ARTICLE 2: THE MATTER OF DAILY SCHEDULE
Almost every tool and machine we use wears out over time; they cannot work forever. As You can see, machines also need rest, and so does Your body.
In 2015, researchers Antoine Louveau and Aleksanteri Aspelund discovered that the brain also has a system for removing waste. This system is called the Glymphatic system, or the central nervous system’s cleansing system. The main waste removed by Glymphatic is amyloid beta (Aβ), a protein that accumulates in large amounts in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
THE GLYMPHATIC SYSTEM OPERATES MORE THAN 60% MORE EFFECTIVELY WHILE WE SLEEP THAN WHILE WE ARE AWAKE:
According to research by Danish neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard and colleagues, we not only have a system that moves waste out of the brain, but this waste-removal system also works better while we sleep. Knowing this, we can imagine the long-term consequences of poor-quality sleep.
Staying up late or having difficulty sleeping weakens the brain’s ability to remove harmful substances produced during the day. Think of Your brain as a huge oil tanker crossing the ocean; Glymphatic is like a wastewater pump that removes waste from the bottom of the ship. If the pump fails, waste accumulates and the ship faces major problems. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Neurology supported this hypothesis. In a study of 70 older adults, reports showed that those who slept less or had more sleep disorders had greater Aβ accumulation.
Not only the brain and nervous system, but other organs in the body also have their own circadian rhythms, periods for rest and time windows for detoxification and self-cleansing. Forcing Your organs to work excessively may lead to many long-term health problems.
A scientifically organized daily schedule is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for improving physical and mental health.
The activity schedule of the body’s organs according to traditional medicine and how to apply it to protect Your health:
The organ clock in traditional medicine maps organ-system functions onto our 24-hour clock. Every two hours, a different organ system is either at peak activity or at its lowest resting state, similar to ocean tides. Aligning our activities with this organ clock may help optimize health. It may also provide clues about the underlying causes of illness or discomfort.
In traditional medicine, the organ cycle begins with the Lungs from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. and moves to another organ system every two hours. It ends with the Liver from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Then the cycle starts again. Below is a list of time periods for each organ system:
3 a.m. – 5 a.m.: Lungs
This is the period when the lung system is at its peak. It may be better to rest during this time. The lungs are also directly related to the circulatory system: they supply Oxygen to the blood, support the formation of new blood and help remove waste (Carbon Dioxide) from the blood, helping maintain blood pH balance and prevent infection. Therefore, if You stay up too late or even remain awake through many nights, Your skin may look extremely pale.
5 a.m. – 7 a.m.: Large intestine
This period is considered ideal for bowel movements and helping the body remove toxins from the previous day. To make this elimination easier, You may drink warm water in the morning. Heat causes vasodilation and hydration helps intestinal motility work better.
7 a.m. – 9 a.m.: Stomach
During this time, the stomach is highly active. It is considered an ideal time for a large meal because the stomach is believed to digest food best during this period. Interestingly, the worst time for the stomach to receive a large meal is after 7 p.m., when its energy level is considered lowest. This is why it is recommended to eat dinner before 6 p.m. and stop eating at night before 7 p.m., and it is also why breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day.
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Heart
This is the period when heart activity reaches its peak. The heart pumps blood and nutrients throughout the body. This is considered a good time for lunch, ideally with a lighter meal than breakfast. When the heart functions optimally, the mind is clear and thinking and speech are effective. Around this time, You should also strongly limit heavy work or high-intensity exercise.
This is the period when the small-intestine system reaches its peak. The small intestine separates what is pure from what is impure. In other words, it separates what is beneficial and should be retained by the body while “letting go” of what is unnecessary. Nutrients from food are retained and waste is moved to the large intestine.
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.: Bladder
This is the period when the bladder system is at its peak. The bladder removes liquid waste from the body. It is important to drink water throughout the day to help the bladder function optimally. Conversely, the bladder system is considered weakest from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. If the bladder system is weak, You may find Yourself waking during this time to urinate.
11 p.m. – 3 a.m.: Liver and gallbladder
The liver stores, cleanses and detoxifies the blood. The gallbladder stores and releases bile to break down fats. This is part of the reason why staying up late frequently may lead to problems related to the body’s detoxification, leaving You tired and sluggish the next day or causing more skin breakouts, etc.
So what happens if You do not maintain a regular routine? The quality of organ function may gradually decline over time and may eventually lead to a serious event that we cannot predict. The immune system may be seriously affected; sleep deprivation and stress may increase the risk of infections and chronic diseases. A weakened immune system also means the body loses its ability to recover quickly after illness or injury.
In addition, irregular eating and lack of physical activity may easily lead to metabolic disorders. Weight gain, obesity and type 2 diabetes are common consequences. Unhealthy eating habits, especially late-night eating and fast food, not only increase the risk of these conditions but also negatively affect the digestive system. Problems such as constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and stomach ulcers may become more common.
Cardiovascular health may also be seriously affected over time. Stress, sleep deprivation and an unhealthy lifestyle increase the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and stroke, along with many other “time bombs” that are difficult to predict.
It is clear that maintaining a scientifically organized schedule is very important.
Studies have indicated that sleeping only six hours each night on a consistent schedule (going to bed and waking up at the same time) may reduce the risk of early death compared with sleeping eight hours per day on an irregular schedule involving frequent naps and inconsistent sleep and wake times… This demonstrates the importance of maintaining a scientifically organized daily schedule.
While You are still healthy, invest in Your health and pay more attention to Your body; this can be a sustainable investment in Your own life. Right now, You may think that sacrificing sleep, smoking, drinking alcohol or eating without a routine, etc., are not serious concerns. These issues may not seem major in the short term, but over time they can become serious problems. Small things accumulate into big ones — once health is lost, it can be difficult to regain. Therefore, investing in Your own health is never a waste.
Hopefully, through this article, we can listen to our bodies more carefully and build a scientifically organized and effective daily schedule that helps improve our quality of life.