85: Sleep Before Midnight: Does It Really Matter?

Michael Kummer: You've probably heard the saying every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after sounds wise, but is it actually true? And what if you're a night owl? Does it mean you're doomed today? We're diving into the science behind sleep timing, how our bodies evolved with the natural rhythms of sunlight and why getting used to late nights doesn't mean your body thrives on them.

Welcome to the primer shift podcast. Let's face it. Poor sleep isn't just about dragging throughout the day. Over time, it messes with your hormones, energy, memory, and even mental health. The big question is, does when you sleep matter as much as how much you sleep? Turns out, it does. Your body's internal clock, the circadian rhythm, is hardwired to sync with natural light.

You know, it's been like that for millennia. When you ignore this ancient system, you risk missing out on the most restorative phases of sleep. But what does it actually mean? And how can you fix it? Well, let's find out. I used to think as long as I got my seven to eight hours of sleep, I was good to go.

Late nights working or binge watching shows didn't seem like a big deal, as long as I slept in the next day, right? But then I started experimenting with my sleep schedule, shifting to an earlier bedtime. And let me tell you, It was a game changer. Suddenly, my energy levels were higher, I felt more focused, and even my workouts improved.

It wasn't just about the hours, it was about aligning my sleep with my body's natural rhythm. And while night owls might feel like they are built differently, there's a fascinating evolutionary reason for that, one that might surprise you.

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But let's break it down scientifically. Sleep has different phases. Light sleep, deep sleep, and REM, or rapid eye movement sleep. Most of your deep sleep happens early in the night, typically in the first half of your sleep cycle.

Deep sleep is when your body does the heavy lifting, repairing tissues, strengthening the immune system, and releasing growth hormone. REM sleep, on the other hand, dominates the later part of your sleep cycle, closer to the morning. And this is the phase where your brain consolidates memories and processes emotions.

Missing out on deep, Or REM sleep isn't just about feeling tired, it directly impacts how your body and brain recover and function. Now, here is where sunlight comes in. For as long as humans have roamed this planet, our circadian rhythm has been synced with the natural light dark cycle. Sunlight in the morning tells your body to wake up and get moving, while the absence of light in the evening signals it's time to wind down.

Makes sense, right? While artificial light and habits like staring at screens late into the night, Disruptive process. It's like telling your body it's daytime at midnight. And over time, this can throw off everything from your sleep quality, to your metabolism and mental health. Now, what about night owls?

Are some people naturally wired to stay up late? The answer is yes and no. Evolutionarily, having a mix of early risers and night owls in a group may have been beneficial. While the early risers hunted and gathered during the day, night owls might have stayed awake longer to keep watch and proving the group's overall survival.

So it kind of makes sense to have both. And I've seen and heard about studies suggesting that about 30 percent of the population are early risers, 30 percent are night owls, and the rest fall somewhere in between, meaning they can adapt to either of those schedules. If that's really true, I don't know, but it kind of makes sense.

But here's the caution, just because you've adapted to late nights, doesn't mean your body works best that way. You know, in modern lifestyle, think late night, Netflix, social media, or work deadlines can trick your brain into thinking you're a natural night owl, when in reality, you've simply adjusted to bad habits.

So how can you optimize your sleep and align it with your body's natural rhythm? So here are a couple of steps. Number one. Get morning sunlight, start your day with at least 10 to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure. This helps your circadian rhythm regulate and sets you up for a better sleep at night. I cannot overemphasize the importance of morning sunlight.

It changes what's going to happen. The rest of the day, and especially at night, as far as your sleep is concerned, try that out for a couple of days in a row, expose yourself to morning sunlight and pay attention to how you feel throughout the day and how you sleep at night. Number two, limit evening light.

That's a no brainer. You know, the reason for blue light blocking glasses, et cetera, you know, dim the lights at home and avoid screens an hour before bed. If you must use a screen. As I said, consider blue light blocking glasses or certain apps, but it's really best to remove the source of the blue light instead of trying to mitigate its negative impact.

Number three, gradually adjust your schedule. If you're a self proclaimed night owl. Don't try to shift your bedtime by hours overnight, you know, instead move it forward by 15 minutes every few days until you're consistently going to bed earlier. I hope you found this video helpful. If you did give it a thumbs up, subscribe to the podcast for more health and wellness content.

And if you've got any sleep tips or questions, drop them in the comments. If you're listening or watching this on a platform that supports comments, I'd love to hear from you and remember aligning your sleep with the rhythm of nature, isn't just good advice. It's how your body was designed to thrive.

Next time on the Primal Shift podcast, we're tackling one of the biggest fitness debates. Are we really born to run? Or have we been sold a myth that's wrecking our health? We're breaking it all down with our special guest, Brad Kearns. And trust us, you're going to rethink everything you thought you knew about running.

Tune in. Your health depends on it.