Today I’m excited to dive into the topic of circadian alignment, including circadian fasting and using light, food, and sleep as major circadian signaling cues. I got the idea from a recent (and controversial!) social media post.
“Underrated health tip, stop eating when the sun goes down and watch your sleep transform.”
After posting the above I was accused of being a bad mom, of having an eating disorder, and other more ahem… colorful comments.
In that short post, I didn’t detail all of the exceptions and many of you called me out on it. I didn’t talk about or explain why I started doing this or the research supporting it. So I wanted to set the record straight and do more of a deep dive into this topic.
Tapping into circadian alignment has been really helpful for me and helped me have a much healthier relationship with food. I’m eating a lot more than when I chronically under ate for about a decade. I also wanted to share more of the story of my journey in case it inspires someone else.
Circadian Fasting
Dr. Amy Shaw (aka the Fasting MD on Instagram) was one of my biggest inspirations on the topic. Dr. Shaw is a wealth of knowledge and discusses circadian fasting a lot especially as it relates to women. According to Dr. Shaw, circadian rhythm fasting is potentially the most beneficial type of fasting women can do. This time restricted eating plan aligns what we put in our bodies with our internal body clock.
Here’s the rundown of what’s involved with a circadian diet:
- Eat during daylight hours when the digestive system and metabolism are most active.
- Stop active eating after 7 p.m. (that’s when these internal processes slow down). No more eating until breakfast!
- Eat larger meals earlier in the day. Eat a small meal in the evening to avoid blood sugar spikes and weight gain.
Eating this way provides a metabolism and immune system boost, helps with sleep, supports immunity, and reduces diabetes risk. I’ve found it isn’t hard since there aren’t any strict changes. This way of eating simply follows the body’s natural processes.
For many years I did the exact opposite of this, skipping breakfast and eating a lot at night. It took some experimenting but I finally found an eating rhythm that works well for me.
Is Circadian Eating an Eating Disorder?
Some comments mentioned that eating this way could be classified as an eating disorder. It seems like more people are branding anything outside of the typical American diet as an eating disorder. Not only is this untrue, but I feel it’s not supportive of those who actually are experiencing disordered eating.
This term is being tossed around and applied to all kinds of alternative eating, including any form of fasting, a real food diet, or eliminating foods someone has a negative reaction to.
I used to skip breakfast when I was intermittent fasting and wait until lunch to eat. Instead, I’ve shifted my eating window and stopped eating earlier in the day (while still eating more food overall!). I under ate for years and it had a negative effect on my health. Now I eat twice as many calories, I’m more intentional with micronutrients, and have a much healthier relationship with food.
While there is nuance and someone could potentially develop an eating disorder, intermittent fasting on its own can be a healthy way to love your body.
The Controversy Behind Circardian Alignment
Like any health decision, sometimes eating this way is easier said than done. There are certainly exceptions to this depending on your location and lifestyle. In the winter time for many of us, it gets dark by 5 p.m. (or earlier!). In some places, there’s only an hour or two of sunlight the whole day. At other times of the year, there’s sunlight almost all day with very little darkness.
I’m not saying anyone in the world should only eat when the sun is out. Like everything else there are exceptions. The idea is to stop eating at least a few hours before sleep for a more restful night. In many places, this roughly lines up with the sunset.
Seasonal Differences
This also touches on seasonal differences, which often don’t get talked about enough. Humans were meant to feast more in the summer when we had more daylight, spending time together and having community later into the evening. Historically winter was a time for more sleep and fewer calories. It may sound weird now that we’re used to artificial lighting, but for most of human history, this was normal.
Before the invention of the light bulb, our average sleep time was longer, especially in winter. Getting less sleep and eating at all hours is a newer phenomenon. Staring at blue light screens, watching movies, and eating ice cream at midnight also weren’t things our ancestors did. I’ve found that I naturally go to bed earlier in the winter and later in the summer now.
If you live in Finland or near the equator you won’t have the same experience. Our bodies are different and if you’re pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition, these affect how and when you eat too. Matching our daily rhythms to the sunlight isn’t a hard and fast rule. It also doesn’t mean that I never consume a single calorie after the sun goes down.
In the past, food was more scarce in winter and we didn’t need as much food. We now have unlimited access to food and artificial light and not eating all the time can sound strange or dangerous. Our ancestors were able to be in alignment with nature’s rhythms, which is much harder in modern society.
Light and food are two of the biggest signaling mechanisms for our circadian health. Simply shifting the time we eat and spending more time outside can have a big impact on this.
The Health Benefits Of Circadian Fasting
Researchers have found that eating just during daylight can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce diabetes risk. Studies show glucose levels are lower after breakfast than supper, which means we probably have better metabolic responses earlier in the day.
This leads us to how eating with nature’s rhythms can support a healthy weight and promote fat burning. Individuals who eat earlier in the day tend to eat less and have a lower BMI. It can also help us sleep better at night since our body isn’t busy digesting food.
Weight Loss and Digestion
One study found participants unintentionally ate 20% fewer calories when following a time restricted eating plan with no willpower required. Time restricted eating is an easy way to not overdo it on the calories.
Many (including myself) also notice better digestion. Eating during daylight hours aligns with the body’s natural digestive rhythms and can help improve nutrient absorption. This also reduces digestive discomfort. I stop eating a few hours before bed and take enzymes and PectaSol right before bed.
Other Circadian Alignment Health Benefits
- Some studies suggest that fasting specifically can provide benefits like a longer lifespan.
- There’s also an inflammation connection. One study found that participants who fasted from sunset to sunrise had lower blood pressure and inflammation levels.
- Aligning our circadian rhythms may also improve blood pressure and cholesterol profiles.
- It can support cognitive function, enhancing memory and concentration.
Fasting is a controversial word that many have a resistance to, but technically we all fast every single day. Unless you’ve figured out how to eat while asleep! Another big component of getting our bodies in circadian alignment is sunlight exposure.
Dial In Light Exposure
Many problems could be helped with a little sunlight and more alignment with nature! Getting morning sunlight (without glasses or contacts) before screens or caffeine makes a huge difference for hormone health. At sunrise and sunset, we can get free red light exposure.
I spend as much time outside as I safely can and the more safe sun exposure (aka no burning!) the better. So many processes in our body respond to light cues. I recommend getting as much natural light as possible during the day in a way that’s safe and comfortable for your body and avoiding artificial light after dark.
The lighting in my home mimics the outdoor environment. After sunset, we switch to lower light, amber light bulbs at eye level or below. During the day I use full-spectrum overhead light bulbs.
Camp to Reset Hormones
One simple way to do a full reset is by camping. Researchers found just one week of being outdoors without screens or artificial lighting had massive hormone health benefits and reversed sleep related problems.
Even if you don’t have time to go camping, anything that moves us more towards alignment with natural light can have a big payoff. This involves avoiding blue light at night.
I use a daylight computer that has a zero blue light screen. It even works without WIFI on. I use it for writing, listening to audiobooks, and music for sleep. It’s helped my creative flow because I’m able to journal, write, or do creative work at night without the blue light screen.
What I Eat For Circadian Alignment
Another key principle for circadian alignment is the food side. I stopped skipping breakfast and now eat a big breakfast to help support my nervous system. I also eat a big lunch with plenty of protein and micronutrients to send my body the signal that I’m nourished.
This involves some unconventional foods like sardines, soups, fermented foods, and olive oil. I take my supplements with breakfast and focus on hydration and minerals. Coffee comes after hydration and morning sunlight for me! I finish the day with an early dinner that’s more of a snack. I stop eating a few hours before bed and just drink minerals and herbal tea.
Focusing on nutrient density tells our bodies that nutrition is abundant and it’s safe to release (not store) fat. Our bodies also get the nutrition they need to build muscle, support fertility, and overall thrive.
Send Your Body Safety Signals
In addition to focusing on the nutrition our body craves, we can send our nervous system other safety signals. Breathwork is a great way to do this. Deep breaths through the nose help our body switch to parasympathetic. Slow breathing and focusing on the breath do wonders for the nervous system.
- Laying down and putting your feet up on a wall for 10 minutes also helps the downshift into parasympathetic.
- Walking throughout the day is also beneficial. Even a 10-minute walk after every meal can add up to massive benefits.
- Focus on getting enough sleep for overall health. Our bodies can also overeat and crave unhealthy foods when we’re sleep deprived.
Final Thoughts on Circadian Alignment
Circadian alignment is a foundational part of overall health. Get morning sunlight as soon as possible after waking up and hydrate in the mornings. Follow it up with a nutrient dense breakfast and then taper off eating in the evenings. This gives the digestive system rest so we can detox and our cells can be restored during sleep.
It’s easy to underestimate the power of timing, light, and sleep for our health. Dialing these in can really help the nervous system, hormone health, metabolism, and more. Exactly how this looks depends on your circumstances, but the more we align with nature the happier our body will be.
Have you experimented with any of these things? What’s worked for you? Leave a comment and let us know!
