Winter Lights

Responsible for coordinating the dynamic shifts in our body’s physical and mental systems, our circadian rhythms move through a natural daily cycle governed by light exposure.  The circadian ‘clock’ is really the coordination of over 20,000 nerve cells within our brain’s hypothalamus. Our circadian rhythms are not only responsible for guiding our sleep-wake cycle but also impact our body’s immune system, hormonal balance, cellular repair and overall cognition. 

These rhythms are perhaps most noticeable when daylight savings time forces a shift in our waking hours. As we experience the winter season, we’re again exposed to less light in our days. According to a Huberman Lab podcast, factors like jet lag and screen time (and blue light) also disrupt the timing of our light exposure, which can lead to sleep deprivation and a decline in cognitive functioning. Our wakefulness happens with a release of the hormone cortisol and epinephrine from our adrenal glands. The cycle begins, and follows several hours later with the body’s release of melatonin. By optimizing light exposure early in the day, we’re ensuring our hormonal wakefulness and sleepiness signals set us up for good health.  

I start each day with a special alarm clock that simulates the sun rising. By turning on the lights in my home, I’m signaling to my brain that it’s time to be alert. This is a particularly helpful practice this time of year, when it’s often dark outside when we wake. I find this practice more potent than a cup of coffee. After around 3pm, I slowly dim our lights, shifting from overhead exposure to lamp-lit rooms. 

I encourage you and your family to start light rituals at the beginning and end of the day, to help decompress and prepare our bodies for restorative sleep and to reinvigorate our brains when we wake.

The podcast episode I referenced is “Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake” from Huberman Labs Essentials. For books about circadian rhythms and our body’s natural clock, I recommend The Inner Clock by Lynne Peeples and The Circadian Code, by Satchin Panda, Phd.