Fact checked by Jonathan Eilenberg, CPE
Jonathan Eilenberg, CPE
Jonathan Eilenberg is a Certified Professional Ergonomist who is a Senior Ergonomics Engineer at Casper with over 6 years of experience in occupational injury prevention.
You can learn how to reset your circadian rhythm by optimizing your light and dark exposure, limiting your consumption of caffeine and alcohol, and creating a supportive sleep environment.
Rise with the sun, sleep with the moon: that’s your body’s natural inclination, thanks to your circadian rhythm. In the modern era of phone screens and night shifts, however, it doesn’t always happen that way.
As easy as it is to derail your circadian clock rhythm, it’s possible to get it back on track and fix your sleep schedule.
That starts with sleeping on the right mattress. We’ve got all the details right here.
Also known as a sleep-wake cycle, your circadian rhythm is part of your internal clock that influences when you fall asleep and wake up naturally.1
A wide variety of factors influence your circadian rhythm, including1:
Your circadian rhythm is controlled by a small bundle of brain cells known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).1
When the SCN receives sleepy signals, like low light, it alerts your body to produce the hormone melatonin, which makes you feel tired.1 And in the morning, your melatonin levels drop off, signaling that it’s time to get moving.2
Sleep is essential to resetting your body after a day of wakefulness and preparing you for the day to come. When your ability to get quality sleep is impaired by an unsynced circadian rhythm, it can cause both short- and long-term effects, such as1:
Like all homeostatic systems, the purpose of your circadian rhythm is to create balance. And if that balance is disrupted, the effects can reverberate throughout your body and your busy schedule.
There are a number of situations that can throw off your circadian rhythm. Some, like jet lag, are temporary issues, while others can overstay their welcome.3
To discern whether you may have a circadian rhythm disorder, look for these common symptoms3:
Circadian rhythm disorders are disruptive, but they aren’t permanent. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you can sleep and wake up the way nature intends you to.
Take back control of your natural sleep schedule by following these bedtime (and daytime) tips on how to fix your circadian rhythm.
Your body can adapt better to small changes over a prolonged period of time rather than a sudden, dramatic one.
Before you quit sleeping-in cold turkey, try this gradual sleep adjustment strategy:
Your circadian rhythm is heavily influenced by bright light because your SCN is wired directly to your retinas.4 So, the more light your eyes absorb, the more awake you’ll feel. If you struggle to keep your eyes open during the day, you may need to brighten up your environment.
Here’s how you can get a little more face time with the sun during the day:
If you live somewhere that doesn’t get much sun or you’re suffering from jet lag (learn more about sleep and travel), you can expose yourself to artificial light that mimics the sun’s rays. Bright, cold-toned light is best.4
Before lightbulbs and electronic screens, it got dark after sunset. Now, though, it can be daytime 24/7. While you know that electric light isn’t natural, your body is programmed to think it’s the real deal—and that can wreak havoc on your circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.
Blue light is particularly disruptive to your sleep quality because it mimics natural sunlight.5
When you look at blue light sources, like cell phones, TVs, and computers, you’re essentially tricking your body into believing it’s daytime, therefore, wake time.
To signal to your brain that it’s time to drift off to dreamland, implement these light-reducing strategies into your bedtime routine:
While your central internal clock (the SCN) lives in your brain, you have lots of peripheral clocks in your other organs, most notably in your musculoskeletal system.6 These clocks receive signals based on when you eat and when you’re active; they regulate internal systems like your metabolism and energy use, which in turn affects sleep.6
One study found that late-night eating reduces the length of the restorative stage of sleep known as rapid eye movement (REM), which can leave you feeling tired the next day.7 And exercise raises your body temperature and endorphin levels, which keep you awake.8
To optimize the effects of your exercise and diet — and regulate your sleep-wake times — try to:
Caffeine and alcohol produce opposite effects. Caffeine keeps you alert, while alcohol sedates you. One thing they do have in common: they both have the power to disrupt your sleep cycle.
Caffeine has a long half-life of five to seven hours, so it continues to influence you even after its stimulating effects wear off, including during sleep.9 Both caffeine and alcohol suppress REM sleep, leaving you tired even after you just woke up.9
Here are the recommended cut-off times for each drink9:
External aids for healthy habit-forming aren’t something to sleep on. To more effectively reset your circadian rhythm, you can:
Once the balance is restored, it takes a bit of intentionality to keep it there. Here’s what you can do to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
After your circadian reset, it’s important to keep your sleep and wake times consistent. (Yes, even on the weekends). To stay in sync with your circadian rhythm, try:
If you find wearable sleep tech and analytic apps useful for resetting your circadian rhythm, continue to leverage them to track your positive habits and keep yourself accountable. You can also try writing in a sleep diary to record your subjective experiences.
Sleep hygiene is the set of behaviors and conditions that help you sleep better. In addition to developing positive habits like sleeping and waking consistently, or limiting blue light exposure before bed, sleep hygiene also involves creating a supportive environment for sleep.
To transform your bedroom into an ideal sleep environment, the natural first step is to evaluate your mattress. Experts recommend that you replace your mattress every seven to ten years,12 but if your current mattress is keeping you up at night, it’s probably time for an upgrade.
A quality mattress should be:
Casper mattresses not only meet these goals but exceed them. With a Casper mattress, you’ll be in bed like clockwork.
Here are easier changes you can make to your bedroom for the most consistent sleep possible:
Once you’ve made positive sleep hygiene into a habit, it’ll take more than a time zone switch or a closing shift to disrupt your circadian rhythm.
Kick off your sleep reset with a new mattress from Casper. Each of our models has something special to offer, from Zoned Support™, to Breathe Flex Foam, to advanced Snow Technology. No matter which mattress, bed sheets, or pillow you choose, you’ll sleep more soundly, guaranteed.
Compare our models online or visit one of our in-person Sleep Shops today.
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