Having a Disrupted Body Clock Increases Your Risk of Early Death

• What is Circadian Syndrome? CircS refers to a cluster of metabolic, emotional, and sleep-related problems that signal your body clock is severely out of sync. According to an article in News-Medical.Net, seven components could indicate CircS. The researchers noted that having four out of these seven classifies you as having the condition:³

• Many people normalize these symptoms — Millions of people struggle with these health issues, but many choose to ignore them. However, this combination is lethal, especially for older adults.

• What happens when your body clock is consistently out of sync? According to the featured study, people with CircS have the highest risk of early death. Based on their findings, CircS is “significantly correlated with mortality attributed to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, kidney disease, diabetes, malignant neoplasms, Alzheimer’s disease, certain infections, and death from all causes.”⁴

• People who were flagged as having Circadian Syndrome were significantly more likely to die early — Most of the causes were from metabolic causes. In the U.S. data, the risk of dying from diabetes was 6.8 times higher in people with CircS. As for kidney-related deaths, the risk was 2.5 times higher.

• There were notable differences in mortality rates between Chinese and American participants — In the Chinese cohort, the death rate was 2.9 per 1,000 person-years for those with CircS, compared to 2.0 for those without.

In the American group, the contrast was even more dramatic — 18.56 deaths per 1,000 person-years versus 10.9 for those without this condition. That’s a nearly 70% higher death rate just for having this pattern of metabolic and circadian dysfunction.

• It wasn’t just metabolic disease — Alzheimer’s, cancer, and even infections like pneumonia were also more likely to take the lives of those with CircS. One of the strongest associations was seen among middle-aged adults, particularly those between 40 and 60 years old. For this group, the risk was consistently elevated across nearly every major cause of death.

• The risk remained even after adjusting for other factors — To make their findings more reliable, the researchers used sophisticated modeling techniques — including Bayesian generalized linear models — to back up their findings.

In simple terms, they ran multiple types of statistical tests to ensure the associations weren’t flukes. The highest risk levels — like the 6.8-fold increase in diabetes deaths — held firm even when adjusting for age, gender, and other baseline health differences.

• Each component of the syndrome adds weight to your risk — The researchers noted a “graded association,” meaning your risk of dying goes up steadily with each additional CircS trait you check off. This is especially alarming when you consider that these issues are common and often brushed off.

• The importance of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) — A tiny region found in your brain, the SCN is found at the center of your circadian rhythm. It’s often called the “master clock” because it’s the main control center for your circadian rhythm.

• Your circadian rhythm relies on light and darkness signals — The SCN receives light cues directly from your eyes. When light enters your eyes, it sends signals to the SCN, which then interprets these signals to determine the time of day. This helps synchronize your internal clock with the external world.

• Your body’s central circadian clock is not alone — There are “peripheral clocks,” also known as peripheral oscillators, located in your tissues and nearly every organ, including the liver, lungs, heart and skeletal muscles. Their role is to help regulate local physiological processes in coordination with the master clock in the SCN.

• One of the biggest culprits is artificial light — Considered modern-day conveniences, the advent of electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers that emit blue light is one of the primary factors that affect your circadian rhythm.

Blue light interferes with melatonin production, the hormone that makes you sleepy, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. When you use these devices before bedtime, it delays your sleep onset and disrupts your sleep quality significantly.

• Exposure to any amount of light during nighttime is detrimental to older adults — One study found that it increases their risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.⁸ In another study, researchers found that higher exposure to outdoor light at night increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.⁹ There’s evidence linking it to a higher risk of thyroid cancer as well, especially since thyroid function is regulated by the circadian rhythm.¹⁰

• Many people also work irregular schedules — Shift work and irregular work schedules also disrupt your circadian rhythm. Every time you work nights or rotate shifts, you’re forcing your body to operate on a schedule that’s out of sync with the natural day-night cycle.

• “Social jetlag” is another factor — Basically, this refers to having a different sleep schedule during weekdays and weekends. It usually happens when people choose to sleep in on weekends so they will “catch up” on the sleep they missed during the week.

However, this shift in sleep timing throws off your internal clock; it makes it more difficult for you to get back on track when the workweek starts again. Think of it this way — It’s like you’re constantly changing time zones every weekend, making it difficult for your body to establish a consistent rhythm.¹¹

1. Get outside within 30 minutes of waking up — Your body needs direct early morning sunlight to reset its internal clock each day. Make it a habit to step outside within the first hour of waking up. Getting morning sunlight helps regulate your melatonin production, keeping your sleep-wake cycle balanced. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes of direct morning sunlight (don’t wear sunglasses) every day.

2. Follow a consistent bedtime routine — Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, reinforces your circadian rhythms. To ensure you get high-quality sleep, one of the first things you must do is to eliminate all blue light sources from your bedroom.

Scrolling your phone, watching TV in bed, or working late on your laptop sends your brain signals that it’s still daytime. Cut your screentime at night, ideally avoiding artificial light 90 minutes before bed. If your bedroom gets light pollution from outside, use blackout shades or wear a sleep mask. For more helpful sleep tips, check out “Top 33 Tips to Optimize Your Sleep Routine.”

3. Incorporate movement into your routine — Your circadian rhythm isn’t just about sleep — it’s also about metabolism. Getting your muscles moving in the morning tells your body it’s time to wake up and use energy. I recommend 10 to 15 minutes of light movement (ideally under early morning sunlight). Try walking, stretching, or even bodyweight squats.

4. Practice mindfulness techniques — Your circadian clock function is also closely connected to your body’s stress response system.¹² Practicing relaxation techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and yoga to manage stress will help sync your circadian rhythms.

5. Track your sleep and body temperature — If you really want to take control, start collecting real data on your rhythm. Use a thermometer to take your oral temperature each morning and afternoon. Your waking temp must ideally be around 97.8 degrees F (36.5 degrees C) and reach 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C) by late afternoon. If it doesn’t, your metabolism is dragging.

At the same time, track how many hours you sleep, when you fall asleep, and how rested you feel. You don’t need a fancy device — just write it down. After two weeks, you’ll identify your patterns clearly, and see what’s working and what’s not.