You’ve likely heard about the importance of circadian rhythm in relation to your overall health, whether from Andrew Huberman or your doctor. The body’s circadian system, or internal clock, helps regulate almost everything behind the scenes, including hormones, metabolism, and cardiovascular function. When these rhythms are disrupted, it can negatively impact heart and metabolic function, increasing the risk of conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
Recent research published in American Heart Association Journals points to the importance of aligning daily behaviors and habits with the body’s natural circadian rhythms to support overall health. Key factors that help synchronize these rhythms include exposure to natural light, timing of meals, physical activity, and consistent sleep schedules.
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Each of these daily habits plays a major role in keeping the internal rhythm on track. For instance, getting bright light in the morning helps set your internal clock, while avoiding light at night prevents disruptions that can affect metabolic and cardiovascular function.
When these cues are out of sync, however, health problems start to stack up. The study notes, for example, that people who work rotating or overnight shifts where sleep and light exposure constantly change face significantly higher heart disease risk. Even in the general population, irregular sleep patterns and inconsistent daily routines are linked to much higher odds of cardiovascular issues.
Simple, practical strategies to improve circadian health include waking up with morning light, keeping a regular sleep schedule, timing meals and workouts strategically, and minimizing exposure to artificial light after dark. By making these changes, you can better support heart health, maintain a healthy body weight, and reduce the risk of metabolic disease.
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