How To Exercise To Best Serve Your Circadian Rhythm
We all know exercise has many benefits, but did you know it can also help regulate our circadian rhythm? The circadian rhythm is our internal, 24-hour biological clock which helps to regulate our sleep-wake cycles, immune system, hormonal release and stress response. The circadian rhythm is crucial to maintaining good health and disruptions to our internal clock can cause issues like sleep disorders, hormonal dysregulation and a heightened stress response. Our circadian rhythm is regulated by:
- Light and darkness
- Exercise
- Stress
- Food
These environmental cues are essentially ‘timekeepers’ which trigger the release of hormones in the brain and the delivery of chemical signals to tissues, helping us to wake up or get ready to sleep. Exposure to these timekeepers at abnormal times of the day can cause difficulty sleeping, digestive disturbances, and fatigue. If you’ve ever experienced jet lag, you know firsthand what it feels like to have a misaligned circadian rhythm!
Exercise is a powerful regulator of our internal clock. Studies show that scheduling your workouts at different times of the day can help to ‘hack’ your circadian rhythm, assisting with better sleep and increased motivation to continue to exercise.
SO, WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO EXERCISE?
Our circadian rhythm is unique to us so the best time to exercise is when you feel motivated to do it, however morning exercise (around 7am) or midday to mid-afternoon exercise has been shown to have the most significant benefit to our circadian rhythm. Exercising at these times slightly advances our circadian rhythm, allowing us to feel more energised during the day, fall asleep more easily at night and feel more motivated to continue to exercise the next day. Exercising later at night (between 7-10pm) has been shown to delay the circadian phase, leading to poorer sleep quality and worsened fatigue and sluggishness upon waking. Exercising closer to bedtime increases our body temperature and alertness, leading to abnormal melatonin release – a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness, which helps to regulate your circadian rhythm and promote sleep. Light exposure whilst exercising at night can also contribute to this delayed circadian phase.
HOW CAN WE EXERCISE TO SUPPORT OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM?
Based on the research, the best time to exercise is in the morning or midday to mid-afternoon. And the good news is, it doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do - as long as you enjoy it! A morning walk outside is a great choice as this provides the benefit of exercise and natural light exposure – a win-win for your circadian rhythm! Midday sunlight is also beneficial, and a short walk outside is a great way to break up your day and increase energy levels for the afternoon. If you feel like movement at night, a short, low intensity walk after dinner can be helpful in managing blood sugar levels or gentle stretching and restorative yoga before bed can help us to wind down for sleep. Any high-intensity exercise should be performed earlier in the day to avoid delay of the circadian phase and poorer quality sleep.
If you have a schedule that prevents you from exercising earlier in the day, some tips for winding down after nighttime exercise include:
- Have a bedtime ritual – take some time to relax and wind down before bed, reading with a mug of nice hot Moon Mylk is a great way to relax and calm your body and mind!
- Cool down – take some time to allow your body temperature to drop so you don’t feel too warm getting into bed.
- Finish your workout with some gentle stretching or foam rolling to lower the intensity and release tight muscles.
Optimising our circadian rhythm plays an important role in our overall health and exercising in the mornings or midday to mid-afternoon can assist with this. Other steps we can take during the day to regulate our circadian rhythm include avoiding exposure to bright lights close to bedtime, managing our stress levels, eating our meals at regular times and adhering to our normal daily routines as much as possible. Making these small tweaks to our daily lives can help us to improve our circadian rhythm and as a result, our overall health and wellbeing.
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By Georgie Grigg
Georgie Grigg is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with a special interest in holistic health. She works primarily in occupational health and with private clients to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.