Is routine boring or is it a necessity? When we think of routine, we tend to think of our day to day lives. Get up, go to work, come home, sleep and repeat. After some time this can appear boring and change is often needed to put a spark back into our lives.
But what about the routine of our body clock, our sleep and wake cycle, also known as our Circadian rhythm? Does this need to adhere to some sort of routine and is this really necessary?
Our circadian rhythm, when we go to bed, when we sleep and when we wake up, has evolved over a long period of time. Millions of years ago, early humans would wake with the sun rising and go to sleep when it became dark. This was done as a matter of survival when there was no electricity, or even candles to light up the night. It was much safer to shelter in the dark and hunt and feed during the day.
Our evolution depended on this natural rhythm of life and our biological and physical processes have been determined by this. We all have 24 hours in every day and our body works best when we synchronise our activities in a consistent pattern within the hours of the day.
Yes it may sound boring to get up and go to bed around the same time each day, but our body clock is so much more than just our sleep and wake cycle. Our very survival depends on it.
When we first wake up, light hits the retina in our eyes and this signals to our brain to release cortisol, our ‘get up and go’ hormone. At night, the darkness alerts the brain to release melatonin, our sleep hormone, and cortisol levels go down.
During the day, cortisol supports our digestion, movement, focus, cognitive tasks and socialising. Our digestion and absorption of nutrients and transport of nutrient rich blood to our cells, happens during the day. Our brain is sharper in daytime and regulates our emotions more effectively. Hence we are more alert and deal with difficult emotions more effectively than at night.
During the night when we sleep, cortisol decreases so our stress levels also decrease. Melatonin is released and helps our brain to hold onto memories, adapts our metabolism ands allows our body to heal. Our immune system is actually most active at night, as melatonin enhances its ability to repair tissues and fight infection. Even our gut microbiome is affected by our circadian rhythm.
Is routine boring then or is it a necessity? When it comes to our bodies and how they function, routine is vital. Our cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hormonal, renal and musculoskeletal systems are all affected by our body clock. Yes we may like to stay up late occasionally, but doing this on a regular basis is detrimental to our health. So is eating at odd times and not listening to the cues from our body.
That’s not to say that every day needs to be the same. No matter our daily routines of work, play and sleep, it’s important to have some adventure and excitement in our lives. Finding space to create, time in nature and doing the things we love, is equally important for our health and well being.
So when it comes to routine, definitely try and stick to how your body clock works, but within that timeframe, have fun, adventure and do what lights you up. Routine doesn’t have to be boring. As Friedrich Nietzsche said “Is life not a thousand times too short for us to bore ourselves?”
Remember that routine gives us structure, reduces stress and helps us focus. And within that focus, we can live an amazing life.
With love,
Judy xxx
Disclaimer: Please note that all information in this article is the opinion of the author and obtained through her research and knowledge and the above references. It is not meant to replace medical advice and a medical opinion should always be obtained for any health condition.
References: Plant Powered Plus by Dr Will Bulsiewicz. The Power of the Downstate by Sara C. Mednick PhD. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/17629-is-life-not-a-thousand-times-too-short-for-us. Image by cuncon from Pixabay.