8 reasons focusing on life's natural rhythms should be what is normal for everyone
Everything in nature has a rhythm. We have seen the rhythms of the ocean and tides, the moon and its phases, and even the seasons.
Have you ever noticed that your body seems to want to wake up at a particular time every morning, even if you haven't set the alarm? Or that you tend to get tired in the evening and go to sleep around the same time each night?
Circadian is Latin for "around a day," and it's the natural 24-hour cycle our bodies follow. This cycle is called your circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is what should be normal for us and affects how we sleep, when we feel hungry, our body temperature and other essential functions. It can affect our mood and energy levels, too.
Usually, when we go to bed, our circadian rhythm will tell us when we should fall asleep and wake up. However, with artificial light sources, late-night social media scrolling, and watching TV in bed, our circadian rhythm can get thrown out of whack — disrupting our sleep cycle.
Why do we all need to focus on what is normal for natural rhythms?
Our circadian rhythms are so powerful that they influence every part of our lives — from mental health to performance at school or work.
Here are seven ways our circadian rhythms affect us:
Regulating sleep-wake cycles — The hormone melatonin is responsible for controlling sleep-wake processes. It is released at night when it's dark, triggering the onset of sleepiness.
Regulating body temperature — The body's temperature rises when we wake up in the morning and falls when we sleep at night.
Triggering hunger and thirst — Hormones such as ghrelin and leptin control our appetite by telling us when we should eat or drink.
Regulating our metabolism — The circadian rhythm works with our metabolism. Our circadian rhythm influences our metabolism because these rhythms control our hormone levels, which govern our metabolism.
Regulating digestion — The circadian rhythm helps digestion by telling the body when to eat and when to fast and how to process nutrients from food. The circadian rhythm also affects gut bacteria, which play a role in digestion.
Utilizing peak performance — When you start to understand what is normal for your body rhythm, you can use your peak energy time. For some people, this would be in the morning and early afternoon; for evening types, this would be late afternoon and evening.
Becoming less stressed — When we work with the body's natural rhythms, it significantly reduces stress levels. By working with nature instead of against it, we can reduce cortisol levels in our bodies, giving us a calmer, more relaxed living experience.
What is normal for us is literally built into us to flow with the natural cycle of God's universe! We need to learn to be attuned and make adjustments. The circadian rhythm is essential to living. It allows us to adapt to our surroundings and put our bodies in a better state for the activity we'll be doing later on. But more importantly, it makes sure that we're awake and alert when we need to be asleep and relaxed when we don't. Getting in tune with the circadian rhythm ensures that we have enough energy and resources to perform essential functions.
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At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. You can also find out what our community's purpose and passion are all about by checking out some of the past sermons we've posted on our website.
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