Entrainment is one of the most powerful aspects of our biology.
Our circadian rhythm is created within us, but numerous studies show that our health is best when it is entrained to the rising and setting of the sun. That’s not to say you have to wake up at sunrise, but people who try to live nocturnally definitely suffer health consequences and people who match their sleep rhythm even somewhat to the rising and setting of the sun (one form of entrainment), derive many health benefits.
Entrainment works on shorter time scales too. Exercise at roughly the same time for a few days and you’ll notice your energy will increases a few minutes before that typical workout time.
Study or do some reading or some other form of work or learning at roughly the same time or times per day, and you’ll notice that your mental sharpness will start to increase in anticipation of those times.
To be clear, some of this is psychological, but a lot of it is physiological. The neuromodulators, hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate alertness and focus are readily susceptible to entrainment.
And entrainment is a concept that we can leverage. Not to make us rigid, but understanding it can help you make better sense of why you are more energetic and mentally sharp at particular times of day, and it can give you flexibility over what those times are.
Each of us has to follow a different schedule, but for me, because I like to get up early and get the dog walked and exercise early and then drop into work, I’ve noticed that my peak focus occurs first from 10 AM to 2PM, and then again between about 3 PM and 7 PM. And again 9-midnight. (But I prefer to sleep by 10:30-11). That’s just me.
Figure out your schedule. You can leverage entrainment to get the most out of your workouts and work, etc. Two or three days on a regular schedule usually does the trick. No need to be overly rigid.
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