Each one of our bodies operates based on a certain unique biological schedule that plays a major part when we feel exhausted and awake. When our internal sleep clock, or our circadian rhythms, naturally operates it sends messages to our bodies to let them know when to go to sleep at night and when to wake up the next morning.
Our sleep schedules vary from person to person, and that is depending, on large, on the environmental cues we give our bodies. Excluding hospital staff and most night-shift workers, the majority of us live lives in which we work during the day and sleep at night, thus following the cycle of the rise and setting of the sun.
Nonetheless, as any insomniac person may tell you, our circadian cycles are super quick to go off-kilter, throwing our regular schedule out of whack. This can have a huge effect on our sleep quality overall, something that can make it hard for us to wake up at the right times and properly maintain our daily activities. This does leave us sleep-deprived or having social jetlag that can have a bad influence on our performances and mood.
So how can we reset our sleep clock and improve our rest schedule?
- If your sleep schedule is not working for you because you have trouble waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night, try taking these steps to get your sleep patterns on track again.
- Change your bedtime: try to slowly scale back your sleep time until you are at the desired hour. It is recommended to go back in small increments, adjusting no more than 15 minutes earlier every two to three days.
- Avoid napping when you’re tired: nap time can interfere with your sleeping time at night. If you feel tired, do some exercises, this will chase away your sleep.
- Try to schedule your time of getting up: in order to maintain a functional sleep schedule, being consistent is the key. Training your mind to wake up at a certain hour will help set the cock in your mind properly. Finding a good reason that you enjoy waking up in the morning is advised too.
- Adjust and manipulate your lightning: being exposed to evening light can affect your body clock to later scheduling. That’s why reducing exposure before bedtime can be an effective and simple step. Of course, when rebooting your sleep schedule, you’ll want to minimize the screen time to wisely avoid blue light. You may consider trying light therapy to readjust your rhythm.
- Don’t eat or exercise too close before bedtime: food and exercises can act as energy boosters, and thus can keep you awake at night. That’s why, it is recommended to first fast, and then normalize your mealtime. Researchers believe that fasting for around 16 hours will help reset sleep clocks for humans and reduce jetlag while flying through time zones.
Changing your sleep schedule is not easy, particularly if you’ve delayed sleep-phase syndrome, but it can be done with the proper discipline.
References: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/pop-culture/how-reset-your-internal-body-clock-get-some-sleep-ncna870896
https://www.everydayhealth.com/sleep/insomnia/resetting-your-clock.aspx
https://amerisleep.com/blog/reset-sleep-clock/
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