight is the signal for our bodies to be awake and alert.

2. Excess synthetic light at night

Too much time on screens and in synthetic light at night time, when our bodies are meant to be in darkness or very low lights; (Netflix and Instagram, anyone?).

The blue light emitted from light bulbs and screens is the same spectrum that we get from the sun that signals our bodies to be awake and alert during daylight hours. Staring at a screen before bed (or in the hours before bed) causes your body to be more alert and less tired at night, blunting your natural circadian rhythm that should have you feeling tired at night.

Your circadian rhythm needs contrast. Sunlight = awake, darkness = asleep. Without this contrast your body ends up in a confused and jet lagged state, where it is not awake and alert enough during the day leaving you tired and fatigued and not tired enough at night, preventing you from going to bed and getting quality sleep. And the cycle of dysregultion continues…

3. Eating at the wrong times

Specifically, having a large eating window (the period between your first and last meal of the day) and eating late at night when we are meant to be asleep.

Similar to the light signals, eating signals our bodies too. In a nutshell, we are meant to eat during daylight and not eat during darkness (because you’re meant to be asleep)!

When we don’t eat in alignment with our natural circadian rhythms, we create havoc and dysregulation for our circadian clock that leave us feeling tired and unable to experience restorative sleep.

4. Lack of movement

Our bodies are made to move, just as they are made to be awake during daylight and asleep at night.

Most people do not get enough movement, let alone raising your heart-rate to what would be considered “exercise”.

I’m not going to bang on about exercise – just know that not doing it is contributing to your fatigue.

Do whatever movement gives you energy. If that’s a flat out run or a HIIT class – great! If it’s some stretches on the floor – also great! Aim for progress wherever your starting point is.

5. Inconsistent sleep/wake times

Your mother was right. You need to go to sleep and wake up at relatively the same time every day. It’s very confusing for the rhythm of your circadian clock if you are demanding different functions at completely different times from one day to the next.

No one would expect a baby to sleep and eat at wildly different times throughout the day; and nor should you. Just like a baby, having an irregular sleep routine will leave you tired (and possibly cranky) and will dysregulate your circadian rhythms.

Why regulate circadian rhythms?

1. You’ll feel better.

When your body isn’t in a constant state of low-grade jet lag and fatigue, you’ll feel better! Life is something to be enjoyed and not suffered through. Don’t we want to be able to spend our time having the capacity and energy to do the things we want to do!? Keep up with our kids, get the most out of our days, rather than dragging ourselves around using caffeine and sugar just to get through the day? I say this because not that long ago, that was me. I get it. Don’t settle. You can feel soooo much better.

2. You’re less likely to get sick and die

A dramatic statement, but a true one. Rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and psychological behavioural and mood disorders are significantly increased in populations with dysregulated circadian rhythms. And rates of all cause mortality (that is, dying for any reason whatsoever) increase when circadian rhythms are out of whack! Circadian rhythms are arguably as important as our diet for managing health, longevity and fatigue.

3. Keeps you youthful

Disrupted circadian rhythms make you more prone to weight gain and rapid ageing by negatively affecting stress and youth hormones. It may seem like vanity but it’s simply taking care of yourself. Look better, feel better. It’s a win-win!

4. Our children learn by our example

Screens and modern life are not going away. We can help the next generation lay the foundation for good health and great energy by exposing them to positive habits and healthy foundations that optimise circadian rhythms. This might sound extreme, but modern life has changed and there are consequences of our new lifestyle habits. For instance, cyber safety wasn’t on the parenting agenda 30 years ago, but we can all appreciate why it is now something that needs to be taught and addressed. Children do what we do, not what we say. By setting a good example and talking about how important our natural body rhythms are, we will be laying the foundation for them to have good habits.

How do we fix them?

Here’s the juice people! Hopefully you have been convinced that it is worth taking action, so here’s what you need to do to regulate your circadian rhythms and overcome fatigue:

1. Get early morning sunlight

• Ideally within 30 minutes of waking.
• Without sunglasses. The light needs to enter your eye. If you feel you must have sunglasses, you probably need to support your adrenals (start by reducing stress and caffeine). Sunlight should never hurt your eyes; don’t look directly into the sun.
• Get outside. Windows will block some of the light spectrums and the practice will not be as effective. Get outside, even if it’s only for 10 mins (remember: progress not perfection!).
• 10 minutes minimum; 30 minutes is ideal. If it is overcast, you may need the full 30 mins to have an impact.
• Combine with movement. You don’t have to sweat, even just a gentle walk. If not, take your cuppa and sit outside in the sunshine.
• If you absolutely can’t get outside or it’s still dark when you get up, look into a bright light device and use within the first 30 minutes of waking up.

2. Blue blockers and limiting screen-time after sunset

• Wear glasses that block the blue and green light spectrums (remember they are the spectrums that tell you body it’s time to be awake), in the hours before going to sleep. Check out my Instagram for a dorky reel showing you mine!

• If you don’t (or won’t) have blue blockers, start by limiting your screen time after the sun sets and dimming your lights.
• You can replace your lamps with warmer bulbs (the cooler the light the more blue/green spectrum they emit) and turn off overhead lights.
• Replace lamps with red bulbs. Yes, you’re neighbours might think you’re starting a brothel, and this tip is a little more extreme, but that is the best option if you really want to minimise the blue and green spectrums. I note that I do have the benefit of living on a farm which makes this one easier. However, I would STRONGLY recommend this if you have little children or are getting up in the night to feed a baby. A red night light or lamp will be much less disruptive to you and your baby’s circadian rhythms and help you all get back to quality sleep ASAP!
• Utilise the settings on your phone that reduce blue light from the screen (I have an iPhone and can do this).
• Don’t watch screens right before bed; ideally in the three hour window before bed. Yes, I know it’s the best (or only) time to watch and relax – this is why I have blue blockers!
• Remember: progress not perfection. However, the more of these changes you are able to integrate into your daily habits, the better outcomes and energy you will have!

3. Food timing

• Consume your last meal at least 3 hours before going to sleep. Not only does eating the food signal to your body that it’s time to be awake; your body cannot rest and rejuvenate optimally if it is trying to digest your last meal.

4. Movement

• Aim for movement and exercise during daylight hours.
• Don’t exercise in the few hours before sleep. This is the period to be practicing good sleep hygiene and teaching your body it’s time for sleep, not time for alert exercise.

5. Consistent sleep/wake times

• Same bedtime. Same wake-up time. (You all know this). There are specific recommendations for shift workers, that I will not cover here, but if you’re a shift worker, please leave me a comment or send me a message on Instagram and I can address these tips and hacks specifically in another post.

The Wrap Up

I hope you’ve found this information useful. I know that much of it will be things you’ve never heard of (or even that regulating your circadian rhythms was so important for your health and fatigue). Please don’t be overwhelmed. Choose one or two things that I have recommended and integrate them into your daily routine. When they are integrated, try one or two more and so on.

The power of small daily habits over a lifetime is phenomenal. If you need convincing of this, read or listen to Jeff Olsen’s, The Slight Edge. He brilliantly explains the massive impact of seemingly meaningless habits done consistently over time.

Your health is your wealth, take the time to invest.

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Annabelle x

Please remember this is not medical advice. Kindly check out my disclaimer here.