The brain’s hypothalamus gland controls the organ systems of our body via hormones, or chemical messengers. A fall in light (such as during the evening) is detected by our eyes then affects a group of cells called the Suprachiasmic Nucleus (SCN), or ‘master clock’; this in turn causes an increase in production and release of melatonin, which makes us sleepy.

This process provides us with a circadian rhythm, which can be affected by altered bedtime and waking times, shift work and jet lag.

By the way, our circadian rhythm is just over 24 hours long, as in ‘circa’ nearly and ‘dian’ day and it is believed to have significant effects on body temperature, stress-hormone cortisol, even regulation of mood and body weight [3].

So, how much sleep is enough? How can I improve my circadian rhythm?

The Mayo Clinic suggests adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, and teenagers 8 to 10 hours [4].

In the world of chronobiology, “zeitgeber” (German for “synchroniser”) is an external cue that affects the body clock, such as light alerting us to the time of day. Early research by physiologist Jürgen Aschoff found that social cues such as mealtimes or work schedules can also act as zeitgebers [5].

As well as improving our circadian rhythms with regular mealtimes and exercise, having some sort of routine can assist us in setting and reaching time-based goals, which can improve mental health. For instance, small manageable goals can help lower stress from overwhelm and reduce unhelpful procrastination.

What disrupts a normal routine? How does it link in with unhelpful thinking styles?

Routine can be disrupted through illness, whether it be physical or mental. This can cause a multitude of symptoms such as poor motivation, low energy, low/unstable mood and poor concentration.

Life events such as loss of employment, loss of regular social contact or interpersonal problems can also upset our balance.

Unhelpful thought processes where we over-identify with our thinking, known as cognitive fusion, can make it difficult to move forwards to a helpful behaviour. Examples might include: “I’m too lazy to do X” or negative thinking like “I’ll never get through everything I need to do. Might as well give up now” or “I don’t think I’m up to doing job Z perfectly so there’s no point.”

It is common human behaviour to experience habitual leaning towards ‘avoidant’ behaviours which usually make us feel better in the immediate moment (e.g. binge-watching TV or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol); unfortunately these avoidant behaviours are performed in place of healthier actions that could build our self-esteem and self-confidence because they follow our true values (e.g. going for a daily walk to improve physical/mental health, making sure to have a daily shower to practise self-care).

However, the thought of rebuilding a healthy, meaningful routine for ourselves can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Let’s look at some recommendations in line with a nifty tool called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), where discovering and continually reviewing our personal values can help us to set useful personal goals.