How can you interpret what your body is signaling about your circadian rhythm?

I’m a chronic night owl trying to figure out my sleep patterns.

Yesterday, I went to bed late (around 2 AM) and spontaneously woke up at 5:30 AM. I felt awake and refreshed, enough to consider starting my day, but decided I hadn’t slept enough. I forced myself to go back to sleep, and now at almost 9 AM, I’m struggling to get going.

Even though I didn’t get enough sleep overall, I often feel alert and refreshed after about 6 hours. If I get less than that, I experience that strange “emergency mode” alertness. However, if I sleep more, I end up feeling tired and sluggish all day, only starting to feel awake in the late afternoon or evening.

How should I interpret this? I thought feeling refreshed after 6 hours meant I should stick to that amount, but others say being tired after 7-8 hours might indicate sleep debt. I want to find a balance but don’t quite understand what my body is signaling. Any insights are welcome!

Your body sets your circadian rhythm naturally, guided by your brain. But outside factors, like light, can affect the rhythm, too. For example, when light enters your eye, cells send a message to your brain that it can stop producing melatonin (a hormone that helps you sleep).

Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes in our environment.

You know your circadian rhythms are in sync when you have healthy, regular sleeping patterns. You fall asleep quickly, get a full 7-9 hours of sleep, and wake up rested, at about the same time every day. Not sleeping well is usually the first sign of a circadian rhythm disruption.