Reset Your Body Clock to Become a Morning Person

Some people are naturally morning people. These people love to jump out of bed, full of vim and vigor, as soon as the sun rises or not much later. They are the folks who pack their mornings with activities -- exercising, meditating, reading the newspaper, and even walking the dog or mowing the lawn before work. 

However, if you struggle to get up in the morning and feel groggy when you finally do manage to pull yourself out of bed, you are not alone. Plenty of people feel their most alert at night, and it is not hard to fall into the habit of staying up late, even when you know you have to get up early in the morning. Poor sleep habits such as these can throw off your body's natural circadian rhythms and affect your health. But with some lifestyle changes and help from the chiropractors here at Lifetime Health and Wellness, you can reset your body clock to enjoy higher energy and greater alertness in the morning.

Health and Your Circadian Rhythms

Human beings, like many other animals, are naturally inclined to sleep when the sun goes down and wake up when the sun rises. But our modern lifestyles, which encourage us to stay awake past sunset and expose us to many sources of light even after the sun has gone down, contribute to throwing off the body's natural clock. You can reset your body's circadian rhythms by working toward optimum health of your body's system. Regular chiropractic visits help guarantee optimum functioning of the nervous system, which facilitates optimum functioning of all the other body's systems. The healthier your body is, the more likely you will be to enjoy normal circadian rhythms.

Lifestyle changes can help you reset your body clock. Studies have shown that a week of outdoor camping, free from electronic devices, can help your body learn to go to sleep and rise with the sun. Practice good sleep hygiene by avoiding screen devices after sunset, or using a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses to look at your computer or tablet. Reserve the bedroom only for sleep. Go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends.

Make sure you get at least 30 minutes of exercise five or more days a week. Exercise vigorously for a few minutes first thing in the morning to get your blood pumping and boost alertness early in the day. Get some natural sunlight as soon as possible after you wake up. If you can, take a short nap at about 2:00 p.m., when you should be feeling most sluggish. Do not nap for longer than 45 minutes; otherwise, your brain could fall into shortwave sleep and cause lingering grogginess after you wake up. Eat when you are feeling most alert. Follow these guidelines, and soon your body clock will be ticking normally again.