Circadian Rhythm and Earthing
Circadian rhythm is the name given to your body’s 24-hour “internal clock.” Our internal clock controls our body’s natural rhythm of wake and sleep.
One of the elements to help keep this in sync is the visual of light hours and specifically, the type of light, brightness and the amount of time we are exposed to light - which leads into another thought about season sadness disorder; but thats for another time.
Light is transmitted through our eyes and into our brain and our “control centre”
There are other influencers of your body’s internal clock, including age, sleep sensitivity and melatonin levels.
When are “internal clock” is out of balance it can create sleep disorders involving:
The difficulty in falling asleep.
Struggling to stay asleep and and continued interruption of sleep, waking up often.
You wake up too early and can’t go back to sleep.
These disruptions can be caused by your imbalance of your internal clock and outside factors such as shift work, illness and social engagements.
Short-term consequences of sleep disruption include an increased stress responsivity, somatic pain, reduced cognitive ability, emotional distress and mood disorders, poor or foggy memory, and performance deficits.
Circadian rhythm encompasses much more than just the sleep-wake cycle–it’s also how your body coordinates the 24-hour cycle of precise biochemical reactions that are crucial for optimal health.
When we live a life of imbalance and disconnected from the earth, we also disconnect form our natural internal sense of time which can also create physical imbalances such as inflammation, autoimmune, blood pressure imbalances and lower mood.
Earthing ( bare skin to earth) Sunlight, forest bathing and river / water submersion, all connect you with the extremely low frequency (ELF) of the earth’s Schumann Resonance which informs our internal clock and enables us to rebalance once again. gets us back in sync..
Earthing yields quantifiable changes in diurnal circadian cortisol secretion levels that can improve sleep.
Grounding’s regulating effect on circadian rhythm prepares your body for sleep hormonally, while its stress-reduction qualities lower anxiety and other symptoms that can make it hard to fall or stay asleep.
Earthing helps prevent insomnia, quickens sleep onset, and results in a deeper, more restorative night’s sleep.
For more on the effects of grouping - check out our previous blog that offers studies and a focus on some of the physical benefits HERE
Everyone can add earthing into their daily routine, there are so many ways to do this and its finding what works with your lifestyle
A morning cup of tea on the grass bare footes
Gardening barefoot
Walking along a beach
Having a picnic the your skin touching the ground
The simpler you can make it, the more you will use it.