How to Improve your Circadian Rhythm | Satchin Panda PhD
Sep 5, 2023
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Satchin Panda, a Professor at the Salk Institute, discusses the impact of light on biology and fertility. They also dive into the importance of meal timing, the best time to exercise, and the effects of circadian rhythm disruption on health. The podcast explores how light exposure affects melatonin production and the significance of maintaining an optimal eating-fasting schedule for female reproductive health.
Exposure to blue light during the day helps regulate our biological clock and promotes wakefulness, while exposure to the same light at night can disrupt sleep patterns and suppress melatonin production.
Disruptions in circadian rhythm, such as irregular eating and meal schedules, can negatively affect digestive health by increasing acid production, slowing peristaltic movement, and altering the gut microbiome.
Irregular sleep-wake cycles and circadian rhythm disruptions can lead to irregular or missed periods in women, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle and optimizing circadian rhythm for female reproductive health.
Optimal light exposure and timing play crucial roles in maintaining circadian rhythms, with outdoor light in the late morning or early afternoon helping regulate the internal body clock, and late afternoon or early evening being the optimal time for exercise for most individuals with benefits such as increased flexibility, reduced risk of injury, improved athletic performance, and lower blood pressure.
Deep dives
The Impact of Light on Human Biology and Physiology
In this podcast episode, Dr. Gabrielle speaks with Dr. Sachin Panda about the influence of light, both natural and artificial, on human biology and physiology. They discuss circadian biology, its impact on a woman's fertility, and how it affects our ability to sleep and produce melatonin. They also touch on the importance of circadian rhythm in relation to food and meal timing, as well as the potential benefits of optimizing light exposure and creating a circadian-friendly environment.
The Connection Between Light and Optimal Health
Dr. Panda explains that light, specifically the blue spectrum of light, plays a crucial role in regulating our circadian clock and influencing our mood and overall health. He discusses how exposure to blue light during the day helps reset our biological clock and promotes wakefulness, while exposure to the same light at night can disrupt our sleep patterns and suppress melatonin production. Dr. Panda emphasizes the importance of creating a balanced light environment, with more blue light during the day and dimmer, warmer light at night, for maintaining optimal health.
The Impact of Light on Digestive Health
The podcast explores the connection between light exposure and digestive health. Dr. Panda explains that disruptions in circadian rhythm, such as irregular eating and meal schedules, and exposure to bright light at night can have negative effects on our digestive system. He discusses how circadian rhythm disruption can lead to increased acid production in the stomach, slower peristaltic movement in the intestines, and imbalance in the gut microbiome. These disruptions can result in symptoms like acid reflux, poor digestion, and altered gut health.
Circadian Rhythm and Menstrual Cycles
The conversation delves into the influence of circadian rhythm on menstrual cycles. Dr. Panda explains that disruptions in circadian rhythm, particularly among shift workers, can lead to irregular or missed periods in women. He highlights the importance of maintaining a regular sleep-wake cycle and optimizing circadian rhythm for female reproductive health. Additionally, he discusses the potential benefits of understanding individual susceptibility to circadian disruption, allowing for personalized care and lifestyle adjustments to improve overall health and reproductive outcomes.
Timing medication and its effect on blood pressure
Taking blood pressure medication at night may be more effective in reducing blood pressure levels compared to taking it in the morning. Studies have shown that individuals who take their blood pressure medication in the evening experience a dip in blood pressure before bedtime. However, it is important to consult with a physician before making any changes to medication timing.
The impact of circadian misalignment on substrate utilization
Circadian misalignment can affect the utilization of various substrates, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Studies have shown that disrupted circadian rhythms, particularly in shift workers, can lead to increased insulin and glucose levels, weight gain, and changes in lipid metabolism. Finding the optimal balance in feeding and fasting cycles is crucial for maintaining healthy substrate utilization.
The importance of light exposure and exercise timing
Light exposure plays a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms and has a direct impact on our mood, alertness, and overall health. Getting outdoor light for at least one hour, preferably in the late morning or early afternoon, can help regulate our internal body clock. In terms of exercise timing, late afternoon or early evening, between 4 and 7 PM, is considered optimal for most individuals. It offers benefits such as increased flexibility, reduced risk of injury, improved athletic performance, and lower blood pressure.
Satchidananda (Satchin) Panda, PhD is a Professor at the Salk Institute in California, where his research focuses on the circadian regulation of behavior, physiology and metabolism in model organisms and in humans. Dr. Panda discovered a blue-light sensing cell type in the retina entrains our master circadian clock, affects mood, and regulates the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Recently, he discovered that maintaining a daily feeding-fasting cycle – popularly known as time-restricted feeding (TRF) – can prevent and reverse metabolic diseases. Based on a feasibility study in humans, his lab is currently carrying out a smartphone-based study to assess the extent of circadian disruption among adults. Dr. Panda has received the Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research, Dana Foundation Award in Brain and Immune System Imaging, and was a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.
In this episode we discuss:
How does light affect your biology and physiology?
The surprising connection between circadian rhythm and women’s fertility.
Does it matter what time you eat food?
When is the best time to exercise.
This episode is brought to you by Better Help, LMNT, Inside Tracker, 1stPhorm
