Miracles Happen While We Sleep––Circadian Rhythms Continue

Last week I detailed the three segments of daytime––four hours each––that make up the first 12- hours of the circadian cycle. Today, I’m detailing the second 12-hour segment of the 24-hour cycle and what happens in your body while you sleep.

Remember, our bodily functions have their own timing (cycle) for their “care and repair.” How wise is that? Let’s look at the other side of the clock, from 6-pm to 6-am:

• 6pm-10pm: Your wise body begins preparing you for sleep. You may feel a heaviness or drowsiness physically as well as mentally. A regular bedtime supports a healthy internal rhythm so that your organs and glands can do their tasks. You may also support this process by turning off the devices and gadgets to allow your body and mind to slow their pace.

• 10pm-2am: Ideally, you should be snuggled in bed by this time. The “second wind” energy burst may be challenging to resist, but optimal health depends on an earlier bedtime. This is prime-time for repair and “taking-out-the-trash.” The liver and gall-bladder go to work during these hours to repair and replace old-worn-out cells. The liver is a valuable detoxifying organ that needs this time to eliminate excess toxins. You may feel sluggish the following morning, if your liver’s process (cleansing the blood) is interrupted.

• 2am-6am: This “pre-dawn” time is critical for your brain to complete its “dumping” of toxins into the lymph vessels and flushed away. This time is also valuable for the lungs to move energy through your body. If you experience symptoms like coughing, wheezing or constantly clearing your throat, your lungs may be in an imbalanced condition. Traditional Chinese Medicine supports that your body may be telling you to pay attention to long-held emotions of grief and sadness. The large intestine also uses this time to prepare to eliminate wastes accumulated from yesterday’s food intake. It is a healthy habit to wake up and head to the bathroom.

Our modern culture does not support the body’s natural circadian rhythm so we must become intentional in planning our daily––and nightly––routines so that we may live in sync with our natural rhythms and not work against them. Consistency counts. Commitment counts. Your health and vitality count.

The occasional late night out or a morning of sleeping in will not disrupt your natural rhythms. If those “once-in-awhile” events become habitual, then you may begin to notice unpleasant messages (symptoms) that your body is trying to get your attention.

When we slow our pace and observe nature we will see rhythms and patterns all around us. I love to see the shifting seasons when the geese migrate into Colorado for the winter. Some animals migrate while others hibernate. In the plant world, bulbs that have been tucked away for the winter know when spring is near and it’s time to sprout.

This deeper understanding of circadian rhythms has helped me become more intentional in caring for my health. As the years accumulate in my life, I appreciate the opportunity to improve my health, energy and mental outlook. I encourage you to fine-tune your routines to support your body’s rhythms and live health-fully in sync with nature. The human body is an amazing thing!

“We have made clocks that are perfectly in sync with the industrial machinery and the Information Age and perfectly out of sync with nature and our circadian rhythm.”
~ Khang Kijarro Nguyen