Episode 11

Time To Rise, Time To Bed

What would happen to your sense of time if you literally lived in a cave?

In this week’s episode, I explore this notion of your body’s sense of time - your internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, and what it can tell us about the best way to feel rested.

Available daylight fluctuates across the seasons, and varies more considerably as we get farther from the equator. Your body's internal clock is flexible enough to adapt to these changes. There are several factors that can help your own internal clock stay aligned with the earth's clock, but the strongest is light.

When you are exposed to light (in relation to your internal clock's sleep time) determines whether that light will delay or advance your internal time. And since the average human internal clock runs a bit long - perhaps 12-15 minutes longer than the natural 24 hour day, bright light in the morning helps to advance the human clock those extra several minutes to keep you relatively stable in relation to the earth's clock. 

Waking up consistently at the same day everyday and getting good light exposure helps to anchor and solidify your internal clock. When wake up time and morning light are consistent, your body's readiness for sleep will naturally fall in line approximately 15-17 hours later, so long as you maintain consistent wakefulness across the day and don't expose yourself to excessive light as bedtime approaches. When you control your wake up time and your light, your bedtime will find itself.