What is your biological clock?
Your biological clock regulates a lot in your body. It is, as it were, an internal timing mechanism in your body that regulates biological processes. This includes the sleep-wake rhythm, hormone release, and body temperature. The circadian clock - as the biorhythm is also called - lasts approximately 24 hours and is synchronized with the day-night cycle.
How does your biological clock affect sleep?
Regulation of the sleep-wake rhythm
Your biological clock plays an important role in regulating the sleep-wake rhythm. It ensures that we feel sleepy at the end of the day and awake and alert during the day. For example, the biological clock regulates the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps the body prepare for sleep. In the evening, your melatonin levels increase, giving you that sleepy feeling.
Sleep quality
The biological clock also affects the quality of sleep. People naturally have different sleep times determined by their internal clock, known as chronotype. Evening types (night owls) tend to go to bed later and wake up later, while morning types (early birds) go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.
Disruption
Your biorhythm can be disrupted by, for example, night shifts or shifts with an irregular sleep pattern. The same applies to parties until the early hours. A jet lag can also cause a lot of disruption, because when you travel to a different time zone, you may notice that you are sleepy during the day or have difficulty falling asleep at night. In addition, artificial light also affects your biological clock. Your body adjusts to light and dark if it's time to go to sleep; if you look at screens for a long time in the evening, you might find it harder to fall asleep because your melatonin hasn't been produced properly yet. Caffeine, stress, and other health problems can also affect your biorhythm.
Supporting your biological clock
The clock will be moved on March 31, 2024; at 02:00 in the morning, the clock will go forward by an hour. This also affects your biological clock and your rhythm. You can support yourself with the following tips, not only when the clock is changed, but especially throughout the year ;)
- A regular sleep schedule: try to go to sleep around the same time every day and wake up around the same time. Yep... even on weekends. This helps your body develop a consistent sleep-wake cycle and stabilize your own biological clock.
- Natural light: Go outside as soon as you wake up and try to see as much natural light as possible throughout the day. This helps you stay more alert during the day.
- Artificial light: In the evening, turn on as few lights as possible and look at screens of laptops, TVs, phones, or tablets as little as possible. This light can suppress the release of melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep.
- Evening routine: Create a pleasant evening routine for yourself to prepare for bed. You can think of showering, lighting candles, reading a book, and meditating. As long as it is soothing, it helps your body relax. It also helps to maintain a similar routine so that you 'recognize' the moment you prepare for bed and your body gets ready for it.
- Exercise: Make sure you exercise enough and stay active during the day; it can help you get a better night's sleep. Also, make sure not to train intensely right before bed, as the energy released then actually makes you feel more awake.
