What drives our body clock?
Our body’s inner time-keeping system is made up of a central ‘pacemaker’ or ‘master clock’ located in the brain, called the
suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).
This distinct structure in the brain is comprised of about 20,000 nerve cells and is located in the hypothalamus. It sits just above our optic nerves, where it receives information about the amount of incoming light.
A time-keeping powerhouse, the SCN coordinates the numerous biological clocks or specific molecules found in nearly every tissue and organ of the body. This in turn produces and regulates our circadian rhythms.
All up, it’s a complex and finely tuned inner architecture, designed to align our biological functions with environmental patterns (primarily, light and darkness), so we can function at our best.
How do you find your circadian rhythm?
We all experience a similar drive to wake when it’s morning, and increasing drowsiness as the evening wears on, but there are individual variations in our circadian rhythms, known as chronotypes.
Early birds who have no trouble springing out of bed when the alarm goes off have an early chronotype. Night owls, who may be slow to start but perk up as the day goes on, have a late chronotype.
While you can’t change your biological predilection to a certain chronotype, you can work with it. For instance, scheduling challenging work tasks for when you naturally tend to be most productive, and your workout for when you feel most energised. Read ‘How to get more energy’ for plenty of great energy boosting tips
Tapping into better health
Given the far-reaching impact of our circadian rhythms on numerous physiological processes in the body, it follows that getting in step with these rhythms is supportive of good health.
One of the simplest ways to do this? Prioritising sleep, and
good sleeping patterns. Having a consistent sleep schedule, where you wake around the same time every morning and go to bed at the same time each night, even on weekends, helps keep your circadian rhythm in check.
Aiming for between
seven to nine hours shut-eye per night will also ensure you’re properly rested.
Practising good ‘
sleep hygiene’, for instance by having a soothing pre-bed routine and reserving your bedroom for sleep rather than work or entertainment, is also helpful.