Listed as one of the top wellness trends of 2023, sleep syncing consists in aligning your internal body clock with your everyday routine. In other words, redesigning your routine in a way that ensures you are sleeping and waking when you should be, rather than when you can.
Some of the most important cognitive and physical processes take place during sleep and actively managing our sleeping time not only improves the quality of our rest and our energy levels, but can also help prevent neurodegenerative diseases, keep your weight in check, and be more productive.
How to Sleep Sync
Although our routine might have made it so that we have to sleep around work and responsibilities, this does not mean we need to go on like this forever. Sleep syncing consists in making gradual adjustments to our routine so that over time our lifestyle and biological rhythms become aligned, and we get the most out of a full night’s sleep.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day
To bring our natural body clock back to balance, we need some consistency. By sleeping and waking at the same time every day, even on the weekends, we can make falling asleep and getting out of bed much easier and more pleasant.
- Get some morning sunlight and reduce screen time before bed
Sunlight is the strongest circadian cue, as it lets your body know it’s time to be active. It plays a key role in the production of serotonin, an essential hormone that regulates your mood, energy, and even hunger cues. So, open your curtains straight away or even better, take a morning walk.
Conversely, the hormone melatonin is produced during dark hours and stops upon optic exposure to light. Screen time exposure after dark can disrupt the secretion of this hormone, so it’s important to reduce screen activity as much as possible or use blue light filters for your screens.
- Reduce caffeine and heavy meals after 3 pm
Stimulants such as caffeine can interfere with your body’s natural ability to relax. Likewise, heavy or sugary meals prompt the release of insulin, a hormone that interferes with our sleep-wake cycle.
- Create a pleasant bedtime routine
Meditation, light reading, or taking a bath can help you relax and prepare for bed. Try to do the same every night and stick to your new routine as much as possible.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet
The ideal temperature for sleeping is between 16-19 degrees Celsius. Ideally, a dark and silent environment means that your body and mind won’t have to work harder to relax and fall asleep.
Finally, remember that changing your routine is likely to take some time, and so it will to see the benefits. It’s important to not get discouraged and to embrace all improvements, as little as they may be. Devoting all that time and energy to just sleeping might seem tedious at first, but every waking hour is closely tied to our sleeping time. So, for a more productive, less moody, and much healthier life, start managing your sleep today.
