I Don’t Do Mornings!!!

I’m not the kind of person who likes to get up early. The few times I’ve been up to enjoy the sunrise were when I had stayed up all night. I feel like I go into a coma when I fall asleep and I need 2-3 hours to come alive again after awakening. I don’t even get hungry until after noon! However, if you give me a “Honey-Do” list around dinnertime, I get my second wind and can go on for hours. I am definitely an afternoon person.

What is it that makes some people dread every morning while others jump out of bed at 5 AM ready to dive into the day’s activities? Our bodies are synchronized by Circadian rhythms - a 24-hour cycle in our physical processes that is dependent on external influences such as sunlight and temperature. This rhythm affects brain wave activities, hormone production, cell regeneration, and many other biological activities.

Supposedly you can reset your Circadian rhythms by changing the light/dark cycle of your day. People who travel through several time zones can eventually adjust to awakening at the appropriate time; yet, they often complain of feeling like a zombie for a few days.

To help with resetting their rhythms some have tried using a light timer so their bedroom will be bright when they get up. I even tried a light that gradually became brighter to trick my body into thinking I had experienced a natural sunrise. This made awakening much more enjoyable than the blasting sound of an alarm, but I always felt I could have slept for another couple hours. I tried getting up a little earlier each day to “adjust gradually.” I’d try to go to bed earlier but found I couldn’t get to sleep until just before midnight no matter how long I’d been up. I just wouldn’t reset! And to make matters worse, others often accused me of being lazy.

Your energy level (both physical and mental) is a biological process. Many people suffer a noticeable drop in energy at some point during their day; some need to gradually charge up to their peak performance. This is often related to nutritional intake. Though scheduling the intake of adequate amounts of caffeine (or succumbing to your craving for a sugar fix) can get you through a slump, the natural tendencies remain.

I used to be in awe of friends who said they got up early each morning to study. I’m sure I could have gone through the motions but nothing would have passed through to any of my brain cells. My best time to study is in the evening.

I doubt there is a Pulitzer Prize winning scientist who would agree with me, but I believe we are programmed a certain way and nothing we do to reset our inner clock will change the basic nature of our bodies. I believe in the wisdom of my body - why should I keep fighting it?

So how should we deal with a lifestyle that doesn’t match our circadian rhythms? Make whatever adjustments you can in your life that will better accommodate your cycles. Power naps can save the day! Don’t beat yourself up by thinking there is something wrong with you if you can’t joyfully leap out of bed at the crack of dawn. Honor who you are and how your body wants to function.

May your lifestyle be a healthy one!

Keli MacIntosh has over 40 years of experience in the medical field as a Registered Nurse. She is also a Certified Nutritional Consultant and manager of Natural Health Specialists. For a health consultation, call Keli at (231) 946-3872