We have a tiny outdoor pond on our patio that came with the house. We do our best to keep the fish alive that came with it. Turns out, that’s harder than it sounds—none of the current goldfish are the originals. We’ve learned the hard way that to keep them happy, they need plants. The other day, I spotted a lotus flower stretching up from the lily pads, wide open in the midday sun. Beautiful! By evening, it had folded itself back up for the night.
The fish, I’ve noticed, keep their own schedule, too. In the mornings, they seem to be waiting for me, rising to the surface as I greet them with a “good morning,” even before I toss in their food. They dart around with energy, gobbling it up in seconds. But if I forget and wander out at some random time later in the day, they move slowly, almost sulking. I can’t help but imagine them thinking, Oh, so now you remember us? Nature has its own rhythm, and I love watching it play out.
I’ve always been someone who loves a routine—sometimes maybe a little too much. Lately, with the kids going on week 3 of sleepaway camp, my husband teases me about how early I eat dinner. I didn’t think 6 p.m. was all that early, but if you want to hit some golf balls after work and stroll in at seven, yes, you’re definitely missing my window.
For me, eating around the same time every day has always felt… easy. My body starts to get hungry at predictable times, which means I don’t have to think about it or spend energy deciding when to eat. Most nights, I’m done eating between seven and eight, and that consistency simply works for me.
Maybe that’s why I’m drawn to these small reminders in nature. Just like the flower doesn’t question when to bloom and the fish know when they like to eat breakfast, our bodies, too, carry its own intelligence.
Our Bodies Run on Rhythms
Our bodies love patterns, even if we’re not consciously aware of them. These rhythms—our circadian rhythms—are internal 24-hour clocks that respond to light, food, and movement. They’re what help us feel alert in the morning when the sun comes up and sleepy when it gets dark.
There’s a “master clock” in the brain that keeps time for the whole body, and there are also “peripheral clocks” in places like the gut, liver, and muscles. Light primarily resets the master clock, while food timing helps set the schedule for those peripheral clocks. When we’re in sync, we feel it—digestion tends to run smoothly, energy feels steady, and sleep comes more easily.
On the flip side, erratic schedules—skipping meals, eating late one day and early the next, or going to bed at wildly different times—can throw those clocks off. We might notice changes in digestion, disrupted sleep, blood sugar swings, or dips in energy.
The good news? We don’t have to be rigid about it. Even giving our body a general sense of “this is about when we eat” and “this is about when we sleep” can help keep those internal clocks aligned.
Your Chronotype Clock
Are you a morning lark or a night owl? Most of us can answer that instantly. Researchers call this your chronotype—it’s simply whether your internal clock runs a little earlier or later than average.
Morning types (the classic “larks”) tend to wake up hungry, feel most energetic early in the day, and naturally stop eating earlier in the evening. (#thisisme) Evening types (“night owls”) often feel sluggish in the morning, perk up later in the day, and may not feel truly hungry until well into the evening. As you might guess, our world caters to morning larks—something night owls would argue is definitely unfair.
What matters most isn’t when you eat compared to everyone else—it’s staying consistent with your own natural rhythm. If you’re a night owl, a later dinner might feel best, as long as it’s around the same time each night. Your body will probably let you know if eating something really heavy right before bed isn’t its favorite idea—most of us sleep and digest better with a little space between dinner and lights out. If you’re a morning lark, early breakfasts and earlier dinners may feel more natural.
The goal isn’t to force yourself into someone else’s schedule—it’s to work with your body’s timing, not against it.
Why Rhythm Matters
When our internal clocks are in sync, things tend to work more smoothly. Research on circadian rhythms suggests that keeping a relatively predictable routine—eating, sleeping, and waking at similar times—can:
- Support steadier energy – Eating at consistent times helps your body anticipate and prepare for meals, which can lead to fewer energy dips or “hangry” moments.
- • Promote better sleep – Going to bed and waking up around the same time helps regulate melatonin, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
- • Support digestion and gut health – The gut has its own clock that likes predictability. Regular meal timing may help reduce bloating and improve how well we absorb nutrients.
- • Help regulate mood – Stable circadian rhythms are tied to better mental health, possibly because of how they interact with our stress hormones and brain chemistry.
None of this means you need to be perfect or rigid—our bodies are resilient. But small patterns can make it easier to feel good day to day.
Finding Your Flow
What I love about paying attention to rhythms is that it’s not about rules—it’s about noticing what helps you feel your best. For me, keeping a steady schedule feels grounding, but your version might look completely different.
You don’t have to overhaul your life or get it “just right.” Even small shifts—eating at similar times most days, or settling into a more regular sleep routine—can help your body feel more in sync.
Think of it as an experiment: try leaning into a little more rhythm for a week or two and see what changes. Maybe you’ll feel a bit more rested, a little more energized, or simply enjoy the ease of not having to think so much about when to eat or sleep.
After all, the flower doesn’t force itself to bloom, and the fish don’t set alarms. Nature knows what to do—and, most of the time, when we sense ourselves, so do we!