3 Steps to Work with Your Natural Rhythms 

“I’m most creative at 10pm when I should be winding down. I have energy for exercise at 2pm when I’m supposed to be working. And I’m naturally hungry at times that don’t match any normal meal schedule. Am I broken?”

This question from my client David perfectly captures something I see constantly: people fighting their natural rhythms because they don’t match societal expectations.

David had spent years trying to force himself into a ‘normal’ schedule. Early morning workouts (when he felt sluggish), big lunches (when he wasn’t hungry), and early bedtimes (when his brain was just getting started). The result? Chronic fatigue, low mood, and a constant feeling that he was swimming upstream.

What if I told you that your natural rhythms aren’t random quirks to overcome? They’re information about how your unique system is designed to function optimally.

Your Body’s Internal Orchestra

As Maya Angelou wisely said, “Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.” Your body has an internal orchestra, with different systems playing their parts at different times.

These rhythms aren’t the same for everyone. They’re influenced by your genetics, age, life circumstances, and personal history. Fighting them is like trying to force a violin to play bass notes.

Here’s where genetics becomes fascinating: your VDR (Vitamin D Receptor) variants influence not just how you process vitamin D, but also how your circadian rhythms function. This affects everything from when you naturally feel sleepy to what times of day your immune system is most active.

Step 1: Discover Your Natural Energy Patterns

What most people do: Force themselves into schedules that work for others without considering their individual rhythms.

What actually works: Track your natural energy, mood, and cognitive patterns without trying to change them first.

Your energy tracking experiment:

For one week, notice when you naturally:

• Feel most alert and focused
• Have physical energy for movement
• Feel hungry
• Start feeling sleepy
• Have creative inspiration

Your VDR variants influence how your energy patterns might change with the seasons. Some people feel much more energetic in summer and naturally slower in winter.

David’s discovery: He realised he was naturally most alert from 2-6 PM and 9 PM-midnight. Trying to be productive at 9 AM was like asking his brain to perform when it was still warming up.

Step 2: Honour Your Light and Seasonal Needs

What most people do: Ignore how light and seasons affect their energy and mood.

What actually works: Understand how your genetic variants affect your light sensitivity and seasonal responsiveness, then work with these patterns.

Light sets your circadian clock, influences your mood, affects your immune function, and regulates hormone production.

Your VDR variants influence:

• How much natural light you need for optimal mood and energy
• How sensitive you are to seasonal changes
• How your sleep-wake cycle responds to light changes

If you have variants that make you more sensitive to seasonal changes:

• You might need bright light therapy in winter
• Morning light exposure becomes crucial
• Your mood and energy might naturally fluctuate with the seasons

If you have variants that affect vitamin D processing:

• Your mood and energy might be more dependent on adequate vitamin D levels
• You might need more sun exposure or supplementation than others

Notice how different types of light affect your energy. Pay attention to how the changing seasons affect your appetite, sleep needs, and motivation.

David realised he felt much more energetic during longer summer days. Instead of fighting his lower winter energy, he learned to plan lighter schedules during darker months.

Step 3: Design Your Life Around Your Rhythms

What most people do: Accept that they have to live according to schedules that don’t suit them and try to force adaptation through willpower or stimulants.

What actually works: Find creative ways to honour your natural rhythms within the constraints of your actual life.

Small adjustments in alignment with your rhythms can create dramatic improvements in how you feel.

Working with your energy peaks:

• Schedule important work during your natural high-energy times
• Protect peak creative hours for activities that matter most
• Use lower energy times for routine tasks

Working with your seasonal patterns:

• Plan bigger projects during seasons when you have more natural energy
• Allow for more rest during seasons when your body naturally slows down

David negotiated flexible work hours that allowed him to start later and work into early evening. He scheduled creative projects for late evening hours and used his natural afternoon energy peak for exercise. His productivity and mood improved dramatically.

Seasonal Wisdom: Working With Nature’s Rhythms

Your VDR variants affect how much your energy naturally fluctuates with the seasons. Instead of fighting this, what if you planned your year around these natural rhythms?

Spring: Natural energy increases, good time for new projects 

Summer: Peak energy and social time, great for challenging goals 

Autumn: Harvest time, good for completing projects 

Winter: Natural slowing down, perfect for reflection and restoration

Try working with your body’s natural wisdom.

Your Rhythms Are Your Superpowers

When you stop fighting your natural rhythms and start working with them, you stop feeling like you’re constantly swimming upstream.

Your energy increases because you’re not wasting it fighting your natural patterns, your mood improves because you’re honouring your body’s needs, your productivity increases because you’re working with your peak performance times.