Nursing Corner Building Blocks: Sleep and Your Circadian Rhythm
- Katya Bownas RN, PMH-BC
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 12
We’ve always been told to get a good night’s sleep - being tucked into bed at night as young kids, talking to our doctor at our annual checkup, chatting with friends about how exhausted we feel - the refrain is always “Get some sleep!”. Well, it’s true. A healthy bedtime routine and sleep schedule is an essential first step in mental and physical wellbeing, and is a key building block to your overall health. We’ll get into the science behind your circadian rhythm, the importance of sleep hygiene, and how to optimize your night and morning routines for improved rest at night and energy during the day.
Every cell in your body operates on a “clock” - this is your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm is determined by external stimuli such as light as well as internal stimuli such as body temperature and levels of certain hormones in the body. At night, as the sun goes down, our bodies begin to produce more melatonin to prepare us for sleep and our body begins to cool down. Inversely, in the morning as we are exposed to blue light via the sun, our body produces cortisol - which helps us feel awake, alert and energized. Sleep, especially deep sleep, is when the body is able to restore itself and repair any damage, replenish its stores of energy, and prepare for the next day. If we do not reach that level of deep sleep, ideally between 10PM and 2AM, our body is unable to perform the necessary processes to function the following day. This impacts every aspect of our health: our energy, immune system, cognitive functioning, the ability to regulate mood and emotions, and much more. This means that lack of sleep can cause any number of problems from fatigue and increased pain sensitivity to, in extreme cases, psychosis and chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
Having a consistent bedtime routine and sleep schedule is essential for sleep hygiene. Some key things to improve sleep if you’re struggling to get rest are: no blue light (screen time) for at least one hour before bed, creating a cool, dark environment for sleeping, trying to go to bed at relatively the same time each night, and limiting caffeine intake to the AM hours. Additionally, doing some form of physical exercise during the day can help your body to wind down at night - going for a walk or run, doing some afternoon yoga, and other physical activities are all ways to release endorphins and improve your daytime energy as well as increasing nighttime melatonin production. Utilizing things such as aromatherapy, a noise machine, and tactile supports such as weighted blankets may also help to facilitate a restful night.
Your morning routine can also help your body regulate and enhance your energy levels and mood throughout the day. As opposed to wanting to decrease your exposure to blue light in the evenings, in the mornings it is ideal to get direct sunlight between the hours of 7 AM and 12 PM in order to facilitate your healthy cortisol spike and jumpstart your cell functioning. Even just 5-10 minutes of standing in the sun (yes, even if it’s cloudy!) can help you feel more awake and alert throughout the day. Additionally, if you are a morning coffee drinker, it can be beneficial to drink your coffee 60-90 minutes after waking up to avoid that midday slump, as caffeine interferes with the body’s natural cortisol production upon waking, and can throw off your circadian rhythm.
Creating a consistent nighttime and morning routine is an effective way to improve overall wellness, both physically and mentally. If you are someone who struggles with sleep, addressing this important building block to your health will open many more doors for improving and optimizing your life. At Golden State TMS, we can help coach and provide support to ensure that lifestyle factors such as sleep are being focused on in order to provide the best possible outcomes for our patients’ treatment.
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