4 Tricks To Train Your Circadian Rhythm For Better Metabolism & Longevity 

However, your circadian rhythm can easily become out of whack from a variety of environmental and behavioral factors (waking up before dawn, eating late at night, staying up late watching Netflix…). Not to fret—Prather has a few tips to retrain your circadian rhythm, stat:

"Ultimately, it makes your bedtimes more predictable," he says. "The one thing we can control is when we wake up, so for people that have insomnia, that's a better approach." Meaning, rather than putting in all the effort at bedtime (and potentially growing frustrated and even more wired), controlling your wake-up time each morning can help your brain learn that sleep-wake cycle.

Consequently, when the sun goes down, you'll want to protect yourself against artificial light exposure. "Blue light exposure from screens can impact melatonin production2, so you just have to be thoughtful about that," be says. "As the sun goes down and you begin that transition into bedtime, you certainly want to be protecting yourself against bright lights and screens." Perhaps invest in a pair of blue-light-blocking glasses or certain apps that can soften the glare and counter flicker effects, like Iris Tech or f.lux. While you're at it, feel free to snag a natural sleep aid for an extra sleep-supporting kick (here's our expert-approved list).

It might be tricky, especially with unpredictable schedules, but Prather advises eating around the same times, if you can swing it. In fact, if your circadian rhythm becomes misaligned (say, from travel), standardizing your meal times is one of the best ways to get it back on track. "Start eating [in the morning] even if you're not hungry because that will put you in a place that will tell your body, I'm in a different zone. I need to shift my circadian rhythm. The more you can be consistent with that, the more robust it can be," says Prather.

Just make sure you don't exercise too close to bed (like less than two hours before), or it might get you too wound up. See, vigorous exercise raises your core body temperature, which can make it harder for some people to fall asleep. A walk or quick stretch should be fine, but you might not want to engage in anything too intense.

Not all of Pather's tips will work for your lifestyle or schedule, and that's OK—just do what you can. The key is to make your routine as predictable for your body as possible. "There are a lot of environmental things that tell your body what it's supposed to be doing," Prather adds. "The more predictable those things can be, the more entrained your rhythm is."

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