How to Support Your Circadian Rhythm in Winter
As we move toward the shortest day of the year, it’s a natural time to reflect on how we can support our health during the darkest season.
Chinese medicine teaches that health is a reflection of how well we live in harmony with the natural world. Our well-being depends on the dynamic balance of yin and yang within the body.
The darker months of fall and winter present a unique challenge in modern times. Artificial lighting and constant technology use have profoundly disrupted the light–dark cycles that form the foundation of our body’s ability to adapt and regulate.
We are bodies of water, regulated by light.
In other words, our personal YIN is largely regulated by the great YANG of the sun. The fluids within our body, including our bloodstream and all of it's functions and communication signals, are impacted fundamentally by the sun's full spectrum of different wavelengths of light.
The eyes are part of the brain, and connect to the hypothalamus via the retinohypothalamic tract. So all pathways in the body that begin with the hypothalamus-pituitary axis (including the adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid, thymus, reproductive organs, autonomic nervous system, the immune response and metabolism) are regulated by light exposure.
One of the most impactful things we can do in the winter to maintain health and stay attuned to the season is to be intentional about how we engage with environmental light signals. We want to make the very most of the limited amount of Yang Qi we are exposed to during this season.
Key ways to support the circadian rhythm in winter:
Synching our naked eyes (no contacts or glasses) with the sunrise before any other light input- For at least 5 minutes. The important rays penetrate clouds, so this is important rain or shine. Being outside is best, but skygazing through an open window or door is better than not doing it at all. If you have to be up before the sunrise, using orange lens glasses will protect your eyes from the blue light that is particularly confusing to the circadian rhythm. (The MyCircardian app is helpful to know the time of sunrise and UVA rise. Remember to check it the night before so you don’t have to look at a screen before sunrise!)
Getting outside during the day with naked eyes for at least 20 minutes will expose us to healthy levels of UVA light, another important signal for regulating the circadian rhythm. 20 minutes is a minimum- The more, the merrier (literally!)
Block artificial light- Especially after sunset. Blue lightwaves from indoor lighting and screens signal to our brains that it’s not time to make melatonin, which is crucial not only for good sleep but also as the master antioxidant in the body. Orange or red lens glasses can help mitigate whatever blue light can’t be avoided after sunset.
Sleeping in total darkness optimizes the body’s melatonin production. This might mean black out curtains, unplugging any sources of light, and/or wearing an eye mask. The importance of high quality melatonin production- especially in the winter- cannot be overstated!
Basically, our bodies need to know what time (and season) it is. When they do, they are able to function optimally. Other ways we can support our body’s orientation to time during this Yin season include:
Eating local, seasonally appropriate food. You can sign up for a CSA with a local farm, and/or look up a chart of seasonal produce in the PNW. Protein and healthy fats are more seasonally appropriate than carbs at this time of year.
Cold exposure- In moderation! This can be dysregulating if you’re extremely out of balance so you may need to work your way up on this. Increasingly cold blasts at the end of a shower can be a good way to ease into it (unless you’re currently menstruating, in which case stay warm).
Eat breakfast within 1 hour of sunrise, and dinner no later than sunset, if possible. If you are doing intermittent fasting, shorten your eating window in the PM, not the AM. A high protein breakfast helps stabilize cortisol and blood sugar levels for the day.
Acupuncture helps regulate the nervous system and creates a sense of safety in the body- Crucial for healing and staying balanced through every season! It also supports your body in being more efficient with the relatively low yang qi of winter.
Light, food and breath are the 3 main sources of Qi for the human body. In the winter, because the light is so limited, we want to make the most of the light we do have, but also capitalize on breath and food as sources of energy.
Remember to breathe deeply!
Winter invites us to slow down and rest, giving our bodies a chance to restore and repair. With a little bit of intention and education, there are plenty of simple ways to powerfully support the well-being of our body/mind/spirit in this season where it can feel hard to stay balanced. Healthy winters mean healthy springs, and before you know it you’ve entered a new cycle of health creation- Salugenesis!