"You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop" - Rumi
A woman I know went to a university-based sleep clinic for a consultation regarding her chronic insomnia. In addition to questions related to the temperature and darkness of her bedroom, she was asked about her activities in the hours prior to bedtime. She recorded her eating habits as well as alcohol and caffeine consumption, and logged all her bedtime screen habits, including texting, email, and watching television. The consultation provided a clear picture of which nighttime habits promoted sleep and those that kept her awake. She was prescribed melatonin supplements and a regimen of sleep hygiene behaviors, which she followed diligently for several weeks. After a few months, falling asleep is less of a struggle but insomnia still disrupts her life.
What surprised me about this consultation is that very little attention was given to this woman’s daily routines. The clinic collected data that focused exclusively on what happened in the hours just before sleep, which are, of course, important, but are only part of the story. What happens during the day is equally important. Most of us know that a day spent outdoors hiking, biking, swimming, or even gardening, devoid of electronic devices, can be the perfect recipe for a deep, restful slumber. Current sleep research is confirming what we all know intuitively--what we do during the day, from sunrise to sunset, determines the quantity and quality of our sleep.
Patterns are formed by contrasts; nature is a master at creating contrasts. The moon waxes and wanes, the sun rises and sets, the tides rise and fall. Seasons flow through the contrast of cold, dry winters into hot, humid summers. All things in nature follow a similar pattern of life which starts at birth and builds into a state of flourishing, followed by decline and eventual death. These predictable rhythms that flow between opposites provide stability in our daily life. Imagine the chaos we’d experience if the sun set at random times every day. Nature’s patterns are the scaffolding upon which we build each new day and form the foundation of our daily routines.
In addition to the predictable patterns in our external world, we also have our own internal rhythms that are ruled by various physiological, psychological, and emotional factors. We have sensors located throughout the body in our organs as well as the brain that regulate a number of activities that signal when it is time to be active and when we should rest. These internal signals make up our circadian rhythms—the physical, mental, and behavioral processes that fluctuate over a 24-hour period. They are cued by our external environment--primarily light and dark--as well as temperature, but are also strongly influenced by social cues, culture, and emotional states.
Our health is strongly influenced by how closely our circadian rhythms are in sync with the natural environment. Whenever possible, our daily activities should mirror what is happening in nature. Research shows that the quality of our sleep is strongly influenced by exposure to natural light throughout the day. The production of melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep cycles that is produced in the pineal gland, is at its lowest levels just before sunrise. Melatonin production is influenced by natural light, with levels rising slowly throughout the day, peaking as the sun goes down. Sufficient exposure to natural light during the day facilitates its production and provides a smooth transition into a restful sleep. Artificial light, including streetlamps, computers, phones, and other electronic devices, interrupts the production of melatonin. Spending a day inside a windowless building or staring at a computer screen in a room full of artificial light can cause our circadian rhythms to get out of whack. Rising with the sun along with exposure to natural light at different times during the day has been shown to be the most effective way to keep melatonin at the proper levels throughout the day.
Healthy daily habits have two components: what we do is just as important as when we do it. A healthy behavior can become an unhealthy habit if it is out of sync with our circadian rhythms. I once taught several high intensity boot camp classes during the week in the evenings. After teaching I was exhausted but could not fall asleep. I have always been an early riser, so the timing of the exercise was out of sync with my natural cycles of activity and rest. As my body was winding down, I was revving my engines with airborne jumping jacks and squat thrusts. These classes normally would have improved my fitness had I taught them earlier in the day. Since they were in the evening, they drained my energy and eventually led to several injuries.
Daily habits provide a measure of consistency, predictability, and structure to our day. Life can be chaotic, hijacking our attention and requiring numerous decisions throughout the day. Following a routine makes our days more efficient and reduces the potential for decision fatigue. When the bulk of your day is complicated, demanding, or emotionally charged, a daily routine keeps you grounded. However, it is important we regularly examine the energy that fuels these habits to be sure they meet our needs. Some habits bring ease to our life, but others can hold us in a vice grip. Daily habits should be nurturing, helping us to flow easily within our internal and external world. Habits that are unhealthy become ruts that imprison us in rigid and confining patterns.
Some habits have universally been shown to improve our health. Consistency in our daily routines, including the times we arise and go to sleep, mealtimes, and when we exercise, are critical in regulating metabolism, blood pressure, and sleep cycles. One habit that is gaining worldwide attention is the importance of daily time in nature. Spending time in forests, gardens, or any type of greenery has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure, improve mood, and lower stress. Even short periods in nature can initiate the same physiological responses that are associated with meditation. The effects of nature are not entirely psychological. Trees emit organic compounds called phytoncides which are released to fend off fungal and insect infestations. Phytoncides are released to boost immunity not only for a single tree, but also to other trees in the surrounding area. These airborne compounds have been found to give humans a boost as well, as our immune response increases even after a brief exposure to trees. Other compounds released by trees, such as cedar oils, have been shown to have a calming effect on our breathing and heart rates. As the list of health benefits grows with our understanding of our relationship with the natural world, a daily habit of spending time in nature should be an important part of our routine.
How well do your daily habits support you, make your day easier to navigate, and help you to grow? It is helpful to examine how your daily routines sync with your internal rhythms. Do your food choices leave you with enhanced energy or do they weigh you down, drain you, or cause distress? What are your movement patterns? How often do you get outside? Identify all the habits that time stamp your day. Are they consistent and supportive or are they haphazard, unpredictable? Do they free your mind or do they restrict growth?
Not all habits flow smoothly with our internal rhythms. We live in a world with responsibilities, deadlines, and expectations, many of which are artificially imposed and out of sync with nature. Your circumstances may require that you exercise earlier or later than you would prefer or eat at times that are less than ideal. You may be stuck in a windowless building or be required to stare at a computer screen for hours. Luckily, the overall quality of our lives is not defined solely by our unhealthy habits. It is essential to develop a core set of habits that are strong enough to counterbalance the ones that are less than ideal. A habit of regularly stepping away from your desk and walking outside, waking up earlier to arise with the sun, taking a short stroll in the woods—these are simple steps that can, with time, offset those less than desirable choices. Healthy habits give us leverage when life is challenging. Even one healthy habit can provide enough support to bring us closer to finding balance in our daily lives.
Each new day awakens with possibilities. How we spend those days becomes the microcosm of our entire life. The patterns we establish in the space of time we call a day can either open us to possibilities or confine us in ruts. I invite you to look for the habits that give you leverage, those that nurture and synchronize your internal rhythms with the patterns of nature. Explore ways to flow with the rhythms of nature and remain open to the full potential that unfolds in each precious 24-hour cycle that we call a day.
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