Fall has arrived.

The way I can tell is I'm now having to wake up before the sun to help our son get ready and off to school.

The days are getting shorter and the weather is cooler (relatively speaking).

This makes me remember how important regulating our Circadian Rhythm is.

What does this mean?

Your body and all its many varied functions (including hormonal, immune, neurotransmitters, and sleep) are regulated by the signals your body receives from the solar light you are exposed to on a daily basis.

Something you might not be aware of is chronic pain is also influenced by this daily regulation.

When you become out of sync with the natural cycle your pain can get worse.

A common example that I see of this is when someone has a bad night of sleep, then the next day they might be more sensitive to an acupuncture treatment.

So, if you are experiencing chronic pain it is important to get your Circadian Rhythm right.

How do you do this?

Get up and watch the sunrise, every day, for at least 5 minutes. Try to do this with no glasses or contacts - just let the natural light in your eyes (don't stare at the sun).
Get barefoot on the ground if possible.
Get as much skin exposure as possible to the light also.
Get multiple doses of UV light during the middle of the day.
Don't get burned.
Watch the sun go down.
Go to bed before 10 pm.
Avoid blue light at night, including screens, phones, and LED lights.

Try this for 30 days and see if you notice an improvement in your pain.

Let me know.

This is also a good practice to help transition into the new season and overcome jet lag.