Reboot your body clock: how to stay in tune with your natural rhythm

Don't lose sleep over losing sleep! Read this article for tips that will help give you a peaceful night's rest.

If you find yourself wide awake scrolling through Instagram at 3am, then you may need to reset your body clock and get back in tune with your natural rhythm.

Not getting enough sleep is a common problem these days because our body clocks, which control our sleep schedules, are sensitive to light, like how much sunlight we’re exposed to throughout the day and what types of light we’re exposed to at night. On top of this, things like travelling across time zones, working night shifts or pulling an all-nighter throw off our sleep patterns because we’re telling our bodies to sleep at different times to our internal clocks.

Sleep deprivation danger

It's important to know the effects of a prolonged period of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation does more than just leave you tired and grumpy during the day. It drains your mental and physical abilities and prevents your immune system from building up its forces. If you're not getting enough sleep your body may not be able to fight off infections and you may take longer to recover from illness. Other effects of sleep deprivation include increased risk of heart disease, impaired memory retention, risk of diabetes and an increased risk of depression.

So, let's reboot that body clock

We all have what we refer to as an internal body clock or biological schedule, and this regulates our bodies' circadian rhythms - the patterns of physical, mental, and behavioral changes, including sleep patterns, regulated by body temperature, hormone secretion, and external factors like light and darkness - according to the National Institutes of Health.

The way our body clock should work is to regulate sleep patterns and energy levels in accordance with the rising and setting of the sun. However, we all know that doesn’t always happen… hello, 2am phone checking or series binging.

Here are a few steps to reboot your body clock:

Being consistent is important in creating and maintaining a healthy sleep pattern. Decide what time suits you to go to sleep at night (giving yourself 6 to 9 hours sleep) and stick to that. On weekends try not to vary from that time by more than an hour, especially if you’re trying to reset your body clock after long-distance travel, night shifts at work or staying up late a lot more than usual.

Create a relaxing ritual at bedtime and in the morning to help get you back to your natural rhythm. Try doing some light exercise like stretching in the hour or so leading up to climbing into bed - this may help relax you and calm the mind.

Dim the lights as the sun sets, turn off the TV and don’t use your phone or computer at least two hours before bed. Light plays a huge role in our sleep patterns, so it's advisable to avoid exposure to light too close to bedtime.

Open the curtains come morning or turn on the light and get up and go outside for your morning coffee…the natural light is perfect for resetting your body clock.

If you're going to nap during the day do not nap longer than 15 to 20 minutes.

Let your digestive system have a rest too… don't eat too close to bedtime as this will keep your digestive system wide awake, which may lead to a restless night.

Overall, everyone's ideal hours of sleep varies from person to person, and it's up to you to form a bedtime routine that suits you. Be strict with yourself when trying to correct an out-of-whack sleep pattern and you'll soon be feeling well rested with greater energy levels.

Or is that levelzzz…