A $432 Billion Industry for Sleep And We’re Still Not Sleeping
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This article is for educational purposes only and is part of a series we are focusing on for World Health Day which falls on the 7th of April, 2021.
When it comes to sleep, we have never been so obsessed. Sleeping on the ‘smartest’ mattresses, cocooned in specially designed blankets made to replicate a mother’s hug, and drinking the right concoction of ‘rest well’ tea. Smartwatches track our duration and quality of sleep, and many of us will even travel far to wellness retreat weekends. The thing is, despite the “sleep economy” set to hit $585 billion by 2024, we are still not sleeping any better.
Why though?
One explanation of why, armed with a plethora of sleep solutions available, there is still one in 10 of us who has regular insomnia is: because these solutions have failed to follow the basic tenets of circadian biology.
What is A Circadian Clock or A Circadian Rhythm?
All organisms, including us, have internal circadian rhythms that control every other biological function in our body. It is because of these rhythms that flowers open in the day and close after dusk.
It is also how nocturnal animals know not to leave their shelters at night. The term circadian comes from the Latin “circa diem”, meaning “around a day”.
Circadian rhythms are one of four other biological rhythms. All these natural rhythms form a part of the Master Clock situated in the brain.
They take cues from our exposure to light and dark and, in response, control:
Sleep-wake cycles
Metabolic and immune systems
Reproductive systems
Mood and performance systems
How Does the Circadian Rhythm Work?
The cells in our brain respond to light and dark. Our eyes take in light and send signals to our brain, which signals other cells to be activated.
For example, it may help turn on the hormone cortisol production, which keeps us alert during the day. Similarly, when it is time to rest, the darkness around us will activate the hormone melatonin, which plays a vital role in making us sleepy.
The circadian clock runs the other systems in harmony. Think of it as the grand conductor of an orchestra. To produce a masterpiece, the conductor makes sure that the notes come from the right instruments at the right time. Our circadian conductor directs the suitable cells to turn on the necessary genes at the correct time. By doing so, it coordinates the complex functions of the body to create synchrony. Take for example, our liver, pancreas, and gut working together to digest food.
The immune system also counts on the circadian clock to accommodate the body’s needs at different times of the day. During the day, more immune cells will travel through your tissues on the lookout for invaders. At mealtimes, some immune cells move to your gut, ready to fight any infecting bacteria that may be in your food. A consistent schedule therefore strengthens your immune system, and a poor night of sleep, on the other hand, puts you at risk of getting sick.
Are Circadian Rhythms the Same as Biological Clocks?
Biological clocks control the timing of circadian rhythms and other body processes. So basically, a circadian rhythm is a result of a biological clock. Not all biological clocks are circadian, meaning related to our 24-hour cycle. Here is where the sleep-wake process comes in, as it is regulated every 24 hours. So, we hear the term circadian rhythm mostly in the context of sleep.
Our Circadian Cycles Today
Today, we have exposed our circadian rhythms to so much disruption that there is a glaring disconnect between the natural solar time and our “clocks”. Glaring at blue-enriched light from bright addictive screens tricks our brains into thinking its still daytime. Being on social media until we pass out and our increasingly unnatural work ways do not conform to solar time. Even before the pandemic, a considerable percentage of the world’s workforce operated remotely, promoting the “always online” work culture that further disconnected us from our natural cycle. Light pollution has never been this bad, and it is wreaking havoc on our circadian rhythms.
What Can You Do to Tackle Circadian Rhythm Imbalance?
Avoid Light at Night
As much as we need sunlight during the day, sunlight at night is undeniably confusing to our brain. Unfortunately, computer screens, smartphones, T. V’s and even home light bulbs emit blue light, which the body mistakes for sunlight. It suppresses the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Avoid blue light after dusk. Adopt a regimen where you disconnect from devices and dim the lights well before hitting the bed. Banish devices from the room.
Make a simple switch in your home lighting from bright, short wavelength, blue-light bulbs in the day to dimmer, warmer, longer wavelength bulbs with red, yellow and orange color spectrums (think: campfire) after sundown. Circadian lighting, a $400 million market in 2017, is expected to jump to $4 billion by 2024 because we now have the technology, and more people will use it. People spend so much on their wellness, instead a few more bucks on their bulbs could do the job.
Embrace Natural Light in the Morning
Sunlight signals your brain and body to enter its active phase. The circadian rhythms – which orchestrate the ebb and flow of cortisol and melatonin are bounded to light and darkness. To get our internal clock back on track, spend 15-30 minutes in sunlight early in the morning. A study shows, workers who got regular sunlight were more physically active during the day and got better sleep at night.
Get Adequate Sleep
Poor sleep quality or inadequate sleep stops your brain from reaching the deep, restful stages of restorative sleep. Research shows that disconnecting from the rest of the world, where you have no access to electronics or even watches((following the sun to dictate when you sleep and wake), like a camping trip can significantly balance your sleep-wake cycle.
Practice Good Sleep Routine
The more regular your sleep, the better regulated your circadian rhythm will be. To improve your sleep routine:
Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and free of electronics.
Relax and do other stress-free activities—like journaling, praying, meditating, or reading—for an hour before sleeping.
Do not nap longer than 20 to 30 minutes in the day.
Limit caffeine use in general, but altogether avoid after dusk. Instead, have a caffeine-free, herbal concoction to promote sleepiness.
Have a consistent schedule for going to sleep and waking up. Weekend hours can vary by a couple of hours.
Manage Stress
Your “clock genes” and all biological systems are connected to your stress response. Higher stress levels offset your stress hormones and melatonin levels, leading to more dysfunction of your internal clock. Meditating, exercising and limiting your intake of triggering news can help keep your stress levels in check.
Restrict Eating Times
Avoid late-night snacking because eating at night will send a “wake up” signal to your circadian clock. A host of studies now indicate that alternating between eating and fasting has eye-opening effects, with researchers hypothesizing that it conforms to the old way humans ate.
A recent Johns Hopkins meta-review of studies found that intermittent fasting lowers blood pressure, lipid levels and heart rate.
Research conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found that mice that ate an average number of calories— but in restricted hours—lived 15 per cent longer; applied to humans, that would mean increasing longevity from 80 to 92. Intermittent fasting’s association with everything from weight loss to averting diabetes puts a circadian diet front-and-center in wellness. However, more studies are needed on the impact of timed meals and how it impacts insulin levels and fat-burning hormones.
Even if you’re not fasting, swapping heavy foods like dairy and saturated fats from meats with vegetables and lean protein sources and eating your larger meals earlier in the day can support your circadian rhythm.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, certain aspects of the circadian clock diminish as we age. This weakening results in incorrect gene expression where the cells are more likely to perform tasks at the wrong time or to a lesser effect. Cells not functioning optimally leads to a heightened risk of disease. For example, poor sleep quality is linked to cognitive deficiencies. Dysregulated food metabolism leads to an increased risk of diabetes and hypertension. By modifying clock genes in flies and mice, researchers discovered that reduced circadian clock function led to faster tissue decline rates, cognitive function losses, and shorter lifespan.
Although we don’t (yet) know how to rebuild all lost aspects, the circadian system is flexible, and we can work around it to improve it.
The Breakthrough
So much research is underway in the upcoming field of circadian medicine. Scientists are creating molecules that target proteins to repair and supercharge our cells’ clock functions. A new class of circadian drugs could chemically reset our circadian systems and dodge some of the worst diseases like obesity and diabetes. Wearables and phone apps could then guide us on when to take sun and dark and when to eat, sleep and exercise.
Meanwhile, we need to make some solid behavior changes, stop lighting up our nights with screens, and get out in the sun’s natural light. We need work and school schedules that respect solar time and seasons. We need to change the lightmare of hospitals, a place where people heal, daylight savings, our 24/7 restaurant and gym culture, the light pollution exploding in our increasingly urban world, and how we light our homes. Because, we need this circadian balance not just for better sleep but for overall wellness.
