5 Things You Didn't Realize Were Messing With Circadian Rhythm, From Sleep Experts

You probably have an idea of what the circadian rhythm is: It's your internal clock that determines when you wake up, when you go to sleep, and how your energy fluctuates throughout the day. And just as there are things you can do to support your body's clock, there are also certain things that mess with it.

Light during the day (and lack thereof at night) is arguably the most influential factor to your circadian rhythm. Natural light from the sun is picked up by the suprachiasmatic nucleus1 (SCN) in your brain, which essentially lets your body know it's daytime and you need to be alert, physician Eva Selhub, M.D., previously wrote for mbg. "As the light diminishes and then disappears, the clock signals the body that it is time to sleep," she adds.

At one point or another, you've likely experienced the frustration of trying to fall asleep when stressed, so it may come as no surprise that stress isn't great for your circadian rhythm. As board-certified sleep specialist Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., previously told mbg, stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, which then causes a release of the stress hormone cortisol.

Not only does cortisol keep us awake, but the circadian rhythm plays a hand in the release of hormones throughout the day, so elevated cortisol at the wrong times is going to throw off your body's schedule.

Sleep and exercise have something called a bidirectional relationship3. Essentially, exercising improves sleep, and quality sleep improves your gym gains. But on the flip side, not exercising negatively affects sleep, and poor sleep negatively affects your workout.

And last but not least, if you're one for a large and late dinner, you might want to ditch that habit. Research out of Harvard has found we have a food-related clock that influences sleep and further, that fasting can even help you readjust your circadian rhythm when you're jet lagged.

If you feel like your circadian rhythm has been wonky, and you're doing any (or all) of the five aforementioned things, that's where you'll want to start.

Have a consistent daily schedule, including when you wake up, go to sleep, exercise, and eat meals. On top of that, try to limit stress and lean into the impact of light, avoiding lights at night, but getting plenty of light during the day.