In this course, you’ll learn the basics of circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm plays a major role in regulating your physiology, making you awake and alert during the day and helping you wind down and fall asleep at night.
But this doesn’t just happen on a whim. Multiple environmental factors help set our circadian rhythms and synchronize our physiology to the day/night cycle.
Modern life disrupts your circadian rhythm
Unfortunately, a lot of aspects of modern life disrupt our circadian rhythms. You may even be familiar with certain types of circadian disruption: jet lag, working night shift, and a relatively new concept called social jet lag.
Since circadian rhythms have such an important role in our physiology and overall health, they take center stage as the first phase of the Healthy Lifestyle Program. We start with building a strong circadian rhythm because it builds the foundation for all other aspects of health.
What you’ll learn
In this course, you will learn:
- The 2 most important factors that regulate circadian rhythm
- Which types of light help set your circadian rhythm
- How positioning of light matters
- When to expose yourself to light
- When to avoid light exposure
- Setting your sleep schedule
- Tools to measure progress
- The importance of physical activity
- Individualizing the program
- How to shift your clock and why you would want to
How you’ll feel with a robust circadian rhythm
As with all phases of the program, the goal is to learn about these topics and implement behavior change through the use of the compliance scorecard. Your weekly grade is your score on the compliance scorecard.
After completion of the 4-week phase 1 course, you’ll see:
- Improved sleep
- Better energy levels
- Better mood
- Clearer thinking
- Greater motivation
- Improved digestion
Understanding the importance of circadian rhythms and how our behavior and environment affect them can revolutionize the way you sleep and feel. By the end of this course, you’ll have the knowledge you need to take your sleep and health to the next level!
Course layout/Progression
Each week you’ll learn by watching video modules and applying materials by completing tasks. You can watch modules whenever you like, but to maintain continuity with the program and compliance scorecard, it’s best to start all tasks on Sunday. Therefore, modules will be available as needed, and you may want to complete them by Friday or Saturday of the preceding week.
Here is a breakdown of the modules for each week:
Intro
- Course Introduction
- Course 1 prerequisites and things you’ll need
Week 1
- Compliance Scorecard basics & Chronotype
- Getting light right
- Week 1 Compliance Scorecard
Week 2
- Setting consistent sleep and wake times
- Creating the proper sleep environment Pt 1 & 2
- Tracking progress with an activity tracker
- Week 2 Compliance Scorecard
Week 3
- Sleep hygiene
- Activity patterns
- Heart rate variability
- Week 3 Compliance Scorecard
Week 4
- Go outside-The benefits of going outdoors
- Shifting your clocks
- Getting the most out of the program
Well, there you have it!
We’ve made an effort to make this course as user-friendly as possible. However, we understand that sometimes special circumstances pop up or you may have questions about the materials or program. If that happens, feel free to send an email to Dave@hackyourgut.com and we’ll get you pointed in the right direction.
So, without further ado, let’s begin the program!