In today’s world, where everyone’s glued to screens and coffee is the lifeblood of society, getting a good night's unbroken sleep can feel like trying to find a unicorn - impossible and elusive. But let me assure you, sleep is very real and it’s essential for keeping you from turning into a walking zombie. The secret? It all comes down to your circadian rhythm - a fancy term for the body’s internal clock that decides when you’re a functioning, well regulated human and when you should shut down for an update like a computer. Your Circadian rhythm influences the quality and different stages of your sleep, with deep sleep being the most important and the focus of this article.
The Benefits of Deep Sleep
First, let's clarify why you should even care about getting deep sleep. Deep sleep is the magic stage of your sleep in which your body repairs itself, your brain processes and clears out the junk, and you wake up feeling like you could take on the world, naturally! Nowadays, people brag about drinking tons of coffee, working late and sleeping less without realising the damage they're causing themselves in the long-run and what essentials for feeling alive and vital they're missing out on:
- Enhanced Memory and Learning: Deep sleep helps you store your experiences in its long-term memory, helping you remember what you studied that day, the presentation you prepared for your big meeting and where you left your house keys.
- Improved Mood: Regular deep sleep helps regulate the production of your happiness hormones, can reduce stress and anxiety, and might even make that Monday morning meeting a bit more bearable.
- Physical Recovery: Deep sleep is essential for processing toxins, tissue repair (including your skin, so shout-out to all the anti-aging-lovers), muscle growth, and overall physical health, so you can crush your workout without feeling hit by a truck.
- Stronger Immune System: Deep sleep bolsters your immune function, helping you fight off colds, flu, and all the coworkers who always come to work sick.
The Connection between Insomnia and Your Circadian Rhythm
Your circadian rhythm is like an internal 24-hour clock, except this one doesn’t have a snooze button. It tells you when to be up and running and when it's time to recharge your batteries. This rhythm is mostly driven by sunlight - when it’s dark, your body starts producing melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, that nudges you toward bed. When it’s light, melatonin production stops, and you wake up, ready to face a new day. Melatonin is the body’s way of saying, "Hey, listen to your body's needs and give me time to recharge!”. It’s produced in the pineal gland, which is a small gland in your brain (also called the 'seat of the soul', so obviously pretty cool). When the sun sets, this little gland starts pumping out melatonin to help you get sleepy.
The Impact of Screen Time and Blue Light on Melatonin
Devices like phones, tablets, and TVs emit blue light, which is fantastic for keeping you awake during a boring meeting but terrible for getting a good night’s sleep. Blue light messes with your melatonin production, convincing your brain it’s still daylight, which is why you’re scrolling through memes at 2am instead of dreaming about travelling your favourite beaches.
To avoid such disaster, cut back on screen time at least 2 hours before bed. If you must scroll, wear blue light-blocking glasses towards the end of the day, or use the night mode on your devices. Don't sabotage your sleep and overall health!
How Your Eating Habits Affect Your Sleep
Now, let’s talk about another sleep saboteur: late-night snacking. Eating right before bed is just like your boss handing you a huge pile of work just as you are about to clock out. Your brain cannot get into deep sleep, not doing its job of processing, recovering and recharging, and your body struggles to digest. This leads to discomfort, indigestion - which means you are not actually absorbing all the nutrients, and the kind of dreams that make you question your sanity. The idea is to have your largest meal in the middle of the day when your digestion is strongest.
The ideal dinner time is between 6-7pm, giving your body a chance to digest before starting your recovery mode. Not only does this help with sleep, but it also means you’re less likely to wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you’ve swallowed a brick.
Ayurvedic Overview on Optimal Eating and Sleeping Times
Ayurveda, the ancient wisdom of wellness, has some solid and time-tested advice for timing your meals and sleep:
4-6am: Wake up – This time is perfect for meditation, exercise, and wondering about the purpose of life.
7-10am: Breakfast – Start with a light, nourishing meal to kickstart your metabolism.
12-2pm: Lunch – The largest meal of the day, when your digestion is on fire (in a good way).
6-7pm: Dinner – A lighter meal to optimise digestion and sleep.
9-10pm: Bedtime – Bedtime should be early enough to get to your 7-8 hours of sleep.
By following this schedule, you align with your body’s natural rhythms, optimising your energy levels, digestion, recovery, and avoiding waking up 500 times in the middle of the night.
Tips for Optimizing Your Sleep
If you want to leverage the invaluable health benefits of your sleep, here are some more tips:
1. Stick to a Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Yes, even when your bed is calling out for some extra love on Sunday morning.
2. Create a Bedtime Routine: Prepare for the next day, turn down the lights, brush your teeth, and get into your PJs every night to signal your body it's time to wind down for the day.
3. Limit Screen Time: Reduce exposure to screens before bed. Trust me, your Instagram feed will still be there in the morning.
4. Mind Your Diet: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol in the evening which all keep you from getting into your desired deep sleep.
5. Create a Sleep-Conducive Environment: Make your bedroom a sleep haven - dark, cool, and quiet. Use earplugs and a sleeping mask if necessary.
6. Get Natural Light During the Day: Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, plus it’s a great way to justify that afternoon walk in the park and get some fresh air in-between meetings.
7. Exercise Regularly: Physical activity during the day helps you balance all that mental work in front of your computer, reduces stress levels in the body and makes you sleep better at night, and as a bonus, you’ll feel like you’ve earned that nap.
Conclusion: Prioritise Your Sleep and Level Up Your Life
By respecting your circadian rhythm and making a few simple changes, you can unlock the keys to better sleep and wellbeing. It’s time to stop treating sleep like an afterthought and start seeing it as the essential, life-giving tool it is. Sure, you could keep burning the midnight oil, but wouldn’t you rather wake up feeling and looking refreshed, energised, and ready to tackle the day without your life depending on coffee and sleeping pills?
So, let’s make sleep a priority. After all, there’s nothing quite like waking up with a smile and going through your day just being high on life.
If you are ready to learn more about your Circadian rhythm and what other small adjustments could improve your life quality, book a free consultation call with me and let's discuss how we could work together!
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