Your circadian toolkit

October is the perfect time to reset routines, lift your energy, and take small, consistent steps towards feeling fitter and stronger.

Shorter days can take a real toll on mood, appetite and motivation especially if you’re in perimenopause. The good news? A few small circadian tweaks can make a big difference to your sleep quality, energy, and consistency. Why this matters in midlife, hormonal shifts often make sleep lighter and more fragmented. Add in less daylight and it’s easy to feel sluggish during the day, lean on screens in the evening, and push bedtime later and later. Poor sleep then ramps up hunger hormones, leaving you craving snacks and feeling less motivated to train.

Your circadian toolkit

Keep it simple and focus on the basics:-

• Morning light (5–15 mins): Step outside within an hour of waking (clouds still count!). An easy cue: pop your coat by the kettle.

• Movement timing: Put your strength session in your natural high-energy window (often late morning). Evenings? Keep it lighter - think walk, mobility, or a stretch.

• Caffeine cut-off: Aim for your last coffee or tea about 8 hours before bed. Switch to decaf or herbal later in the day.

• Evening wind-down (30 - 60 mins): Dim the lights, take a warm shower, stretch hips and upper back, and try a few rounds of 4-7-8 breathing.

• Screens strategy: Let your phone “sleep” in the kitchen or hallway and use a cheap alarm clock instead. If screens are unavoidable, turn brightness down or use night mode.

• Bedroom basics: Cool, dark, quiet. An eye mask and even a slightly open window (if safe) can help.

• Protein & fibre anchor: Start the day with a protein-rich breakfast (25 - 35g) plus a fibre hit - it stabilises energy and reduces that 4pm snack attack.

Small shifts really do add up. Think of this toolkit as a way to work with your body clock rather than against it, so you feel steadier, brighter and more in control as the seasons change.