Our body clock and its power
As we know, we as human beings are mammals, meaning we are regulated by a set of elemental “rules” just like all other mammals. These rules are our body naturally on a primal level, react and respond to the natural cues in our environment. These are called zeitgebers. It is these cues that create the function we call our body clocks.
We all go through these biological processes every day, such as waking up, hunger, tiredness, and then to sleep, controlled via complex networks of hormones and chemicals. These are produced and then released at specific times of the day. It is responding to various triggers, such as light and dark. Hot and cold and, of course, time itself. It is where it gets its name body “clock”!
What are these triggers?
The three primary clock triggers are food, communication, and light(/dark). When these triggers get repeated a couple of times, the body responds by locking it into its body clock. Like setting an internal alarm.
Examples of this are when around our usual dinner time; we feel hunger each day. It tells us that we usually eat now, so we feel hungry as food is one of our body clock triggers.
Why at the weekend, even though we turn off our alarm, we still wake at the same time! Much to our frustration. Our body clock has its built-in alarm. Wake-up occurs due to being exposed to daylight as we wake up with our alarm during weekdays. It inadvertently set another internal alarm, too, that wakes us up on days no alarm had been set.
The same occurs with babies who awakens at 5:30 AM due to the sunlight peeking into their room through curtains. They will continue to wake up at this time until the sunlight’s completely shut out. To allow their body clock to reset this waking trigger.
This is also true of a baby or toddler who has an excellent, predictable routine to their day. It is found to be true that they are genuinely tired at nap time and bedtime. Making it much easier for them to get to sleep. Why? Because their body is used to it while expecting sleep at this time.
It is all merely a case of understanding your body clock and working with it. Instead of against, what is the hard wiring we have as humans.
It is easy to forget in this busy, social, engaging, and overwhelming life that we are merely organic beings governed by the same biology as the world around us, and our body clocks are just that, clocks that dictate events in our day… If we let them.
All this means what exactly?
We are actually “meant” to respond to these repetitive events in our everyday life at a set time. So, believe me when I say that your baby is most definitely and entirely capable of sleeping each day at roughly the same times. I see it again and again with both babies and toddlers who respond positively to having a decent daytime routine; after all, why fight human nature? Instead, just let it take its course!
Should you wish to discuss your own child’s sleep or perhaps even your own, then I’d love to chat. I offer a free 15-minute introductory discovery call where we can speak about your sleep situation and what I feel would be the best way forward for you at this time. Book your call now.
Please read my other blogs to which may be of interest to you.