If you struggle to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, you’re definitely not the only one; research suggests up to 46 percent of adults in the U.S. don’t get enough shut-eye.
A restless night here or there is nothing to worry about. However, if solid nights of sleep are few and far between, you may be dealing with a disrupted circadian rhythm. After all, this inner body clock isn’t a fixed setting—and when it’s out of sync, your body will certainly let you know. Here’s how to tell whether your circadian rhythm needs a little TLC, plus what steps you can take to restore your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle for all-around better health.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Samantha Peterson, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian and co-founder of Simply Wellness. Renee Young, N.D., is a naturopathic doctor and founder of the Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness.
Circadian Rhythm 101
Ever wonder how your body knows when it’s time to wake up and hit the hay? “Your circadian rhythm is your body’s built-in 24-hour master clock,” says Renee Young, N.D., a naturopathic doctor and founder of the Young Naturopathic Center for Wellness. Affected by factors like light, darkness, temperature, and even the timing of your meals, your circadian rhythm uses hormones like cortisol and melatonin to control when you sleep and wake, she explains. It’s why you feel sleepy at night and (hopefully) alert in the morning.
Everyone has a circadian rhythm, but not everyone’s “clock” runs on the same schedule. In addition to environmental factors, genetics, age, and lifestyle all influence your personal rhythm, which is why some people naturally love to start their day with the sunrise, while others do their best thinking at night, according to Young.
But whether you’re a night owl or a morning lark, it’s worth paying attention to your body clock. “ A healthy circadian rhythm helps regulate hormones, supports your metabolism, optimizes brain function, and strengthens your immune system,” says Samantha Peterson, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian and co-founder of Simply Wellness. “When your circadian rhythm is out of sync, everything from digestion to mood regulation can suffer.”
5 Signs Your Circadian Rhythm Needs Support
A struggling circadian rhythm impacts many aspects of your daily routine. Here are a few red flags that your body clock isn’t ticking away quite right.
1. You Have Trouble Falling And/Or Staying Asleep
Melatonin is a must for feeling sleepy when it’s time to turn in for the night, but modern life often impacts healthy melatonin production, throwing off your circadian rhythm and leaving you staring at the ceiling when you’d rather be sleeping. “Blue light from phones, late-night caffeine, or eating too close to bedtime can delay the release of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep as part of your circadian rhythm,” Young says. “Without melatonin being released at the right times, you’ll find it harder to sleep.”
2. You Always Wake Up Groggy
Do you have to drag yourself through your morning routine even after seven to eight hours of sleep? It may be your circadian rhythm asking for help. “If you don’t get bright light exposure soon after waking, your body doesn’t get the ‘morning alert’ signal it needs, and without that reset, melatonin production lingers, making you feel sluggish,” Peterson says. Additionally, if you’re constantly hitting the “snooze” button, your circadian “wake signal” (which is driven by cortisol) may start misfiring, leaving you foggy, adds Young.
3. You Need Caffeine To Function
It’s understandable to crave your morning coffee (the smell alone is worth looking forward to!), but if you can’t function without multiple cups a day, consider it a red flag that something’s up with your circadian rhythm. In particular, your body might need a clearer signal that it’s time to get up and at ’em, like getting some sunlight in your eyeballs.
Read More: How To Achieve A Healthy Balance Of Cortisol—And Make It Work For You
Not to mention, caffeine can also create a vicious cycle of circadian rhythm dysfunction. “Caffeine may be a short-term fix for low energy, but it can impact both cortisol and sleep cycles, and over-reliance can shift your circadian rhythm further off track,” Peterson explains.
4. Your Gut Is A Mess
Your circadian rhythm isn’t just responsible for sleep; it also plays a huge role in digestion. In fact, if one is off-kilter, the other likely isn’t far behind. “Your gut and brain are in constant communication and both follow circadian rhythms of their own, so if digestion is disrupted late at night (say, from a heavy meal), it can signal stress to the body, raise cortisol, and delay melatonin release, making it harder to fall into deep, restorative sleep,” Peterson says. Plus, when gut health is compromised (think bloating, indigestion, or inflammation), research suggests it can disrupt the natural ebb and flow of hormones that ultimately impact sleep-wake cycles.
5. You’re Moody
Otherwise unexplainable irritability, anxiety, or a generally “meh” feeling can be tied to circadian misalignment, according to Young. “This is because your internal clock regulates neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine; so, when it’s off, your emotional balance takes a hit,” she says. Research supports this, finding that a disrupted circadian rhythm can hinder mood by eliciting or exacerbating symptoms of stress, anxiety, or sadness.
How To Re-Align Your Circadian Rhythm
A healthy sleep-wake cycle is clearly pretty important for feeling your best throughout the day (and sleeping peacefully at night). Thankfully, you can get this rhythm back on track with a few routine upgrades.
1. Get Morning Light Within 30 Minutes Of Waking
It’s easy to rush into the day, but getting at least 10 minutes of natural light exposure first thing in the morning can zap sleepiness and boost energy levels, Peterson says. Exposure to light decreases melatonin production in the brain while simultaneously increasing serotonin and vitamin D levels, ultimately enhancing mood and overall vitality, she explains.
Read More: 6 Simple Morning Routine Tweaks That Boost All-Day Energy
If it’s cloudy outside, don’t worry; any form of daylight can do the trick. Whether you sit by a big window, go for a brisk walk around the block, or flow through a yoga practice on the porch, morning light reinforces your internal clock that it’s time to wake up, Young says.
2. Be Consistent With Meal Timing
To keep your gut’s rhythm in sync and your body on schedule, Peterson recommends eating around the same times daily. Consume your first meal within 90 minutes of waking, since eating essentially shifts your body into “daytime mode,” Young says. For the same reason, avoid large meals for at least two hours before bed, when you want your system to start settling down.
3. Dim And Disconnect In The Evening
You’ve likely heard it a million times, but the blue light emitted by all your devices (including computer screens, cell phones, and TVs) is the rival of sleep. This is because blue light suppresses melatonin production, ultimately making it harder for you to fall and stay asleep, Peterson says. Rather than mindlessly scrolling before you hit the hay, she recommends entirely disconnecting one to two hours before bed. If that feels a little too ambitious, switch any necessary devices to “night mode” and consider wearing blue light blocker glasses, suggests Young.
4. Smarten Up On Supplements
If your circadian rhythm needs reinforcement, adding a few specific supplements to your daily routine can make all the difference. Here’s what Peterson and Young recommend for long-term support:
- Magnesium: Magnesium supports nerve function, blood pressure, blood sugar management, immune support, and bone health—and it also calms your nervous system for optimal relaxation and melatonin production, Peterson says. Research has found that magnesium l-threonate, in particular, can aid your circadian rhythm by promoting sleep quality at night and alertness during the day.
- L-theanine: An amino acid found in green tea, l-theanine can calm the nervous system before bed and improve sleep quality, Young says. Studies show it eases anxiety and promotes alpha brain waves to induce calmness.
- Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is a popular herb that helps counteract the negative effects of stress on your hormones. This makes it especially effective for calming the nervous system before bed so you can ease into a restful, restorative sleep, Young says.
Wondering about melatonin? The supplemental form of this key hormone is a great go-to if your sleep-wake pattern gets suddenly thrown for a loop (think jet lag). When needed, Peterson recommends taking one milligram of melatonin roughly 30 minutes to an hour before you want to get to bed. If that doesn’t quite do the trick, you can increase to up to three milligrams.
That said, melatonin shouldn’t be a long-term strategy. “Your body should be making its own melatonin on cue, so think of melatonin supplements as jumper cables, not a permanent power source,” says Young.
5. Establish A Consistent Wind-Down Routine Before Bed
A consistent nighttime routine can help you achieve more regular (and quality) sleep, so Peterson recommends creating an evening regimen for the 30 minutes before bed. “Stretching, restorative yoga, herbal tea like chamomile, lemon balm, and/or valerian root, a warm bath or shower, or even reading, journaling, or listening to a yoga nidra practice can signal to your body that it’s time to shift into rest mode,” she says. “Try to do one thing for your body, one for your mind, and something that allows you deep relaxation before bed.”