The Body Knows

Sleep & The Wisdom of Your Circadian Rhythm

🌿 A Note Before You Listen…

This week’s Simply BE features another original Tap In video from 2023, paired with an updated blog that reflects how my understanding of Ayurveda has evolved over the past four years. I hope it offers you a fresh perspective as you continue your own journey.

Enjoy…

Have you ever noticed that there are evenings when you naturally begin to feel sleepy, only to push through because there’s one more email to answer, one more episode to watch, or one more thing to finish? Then, an hour later, you’re suddenly wide awake.

It’s something many of us experience.

One of the things I’ve discovered through studying Ayurveda is that our body has been designed to follow a natural rhythm – one that has existed long before alarm clocks, televisions, smartphones, and artificial light.

This rhythm is known as our circadian rhythm.

Nature Has a Rhythm

Nature is constantly moving through predictable rhythms.

• Each morning the sun rises.
• Each evening it sets.
• The seasons change.
• The tides ebb and flow.

We’re no different.

Our body has its own internal clock that gently guides us through periods of activity, nourishment, rest, and restoration. The more closely we live in harmony with these natural rhythms… the more balanced we begin to feel.

Your Body Already Knows

One of the things I find fascinating is that the body is constantly communicating.

I invite you to listen to it by beginning to notice…

• Do you begin yawning around the same time each evening?
• Do your eyes become heavy?
• Do your thoughts slow down?

Your body is quietly whispering… “It’s time to rest.”

Sometimes we listen.

Sometimes we don’t.

There’s no judgment in that. Just awareness.

Why Timing Matters

What I have come to learn through Ayurveda is that the hours before midnight are especially important for deep physical restoration. As we sleep and our mind settles into rest, our body isn’t “switching off.”

It’s repairing.

It’s restoring.

It’s balancing.

It’s processing everything we’ve experienced throughout the day.

When we regularly stay awake long past the time our body is asking for rest, we can begin to feel the effects. Less energy. Brain fog. Feeling tired upon waking in the morning, and never quite feeling fully rested.

The body is always communicating. The question is… Are we listening?

Supporting Your Natural Rhythm

The beautiful thing about Ayurveda is that it invites us to work with our body rather than against it.

A few gentle ways to support your natural circadian rhythm include:

• Dimming the lights as evening approaches.
• Limiting screens before bed.
• Eating a lighter evening meal.
• Taking a few slow, calming breaths before climbing into bed.
• Creating a simple bedtime routine that signals to your body it’s safe to rest.

These aren’t rules. They’re invitations. Small choices that support your body in doing what it already knows how to do.

More Than Sleep

One of the reasons I love Ayurveda is because it reminds us that healing doesn’t always begin by doing more. Sometimes it begins by allowing ourselves to slow down. To trust the wisdom already within us. To remember that, just like nature… We were designed to live in rhythm.

Quality sleep isn’t simply about getting more hours – it’s about creating the conditions for your body to do what it was designed to do all along.

Stay curious. Stay open. Sleep well.

Namaste my friends;
Leslie 🙏🩵