In the book “How Not to Diet,” Dr. Michael Greger highlights that billions of years of evolution have finely tuned our bodies to the natural twenty-four-hour cycle of light and dark. Our bodies operate according to these daily rhythms, known as circadian rhythms, which impact various aspects of our health and well-being.
The study of innate body rhythms, known as chronobiology, has gained recognition, with the 2017 Nobel Prize in Medicine being awarded for the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms governing our internal circadian clocks. These internal clocks not only regulate our sleep-wake patterns but also influence functions such as digestion, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone levels.
Furthermore, even the trillions of organisms in our gut microbiome have their own circadian rhythms, further highlighting the pervasive influence of these internal clocks on our overall health.
The impact of properly aligning our activities with these innate biorhythms is evident in various aspects of health. For instance, timing chemotherapy to align with the body’s natural rhythms can significantly reduce toxicity and enhance its effectiveness. Similarly, taking blood pressure medications at bedtime can lead to better blood pressure control, ultimately lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Research has also shown that consuming more calories in the morning as opposed to the evening can lead to greater weight loss, improved cholesterol levels, better blood sugar control, and a reduced risk of heart disease. This underscores the profound impact of aligning our eating patterns with our body’s natural rhythms on our overall health.
Conversely, living out of sync with our circadian rhythms can have detrimental effects on health. For example, night shift workers experience higher rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer due to the disruption of their natural body rhythms. Similarly, jet lag and social jet lag, which involves discrepancies in sleep timing between workdays and days off, can contribute to health problems such as obesity.
Additionally, exposure to artificial light in the evening, particularly the blue wavelengths emitted by fluorescent and LED lights, can interfere with the production of sleep hormone melatonin, leading to sleep disturbances and further exacerbating the consequences of living out of harmony with our body’s natural rhythms.
In conclusion, the intrinsic relationship between our lifestyle and our body’s innate biorhythms is undeniable. Aligning our daily activities, such as eating and sleeping, with our natural rhythms can significantly impact our overall health and well-being. By understanding and embracing the significance of chronobiology, we can strive to live in greater harmony with our bodies, promoting better health outcomes and improved quality of life.