Understanding Your Circadian Rhythm – The Body’s Natural Timekeeper

The Science Behind Your Body’s Internal Clock

Have you ever felt wide awake at night but sluggish during the day, even when you’ve had enough sleep? Or noticed how traveling to a new time zone leaves you feeling “off” for days? That’s your circadian rhythm at work – or more accurately, out of sync. Understanding this natural, built-in clock can help you improve your energy, mood, sleep, and even recover from jet lag faster.

Let’s unpack what the circadian rhythm is, how it works, and most importantly – how you can nourish it to feel your best.

What Is the Circadian Rhythm?

The circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock. It’s a 24-hour cycle that helps regulate your sleep, energy levels, hormone release, digestion, and even your mood.

Think of it like your body’s personal time management system, telling you when to feel alert, when to wind down, and even when to heal. And just like any clock, it needs to be set and maintained – or everything falls out of rhythm.

Where In The Body Is It Located?

At the heart of your circadian rhythm lies the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) – a tiny bundle of about 20,000 nerve cells located in the hypothalamus part of your brain.

The SCN reads signals from your environment, especially light, and tells the rest of your body what time it is. Based on this input, it adjusts your internal systems to match, like a conductor leading an orchestra. Your organs, tissues, and even individual cells have their own mini-clocks – all synced to the master clock in your brain.

How Does the Circadian Rhythm Work?

Your circadian rhythm is deeply influenced by environmental cues, especially:

• Light: Natural sunlight is the biggest factor. When light enters your eyes, the SCN signals to stop melatonin (the sleep hormone) production, making you feel awake. When it gets dark, melatonin ramps up, preparing your body for sleep.
• Temperature: Body temperature rises in the morning and falls in the evening, supporting wakefulness and sleep in turn.
• Eating Patterns: The timing of your meals can reset clocks in your liver, pancreas, and gut, impacting your metabolism and digestion.

Why Is It Important?

When your circadian rhythm is in balance, you feel:

• Energetic and focused during the day
• Sleepy and calm at night
• Balanced in mood and digestion

When it’s disrupted – by shift work, jet lag, irregular sleep, too much artificial light, or even stress – the effects can show up as:

• Poor sleep quality
• Low energy and brain fog
• Mood swings and irritability
• Weight gain and metabolic issues
• Weakened immunity

A 2017 study published in Current Biology showed that circadian disruption can even raise the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

How to Nourish and Reset Your Circadian Rhythm

Luckily, there are simple, science-backed habits you can use to support and reset your natural rhythm.

1. Embrace Natural Light, Especially in the Morning

Sunlight is the ultimate reset button for your circadian clock. Exposure to natural light early in the day helps suppress melatonin, boosting your alertness and mood.

2. Ground Yourself with Earthing

Earthing, or walking barefoot on natural surfaces like grass, soil, or sand, helps restore electrical balance in the body. Studies (e.g., Chevalier et al., 2012) show that direct skin contact with the Earth can reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and normalize cortisol (your stress hormone) – which in turn supports a healthy circadian rhythm. Earthing can be especially helpful for recovering from jet lag!

3. Dim the Lights After Sunset

Artificial light – especially the blue light from screens – tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, blocking melatonin release. One way you can help with this is to utilise the “night mode” feature on your smartphone, which will adjust your screen lighting to remove hues of blue.

4. Eat With the Sun

Your digestive system is tied to your circadian rhythm too. Eating late at night can confuse your body’s clocks, leading to poor sleep and weight gain. If possible, try and eat at hours that feel most nourishing for your body.

5. Create a Consistent Sleep-Wake Schedule

Your body loves routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day – even on weekends – helps to keep your internal clock balanced.

When you begin to work with your circadian rhythm instead of against it, you’ll notice the difference in every corner of your life.

Your sleep becomes deeper, your mind clearer, your energy more stable. Even your mood and digestion begin to fall into place, because your body finally has the rhythm it’s designed to follow. Small changes like stepping outside for morning light or eating meals earlier can create powerful shifts over time.

The beauty of this system is that it’s already built into you – you just need to listen. Whether it’s through adjusting your sleep schedule, connecting with nature through earthing, or limiting artificial light at night, each choice you make sends your body a signal: you are safe, you are cared for, and you are in sync.

Your body wants balance, and the more you respect that rhythm, the more it rewards you with health and resilience.