The Importance of Circadian Rhythm for Health

One of the most overlooked aspects of health, obesity and chronic disease: 

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM 

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— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Many people focus on diet & exercise while trying to get healthy

The truth is, eating healthy and exercising simply isn’t enough for us to perform at our best

Being in tune with our circadian rhythm is one of the most underrated factors of health

Let’s take a look👇🏼

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Our circadian rhythm is our body’s internal 24 hour clock.

Almost every single animal on planet earth has these clocks as they are encoded in our DNA. 

Almost every single gene, hormone and brain chemical shuts on and off at different times of the day.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

When these rhythms are thrown off, like if we stay up late watching TV, we feel terrible the next day.

If we continue to disrupt this rhythm for weeks, months, or even years, it can wreak havoc on our metabolic health, gut health and cause many chronic diseases.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Similar to how your brain needs sleep at night and is high functioning during the day, every other organ has its time for peak performance, and rest.

This affects your sleep, mood, metabolism, and even gut microbiome.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Present in the neurons in your eye is a blue light sensing protein called melanopsin.

These neurons are hard wired to our brain, and our circadian clock. 

These neurons are much less sensitive to dim, orange light.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

This is why blue light blocking glasses typically have an orange color.

This is also why candles, and salt lamps are great sources of light at night.

Melanopsin is not activated from this type of light, sending signals to our brain that it’s dark outside.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

This will cause the brain to produce melatonin and help us get a good night’s sleep. 

Blue light fully activates melanopsin.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

This is why going outside first thing in the morning synchronizes your circadian clock, reduces sleepiness and depression, and increases alertness (Do not rely on artificial blue light for this).

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

In today’s day and age, we spend a majority of our time indoors

Most of us do not get proper sunlight early in the morning, and have artificial blue light in our eyes until bedtime

This sends signals to the brain that it is not night time, so we produce less melatonin

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

This can lead to decreased glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and even increase the risk of diabetes, making it one of the most overlooked factors when it comes to weight loss.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

However, light is not the only thing that can affect our circadian rhythm: food plays a major role as well. 

When we first wake up, our body is primed for digestion.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

If we eat too soon before bed, our body is digesting food when it should be repairing itself. 

This is what a lot of people that do intermittent fasting get wrong.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Ways to fix your circadian rhythm:

-Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
-Sunlight immediately upon waking up, before any artificial light
-When the sun goes down, use blue light blocking glasses, and candle light only

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

-Spend as much time outside in the sun as possible
-Eat upon rising
-Don’t have a big meal within 2 hours of bed time
-Avoid caffeine 12 hours before bed
-Use red mode on your phone

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Red mode on iphone: https://t.co/saBkIjIvzk

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Diet and exercise are very important, but if you have chronic circadian disruption, you’ll never live up to your full potential.

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023

Want to lose a guaranteed 30 lb?

-Without spending hours in the kitchen
-Without counting calories
-Without being on a restrictive fad diet
-Without sacrificing gut health or micronutrients

All while eating food you love!

— Cooking with Chris (@coookwithchris) June 14, 2023