When summer slows down, the body changes its rhythm. Where does the drop in energy come from?
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The end of summer changes more than a page in the calendar. Mornings grow darker, evenings arrive earlier, and the freedom of the holidays gives way to fixed hours of work, study and everyday duties. If at this time it becomes harder to get out of bed, concentration comes more slowly and energy starts to run short in the afternoon, it is worth taking a look at your circadian rhythm. It is the circadian rhythm that sets the natural order of sleep and activity. When our daily habits change with the end of summer, the body needs time to adjust to the new rhythm of the day.
Light sets our internal clock
The circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that regulates many physiological processes, among them sleep and wakefulness, hormone secretion, body temperature and metabolism. One of the most important signals by which the body synchronises this internal clock is light.
In summer there is plenty of it, including early in the morning and late in the evening. As autumn approaches, exposure to natural light gradually decreases. This matters, among other things, for the secretion of melatonin, the hormone involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. At the same time, the morning rise in cortisol levels helps the body move from sleep to activity. Changing light conditions can therefore affect when we feel sleepy and when we are most alert and ready to act.
Why is it harder to concentrate after the holidays?
The seasonal change in light is often joined by a sudden reorganisation of everyday life. Later summer evenings have to be exchanged for earlier starts, and quieter days for several hours of work that demands focus.
If we sleep too little or irregularly, the body has less time to recover. A shortage of sleep can affect attention, memory, reaction speed and how we feel. That is why the sense of a “slower start” after summer does not always come from a lack of motivation – sometimes it is a signal that the rhythm of the day changed faster than the body could follow.
Regularity rather than a reset
The way back to balance is best begun with the basics. Fixed times for going to sleep and getting up help to stabilise the circadian rhythm, and contact with natural light in the first part of the day gives the body a clear signal that the active hours have begun. It is worth combining that with movement – even a short walk.
Regular meals, proper hydration and a varied diet supplying nutrients that contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism also matter.
The body does not run on a calendar and does not have to switch automatically into autumn mode on the first September morning. It copes with change far better when we give it clear, repeatable signals. Regular sleep, light, movement and nutrition can be exactly those everyday points of reference.
