Work Could Be Making You Feel Like You Have a Permanent Case of Jet Lag. Here's How to Realign Your Internal Clock. Left unchecked, the modern workplace can totally disrupt your circadian rhythm. Here's what to do about it.
By Aytekin Tank Edited by Jessica Thomas
Key Takeaways
- Adopt these habits to fine-tune your circadian rhythms.
- Automate your work boundaries.
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
"I love jet lag!" said no one ever. Well, that's not entirely true. Recently, a Washington Post contributor made a case for embracing jet lag, rather than fighting it. She explained the benefits of catching sunrises and exploring sleepy streets when most residents are still snoozing.
I used to lean into jet lag as well. When I'd visit my family in Turkey or Jotform's office in Ankara, the flight back home to San Francisco would set me 10 hours behind. Instead of trying to overcome the effects of jet lag, I'd wake up in the middle of the night and get to work. I figured I'd put in a day's work and get to bed early. But I'd find myself dozing off by lunchtime, wired at night and very grumpy. What's more, my mind felt so fuzzy that I couldn't make headway on meaningful projects.
Related: Use This Hack to Schedule Important Tasks for When You're Most Productive
As it turns out, jet lag is more than just a time change. It disrupts your circadian rhythm — the internal "master clock" that functions in approximately 24-hour cycles and is regulated by external factors such as daylight. Like all organisms, from fruit flies to bacteria, adhering to your circadian rhythm is important for digestion, metabolism and well-being. Being in sync with your internal clock also ensures peak performance and productivity.
The modern workplace, however, doesn't adhere to a chronobiological clock. Between international businesses and round-the-clock digital availability, today's professionals run the risk of being constantly "jet-lagged." But as I've learned, tuning into your circadian rhythms is the only way to feel good and do your best work. Here are some strategies I use to keep my internal and business clocks aligned.
Related: 7 Ways to Avoid Falling Back When We Spring Forward with Daylight Saving Time
Habits to fine-tune your circadian rhythms
When it comes to course-correcting your circadian rhythms, who better to tap for advice than a former NASA astronaut? Their sleep schedules can change radically, and it's critical that they can focus no matter which moon or planet they're on.
As Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut and advisor to the Timeshifter app, which aims to help travelers beat jet lag using modern science, told Travel + Leisure, light exposure is critical to resetting your circadian rhythm.
If our bodies function in 24-hour cycles, exposing yourself to natural daylight as soon as you wake up is the best way to set your internal clock.
Related: The 5-Minute Habit (Based on Neuroscience) That Will Change Your Life
Stanford neuroscience professor Andrew Huberman agrees. He regularly extolls the virtues of viewing morning sunlight, which triggers an early-day cortisol release. This, in turn, prepares the body for sleep later in the day. Huberman recommends getting outside as soon as you wake up — at least 5-10 minutes on sunny days and 15-20 minutes on cloudy days.
On the other end of the spectrum, you'll want to avoid light when it's time to wind down — and not just the oft-maligned blue light from devices. Researchers from Leiden University found that the circadian clock is affected by different colors of light, including blue, green and orange. Before bed, consider lighting a candle and tucking into an analog activity, like reading a (non-work) paperback.
The Leiden University researchers also found that exercise can help fine-tune your circadian rhythm. I am far from a morning person, but I can attest to the power of exercising in the morning — I always sleep better later that night. So I automate my exercise routine by pre-booking my trainer appointments, programming the alarm clock and the coffee machine and removing my mood from the equation. The alarm goes off, and I don't think — I just go.
Related: Priming Your Brain for Success Through Sleep
Automate your work boundaries
Irregular work schedules can wreak havoc on circadian rhythms, which disrupts sleep, performance and even health. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified shift work (which falls outside the typical 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule) as "carcinogenic."
For certain professionals, like ER nurses, shift work can't be avoided. But in general, a little effort to maintain a regular schedule that corresponds with sunrise and sunset can go a long way. As I always say, the less you have to think about it, the more likely you are to stick with it — which is where automation comes in.
Automated tools can help you to create more thoughtful work boundaries. You can use your calendar app to block out the hours after nightfall to prevent colleagues from requesting meetings during those hours. Unless necessary, you can establish asynchronous forms of communication during your "off hours," like Slack channels or project management platforms. Then, you can read any messages you missed the next day (after sunrise).
At night, you can silence device notifications until the next morning and, per Huberman's advice, try to go outside and get some sunlight before you check them. If you want to outsource your circadian rhythm tracking entirely, of course, there's an app for that. I can attest that it's worth trying it just to experience what a difference it makes to live and work according to your circadian rhythm, in terms of energy and focus.
Related: 3 Surprising Productivity Benefits of a Consistent Nighttime Routine
Final thoughts
In the animal kingdom, circadian rhythms are key to survival. In the workplace, they're key to sustainable growth. For better or worse, we've managed to override our biological rhythms on account of businesses that stretch across time zones and 24/7 digital connectedness. With some mindfulness, however, we can take steps to realign our work schedules with the earth's rotation. We can use external factors, like daily habits and automated tools, to influence our internal clocks and do our best work, be it a voyage to the moon or a more terrestrial project.
