Originally published in REI
The body likes predictable daily rhythms that are synced up with the sun and the moon. There is no evolutionary precedent for everyone suddenly shifting their circadian rhythm by one hour—it’s like a mini form of jet lag, and it takes a minute for our circadian rhythm to catch up.
The best way to regulate your circadian rhythms is to spend plenty of time outside in natural light during the day, and to expose yourself to the moon and darkness at night. These were the original cues for our circadian rhythm and they’re still more effective than any amount of synthetic melatonin or indoor lights for conducting our body’s symphony of internal rhythms.
Be sure to get bright outdoor light exposure first thing in the morning for the whole family. This will help everyone get on the new circadian rhythm.
