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How to Tune Up Your Circadian Rhythm For Spring

Heather Dale — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:00:16 PST

Do you ever find yourself in a healthy pattern of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day? I love it when this happens because it means A) I don't need an alarm clock since my body is waking up naturally and B) that I'm following the same sleep schedule on the weekend, which makes me feel well rested and ready to conquer my weekend errands and activities.

The reason we feel so great when we're on a regular sleep cycle is because we're setting our circadian rhythm - the tiny master clock structure in our brain that is filled with nerve cells and is the pattern of sleep and awake cycles, affected by light. What's interesting to note is that people who live in complete darkness (hello - Reykjavik in the Winter!) are still able to adjust to a 25-hour clock with regular sleeping and waking patterns. Here's what the natural daily circadian rhythm looks like.

Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks for getting your circadian rhythms back on track this Spring.

Dealing With the End of Daylight Saving

Susi May — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 04:30:57 PDT

Early Sunday morning, at 2 a.m., to be exact, the time changes. It is the end of Daylight Saving Time, so we "fall back" an hour; before you hit the hay, move that hour-hand backward. And although sleep experts believe "falling back" and gaining an hour in autumn is easier than losing an hour in Spring, it will still take your body a few days to acclimate to the time change. Here are a few tips on how to keep the change from adversely affecting your sleep habits:

As much as it may seem like a good idea, avoid drinking extra caffeine for a few days after the time shift.
Similar to avoiding that extra cup of joe, you should avoid taking a nap. Napping can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at the proper bedtime.
Catch early morning rays. This could be with a run or just basking in the sunlight through a window.
Don't get behind the wheel if you're feeling sleepy. Driving and dozing is a dangerous thing.

Fight Jet Lag: Don't Eat?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:00:00 PDT

If you're getting ready to cross time zones, new research suggests that fasting may help you deal with jet lag. While it's true that light regulates the circadian rhythm, an internal clock that determines when you sleep, wake, and eat, there may be a second internal clock that takes over when your body thinks food is scarce. It takes 16 hours of fasting to kick this clock into gear, and manipulating this clock by denying yourself food may help to adjust to a new time zone. Scientists experimented with this concept by offering food to mice only during times when they were supposed to be sleeping. Eventually, the mice that adjusted to this new eating schedule remained awake at nighttime in order to eat. Since we are mammals too, scientists think this strategy may work on humans as well.

It may be worth a try if you're traveling across the globe, but personally, I think not eating is a bad idea. Not only will it screw up your metabolism, but it'll make you cranky, dizzy, and give you a headache, which will only worsen your symptoms of jet lag.

Source

Daylight Savings Time (It May Take Weeks to Adjust)

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:30:00 PDT

It is time to change our clocks again this Sunday. That means that at 2 a.m. on November 4, you've got to set your clock back one hour. The saying, "Spring forward and fall back," always helps me remember which way the clocks go.

It's great that we gain an hour, but a new study shows that our bodies don't adjust well to the time shift. Although it's just a one hour difference, our natural clock (known as circadian rhythm), may take up to four weeks to adjust in the Spring and another six weeks to adjust in the Fall.

There have only been a few studies on the connection between Daylight Savings Time and human circadian rhythms, so it's not yet known if the constant changing has any significant long-term effects on our health. Hopefully this subject will be studied soon.

Since gaining an hour will definitely mess with your internal clock, be sure to listen to your body's needs. Eat and sleep when your body wants to, and gradually shift your old schedule back an hour. It may take a few days, or even a few weeks for things to feel normal again.

Fit's Tip: When you change your clocks back, don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

People seem split on this time change and I am curious to know how you feel about gaining an hour? Tell me how you feel in the comment section below.

Source

Feel the Circadian Rhythm

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 11:00:00 PDT

We all have a biological clock, and I am not talking about the biological clock some women refer to when discussing the sudden need to have a baby. I am talking about the daily clock of the circadian rhythm, the energy ups and downs we all experience through out the day.

Scientist have located the clock that controls the circadian rhythm. It is actually a pair of pinhead-sized structures that together contain about 20,000 neurons, that is housed deep on our brains, near the optical nerve. Animals, plants and microbes display circadian rhythms; it's part of deep biology. While circadian rhythm, the pattern of sleep and awake cycles, is affected by light, but people living in complete darkness will adjust to a 25 hour clock with normal sleep / wake patterns. Personally, I would not like to be a subject in a study that determined this.

Want to know how the circadian rhythm works throughout your day? then

According to Women's Health the daily rhythm goes something like this:

6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. - Sleep Inertia
During the first 30 minutes you're awake, thinking and reaction times are substantially impaired.
7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - Morning Hustle
Between breakfast and lunch, your sense of alertness peaks. This is the time to get things done.
12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Nap Time
At some point in the afternoon, we experience an energy drag that usually lasts about 2 hours. The Spanish siesta might have some science behind it.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - Sunset Spike
A rise in energy occurs making this a very difficult time to nap.
8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. - Back to Bed
The chemical melatonin, which helps you to sleep, floods your body as you snooze.

Fit's Tip: According to the circadian rhythm it is best to do all your heady work in the morning and save all those menial tasks for the afternoon.

Ease Your Body Into Daylight Savings Time

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:00:00 PST

This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. That means that at 2 am on March 11, the clocks skip ahead 1 hour. Remember the saying - "Spring forward and Fall back."

Losing one hour of sleep can really screw up your circadian rhythm (your body's inner clock), so you might want to think about easing into it.

On the day before, try going to sleep earlier and waking up earlier. You can also adjust your mealtime schedule and eat an hour earlier.

Before you go to sleep on Saturday night, set all the clocks in your house ahead 1 hour. That way, when you wake up on Sunday morning, it won't be so obvious that you lost an hour.

On that Sunday, avoid taking a nap to make up for the hour you lost. It'll only make it harder to get to sleep on Sunday night.

On that Monday, try to keep your schedule light. You might be feeling tired and cranky, so if you have less to do, it'll give your body time to relax and adjust.

Fit's Tips: Don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors too.

How to Travel to a Destination Race With Success

Michele Foley — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:37:33 PDT

Competing in a race is already a challenge in itself; add to that a bit of travel, and you've got a new set of factors to consider. To find out how to achieve race-day success when traveling across the country - or world - we went straight to the expert, Thom Gilligan, founder of Marathon Tours, a specialized travel agency for runners that provides travel packages to destination marathons. Here are Thom's tips to ensure traveling won't prevent you from having a successful race day, whether you're doing a 10K or a marathon.

Pack race-day gear in your carry-on: Airlines lose luggage - it just happens. "Take precaution by packing all race gear in your carry-on," Thom says. The last thing you need is to be without your running shoes or outfit on the day of the race. Sure, you can buy new gear, but as any expert will tell you, running in new sneakers or clothing on the day of a race is bad all around. You don't want unexpected factors like chafing, pulling, or rubbing to prevent you from having a good day or causing bad form.
Arrive before the day of the race: Jet leg and tight muscles from a cramped airline seat are not a good look when it comes to race day. To feel alert on the day of the race, try to get there as far in advance as possible. Thom says the rule of thumb is to "arrive one day earlier for every hour you may be gaining or losing." But even he knows how impractical this sounds. Ideally give yourself two to three days to acclimate to your new surroundings, he says. The most important thing, Thom says, is adapting your sleep patterns to the current time zone. Fight urges to nap during the day or stay up late at night. Instead, go to sleep at the general bedtime hour of wherever you might be; this will help reset your circadian rhythm to the local sleep-wake cycle. Here are more tips on preventing jet lag.

See more tips for destination races after the break!

Strategies to Get Your Energy Back

Health — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:13:28 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Can't seem to get enough rest? To-do list dragging you down? Hit refresh with these foods, moves, and must-dos for a more revved-up you.
By Mary Kate Frank

Wish you were still bounding out of bed like you did when you were 22? Who doesn't! But it can be hard to summon all your old verve in the midst of the daily grind.

"The main reason I see for loss of energy in women is that they have too much to do," says Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic and founder of youbeauty.com. "There's a merry-go-round of caring for kids, caring for parents, working, and not paying attention to yourself or getting proper sleep."

Health.com: How to Fake a Good Night's Sleep

Sometimes there's a medical cause (like a vitamin deficiency or thyroid disorder) for a lack of energy. If you feel deeply fatigued all the time, schedule a checkup ASAP. But if your sluggishness is just a case of you on overload, the good news is that you can do something about it yourself. Here, Dr. Roizen and other health pros share strategies for putting the pep back in your step.

Sleep more soundly
Although it's true that you naturally begin to sleep more lightly in your mid-40s - a result of changes in brain waves as you age - you can start having trouble catching zzz's much sooner. "I've got patients who at age 30 are sleeping like 60-year-olds because of stress," says Michael Breus, PhD, author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan.

A good night's rest is essential to waking up fully energized. Learn a few simple steps to snooze smarter after the break:

How to Combat Winter Blahs and Blues

Heather Dale — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:23:08 PST

When January rolls around, the festive fun has come to an end, and we resume our regular day-to-day routines . . . good times, right? This month can be especially difficult for some because the party is over, the temperatures are dropping, and the days are awfully short. If you're experiencing any symptoms that feel like major depression, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that is cyclical and seasonal, meaning that it comes and goes at the same time every year. If you suffer from SAD, symptoms may include irritability, a drop in energy level, and possible weight gain. Various studies have shown that four to six percent of the population has been diagnosed with SAD at some point in their lives, while 10 to 12 percent have shown symptoms related to SAD. Fortunately, there are some easy remedies you can try at home to help get you through the next few months.

Keep reading to see what they are!

Tame Your Hormones Naturally

Heather Dale — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:20:25 PST

If you ever suffer from cramps, bloating, insomnia, breast tenderness, headaches, acne, or food cravings, your hormones may be in flux and need to be balanced. Hormones are crucial to our well-being since they impact our bodies at the cellular level and, if stabilized, many of the above symptoms can be alleviated.

According to The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels, the toxins in processed foods, nonorganic produce, prescription medicine, and the environment can throw our hormones out of whack, wreaking havoc on our systems. In her book Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones For a Hot and Healthy Body!, Jillian talks about the important role our hormones play in our endocrine system and how we can rebalance them through diet, sleep, and exercise.

Reducing stress, drinking lots of water to flush out toxins, and getting your circadian rhythms on track are all steps in the right direction toward getting your hormones balanced out, but to learn about the easiest and most effective change you can make right now, just keep reading.