Do you feel jetlagged, like the body is out of sync?

Body rhythms

A lot of things happen inside our bodies without us thinking about it.

These things need to work together in sync.

Think about when you eat. Your intestines push food through by squeezing in pulses from top to bottom. This has to happen at the right speed. If it’s too fast, you might get diarrhea. If it’s too slow, you could get constipated.

When you eat, other important things also occur. For example, we need enzymes to break down food. If enzymes are produced at the wrong time, food would sit undigested in the stomach, and you would feel bloated. All these different functions need to talk to each other and work together.

The body depends on rhythms for this coordination. There are different bodily rhythms, but the daily (circadian) rhythm is one of the most important for our health. When our circadian rhythm gets out of sync, this causes symptoms which are like jet-lag. 

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Build a daily routine that allows the body rhythms to sync.

Why?

We can help our bodies get back to their natural rhythms. Following a routine can help us do this.

Our bodies function better with predictable rhythms. Daily routines help our body regulate and coordinate, allowing different processes to work together more efficiently.

This is why getting into a routine is an important part of recovery.

To restore rhythm to your body, follow two steps:

1. Learn about circadian cues.

There are some simple timing cues that help our body clocks synchronize. Light, movement and when we eat are the strongest cues we can use to signal what time it is to the body.

2. Consistently expose your body to these cues daily.

A routine helps you do this.

Support

If you have problems sleeping, your healthcare team might recommend some changes you could make towards ‘sleep hygiene’. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is an evidence-based intervention that guides you to getting better sleep quality and has been shown to reduce physical symptoms such as pain.

If you have severe circadian disturbance that has not responded to self-management, you could discuss with your GP whether a referral to a sleep specialist would be appropriate.