Get in Step with the Light

Have you noticed the light changing? The mornings are a little darker, the sun sets a little earlier, and in many places, leaves are beginning to turn. The shift looks different depending on where you live, but across the country, the days are getting shorter. Trees respond to that change in light. So do we.

As daylight decreases, trees make less chlorophyll, the pigment that keeps leaves green. That lets the yellow and orange pigments already in the leaves show through. Some leaves produce red pigments, too. Changing light helps tell the trees to prepare for winter.

Light helps set our rhythm, too.

​Our circadian rhythm is our internal 24-hour clock. It helps organize when we feel alert, when we get sleepy, and the daily timing of things like hormones, appetite, and body temperature. Light reaching our eyes is one of the strongest signals that keeps that clock in step with the day.

Anchoring your circadian rhythm to natural light can give your performance a boost. It helps your body recognize when it is time to be alert and active, and when it is time to wind down and recover.

As the light shifts, we can give our bodies clearer cues to set our circadian rhythm in a few key ways:

• Start with morning light. Get outside for about 10 minutes within an hour of walking up. Look at the sky or the landscape, never directly at the sun. If it feels comfortable and safe, leave your sunglasses off for those few minutes; regular prescription glasses are fine. This process still works on a cloudy day.

• Catch the late-day light, too. Step outside or take a walk before sunset. Notice the light changing as the day winds down.

• Let nighttime be darker. Lower bright lights and step away from bright screens as bedtime approaches. Bright light late in the evening can delay the signals that help us feel sleepy.

Practice these circadian rhythm steps and set yourself up for a well deserved night time of sleep.

​💙 Collins, Jill, Susan